by Suzy Shearer
Yes, tomorrow—he would see Kallie again tomorrow.
Chapter Eight
When Kallie got back to the hotel that night, still puzzled about the evening, she wondered if she’d done the right thing by accepting Alex’s help.
When he’d burst in, she had seen a different side of him again. As he talked about his recent trip, he became animated, so alive and excited. He acted as if she were one of his friends. She could see why his documentaries were so popular with the interesting way he talked about the trip. He had this innate ability to engage the audience. She’d even felt herself drawn in and began asking questions.
This man was a far cry from the arrogant Dom. Instead, he was warm, caring, and very interesting. But this man confused her even more now.
When he’d offered to leave on discovering her at Stacy’s, it had surprised her. Then he’d wanted to help her move. He’d even allowed her to refuse if she wanted to. Kallie could see his offer of help had Stacy surprised. Dan hadn’t said anything, but she got the impression he wasn’t at all surprised by Alex’s offer. Well it would be interesting to see how the day progressed.
She’d packed her clothes. All that remained in the morning was to shower, dress, and wait for her transport. She’d called a cab company yesterday and booked a car to pick her up at eight thirty and drive her home. She waited in the lobby after settling her account. Her luggage, already with the porter, was waiting to go into the cab.
Kallie had dressed in a pair of jeans and T-shirt because it wasn’t much use wearing anything else. She’d been filthy by the end of the day.
The removalists had sent a message saying they would be arriving at the house around twelve. Her cab arrived on time, and within an hour she was finally unlocking her front door.
She spent the first ten minutes opening every window in the house to let the last of the paint smell out after stashing her bags in the wardrobe in her bedroom. Carefully she put the glass bowl her flowers had come in on a high shelf in the linen press. Last night Kallie had made a sketch of where things should go, and now she taped it on the wall just inside the front door. It should make it easier for everyone.
Sighing Kallie decided she would be very glad when today was over. The past month had been almost too much. The move back here, working with new staff, and then Alex—all had conspired together to make her tired and stressed. In her mind she thought once back in her own home and sleeping in her own bed she’d feel much better. But today she was really on edge, wondering how things would go.
Would the move be easy?
How would Alex react?
More important, how would she react having him around for most of the day? She found herself feeling very nervous.
Relax. Everything is going to be fine.
Kallie tried a few calming deep breaths. They didn’t really work, but maybe once everyone arrived she’d calm down a little. She walked into the kitchen and smiled in delight as she looked around.
It was even better than she expected. The new cupboards looked so good. The rich cream colours of doors and the walls blended perfectly with the subway tiles on the splashboard, and she couldn’t wait to start cooking. She ran her hand across the smooth granite countertops and then walked to the long island.
Kallie felt sick. There was a large scratch—actually a gouge—in the light green granite on top of the island bench.
“Oh no! You’ve got to be joking. This is the last thing I need today.” Upset and angry she yelled loudly. “Fuck. Stupid fucking installers.”
Kallie pulled out her phone, took a couple of photographs of the bench, and then rang the company after sending the two photos by texting to them. After demanding to speak with the company manager Kallie told him briefly what she’d discovered and suggested he look at the photos she’d sent.
Instead of being apologetic, he spoke rather rudely to her. She got the feeling the man on the phone thought she was “just a woman.” He actually spoke down to her and asked to speak to her husband. When she replied that she lived alone he then had the audacity to say she’d obviously done it herself. Kallie very quietly explained that she’d just gotten back to her house and had only been inside a few minutes when she discovered the gouge. Adding that it was the first time she’d seen the kitchen since the job had been completed.
“I’m sure if you bothered to check your records you would see that I have been in England and all of this was arranged while I was overseas.”
“Oh. Mm…yes, well, I see that. Let me look at the photos.”
“Yes, you need to look at it! It’s enormous. I have no idea what your people have done, but I’m not paying for this! You need to get someone out here to replace it.”
Even after looking at the photos she’d sent, the man on the other end kept insisting she must have done it. Kallie could feel a single tear run down her cheeks as the manager kept up with his insistence that the fault was hers. This was the last thing she needed when she already felt so stressed. She was glad only half the money had been handed over.
“How on earth could I have done it if I haven’t been here? I just walked in ten minutes before I rang after being away for years.” Her voice quavered. “I want someone to fix it now!”
She heard someone enter the house. She’d left the front door open. When she turned to see who it was, she was upset to find it was Alex. She tried to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.
“What do you mean you can’t get anyone here for three weeks just to check it? Just look at the picture I sent you. I refuse to pay the remainder of the account until you have someone out here to fix it. I want this replaced now!”
Alex raised his eyes in puzzlement, so Kallie pointed to the gouge. He ran his hands over it and whistled softly.
Infuriated she tried to explain once again. “For the last time, I just arrived when I called you. As I said I haven’t been here for years. Your men supposedly finished the job yesterday or the day before. I did not do this.” Her voice sounded shrill to her as she demanded. “I want it fixed!”
Alex gestured for him to take the phone. It was a testament to just how upset she was that Kallie just handed it over.
“This is Alexander Harrison, owner of Nat Doc Productions speaking and Ms. Robins’s friend. I expect someone here first thing on Monday morning to fit a new countertop on the kitchen island, or I’ll be getting my lawyer involved.”
Kallie was trying hard not to cry in front of him. She could feel her tension, could feel the tears welling up as if behind a dam wall. She chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to Alex, his voice so cold and commanding.
“No. Monday morning at eight and with a new top. If it isn’t completed by lunchtime we’ll be taking legal action,” he threatened, his voice becoming more icy and powerful with each sentence. Kallie almost flinched listening to it.
“Good. Thank you,” he replied coldly, hung up the phone, and looked down at Kallie. His face softened. “Are you okay?” he asked gently.
“I was until this.” Somehow she had to hold back the tears.
“Well they’ll be here on Monday to replace it.”
“Thank you, Mr. Harrison.”
He smiled down at her. “Do you think we can dispense with the formalities just for today? Please call me Alex.”
She nodded and then said hastily, “Excuse me, Alex.”
Tears were so close, and her dam wall was about to fail. She almost ran outside rather than let him see her crying. She raced to the end of the paved veranda, then turned the corner, and sank to the side of the house. Kallie wrapped her arms around her knees, laid her head between them, and burst into tears.
This was a horrible start to what she knew would be a taxing day. She just hoped it wouldn’t get any worse. The gouge and the argument with the kitchen people was the last thing she needed. She felt a hand softly touch her head, and she looked up. Alex was in front of her. He crouched down and went to touch her again but pulled his hands back.
“Do
n’t cry, Kallie. It will all be okay.”
She tried to sniff back her tears, as she nodded. She looked up at him. Dressed in a pair of faded jeans and T-shirt, he amazingly looked very relaxed.
“Come on. Up you come.”
He stood and reached down for her. She held out her hands and allowed him to pull her to her feet. As she stood, she ended up very close to him. Neither spoke, nor she thought neither of them breathed as they stared at each other. She could almost feel electricity surging between them as he held her hands.
Kallie wondered what would have happened if Dan hadn’t called out her name. She quickly pulled her hands out of Alex’s and walked back around the corner, drying her eyes on the back of her hand.
“We’re out here,” she called out shakily.
Dan and Stacy came out. Alex quickly moved in front of her and grabbed the other two. “Come in and look what some prick did.”
Kallie realised he was shielding her from their glances—yet another side to him. She went inside to the bathroom, where she quickly washed her face, and then rejoined the others.
“That’s terrible, Kallie,” Stacy said as Kallie walked back into the kitchen. “Are they going to fix it?”
“The man on the phone was so arrogant when he was speaking to me. Bloody chauvinists. He had the audacity to ask to speak to my husband. In the end Alex spoke with them, they’re coming Monday to replace it.”
“Good.” Dan looked this way and that. “So can we look around?”
Kallie laughed, her sad mood lifting. “Of course you can.”
She took them on a guided tour. The big friendly kitchen had a light and airy huge family room attached. They walked through the house, looking at the two generous-sized bedrooms. Across the other side of the house was the master bedroom.
Kallie loved this room. It always made her feel as if she were sleeping outdoors because it was built with octagonal glass sides. The view was amazing.
“Kallie, this is breathtaking. It’s like you’re outside.”
“I know, Stacy. I just love this room.”
She took them back into the main family area and then down a corridor. At the end was a closed door. When she unlocked it and switched on a light in, there was another short hall that led to a few stairs that went down.
“Watch your step. This part is almost underground. It nestles onto the side of the mountain.” She opened another door at the end of the steps. Inside was a recording studio.
“This is amazing, Kallie!”
“I’ve a digital mixing console as well as an analogue one, which I prefer but I put them in storage for protection, along with my mics, headphones, and everything else.”
Dan seemed impressed, and judging by the look on Alex’s face, so was he. The two men investigated every part of the four rooms that made up the studio. “So is this partly underground?” Dan looked up at the ceiling.
“Not actually underground. It nestles against the mountainside. There’s a slight dip in the land here. That’s why we went downstairs, even though we are on the side of the range. But the walls have insulation between the bricks and the wall covering. The ceiling is also well insulated between it and the roof. If you look outside you’ll get a better idea.”
“This is a great setup, Kallie. I’m impressed.”
Dan and Stacy laughed at Alex’s words. Dan touched Kallie on the shoulder and in a fake whisper said, “This sort of thing takes a lot for him to be impressed, so if he says he is, you can bet it’s good.”
She grinned at Dan, and then they walked back down the hall.
“I’m sorry I can’t even offer you a coffee.” She groaned as she realised she had nothing in the house to eat or drink. “I’ll have to make a grocery run as soon as possible.”
Stacy smiled at her. “That’s okay. I figured you wouldn’t have anything so I made Dan stop. We have instant coffee, milk, sugar, and paper cups. We also have cookies.”
“Oh you wonderful woman!”
Dan had been rummaging in empty cupboards. “One slight problem—how are we going to boil water?”
“Bugger!” Kallie felt disappointed. Then she brightened. “Hang on.”
She went back down the hall and rummaged in the cupboards, slamming the doors. She returned with a small saucepan, a teaspoon, and a half-used roll of paper towels. She put in the paper towels in the bathroom so people could dry their hands.
“The studio was locked. It wasn’t part of the rental. I remembered there were a couple old saucepans in the kitchen there.”
She washed the pot then filled it with water and put it on the stove while Stacy went out to the car to pick up the things they’d brought with them.
“Did you say you have solar electricity, Kall?”
“Yes, Dan. I’m so far out here, and the power wasn’t connected when I built the place. I put solar on when it was available. Now I have plenty of panels to run everything, including the studio. The water is collected in a tank behind the house, as well as a big underground one, and the water is heated by the sun as well.”
Stacy and Kallie busied themselves with the coffee, and before long the water had boiled and they were able to have something to drink. They took their cups and the cookies outside to find somewhere to sit. Alex wandered off to investigate where the studio was, and she could see him give the occasional nod as if approving.
“Did you have a dog, Kallie?” Stacy asked, pointing to an old dog kennel.
“Yes. I did, he was adorable. A German shepherd. He passed away a few months before I went to England. I really miss him. I’ll definitely get another now I’m home.”
“Makes sense. You’re kind of isolated here.”
“I know, but I actually like having no neighbours nearby.”
They relaxed in the sun until they heard the movers’ truck pull up around 11:50.
“I’ve taped a layout of the furniture on the wall near the front door. That should make things easier.”
They all agreed and headed inside to work. The next four hours were a blur as everything was unloaded and put into rooms. Kallie wondered how on earth she would have managed to get everything done without everyone’s help.
Once the removalists left, she and Stacy opened boxes for the kitchen, and at least now had a jug instead of a saucepan to make coffee. Dan wandered in when he heard the jug boil. When the removalists had left, he and Alex had been putting furniture back together. It was close to five thirty.
“Good news is your furniture is all together and back where it belongs. At least we hope it’s where you wanted things.”
“I can hear a ‘but.’”
“Yes, well, your mattresses and pillows are dead.”
“Define dead, Dan.”
“Moldy and kind of smelly.”
“Oh no!”
“Sorry.”
“Oh well. I guess it could have been worse. Damn, I wonder if the boxes with the linen and stuff in are okay. I put a lot of stuff in there to protect things, although I didn’t expect all my stuff to be in storage as long as it was. I was only supposed to be for two years not over seven.”
The four of them went into the dining room, where the linen and towel boxes were sitting on the dining table. Tentatively they opened each one of them. Two were total write-offs, but the others seemed okay. One of the ruined boxes held all her towels, which were covered in mildew. The other very large box contained all her blankets and quilts. Unfortunately they weren’t even good as rags anymore. At least everything else was fine. Things would need washing and airing, but at least they looked usable. Kallie felt exasperated.
“Damn! Looks like my list of things to buy is getting longer by the minute.” She groaned. “I’m going to have to take a trip to buy mattresses, pillows, and some towels, as well as buy out a supermarket.”
Kallie felt almost overwhelmed when she thought of trying to get everything organised and purchased. She pointed to the fridge as they all walked back into the kitchen. Her fridge loo
ked as if it was struggling to just stand upright.
“And as you can see my fridge has seen better days, so I need a new one of those, too. Argh!”
“What about tonight, Kallie? You can’t sleep on the floor.”
She sighed loudly. “It’s okay. I’ve got a sleeping bag in one those boxes in the dining room and I checked. It’s okay.”
Alex looked at her. “You can’t sleep like that, and what about food?”
“Oh, yeah food,” she said sheepishly. “I forgot about that.”
She felt flustered. She’d been so excited to get home that food had gone totally out of her mind. She’d completely forgotten she would need to shop for groceries as well as soaps and cleaning stuff. Now she’d have to go shopping for that, try to find somewhere to buy at least a mattress for her bed, and have it delivered tomorrow. She’d have to call a cab in the morning to take her down the mountain to get as much as she could.
Dan went to speak, but Alex cast him a look, and Kallie wondered what that was about. Dan took Stacy’s hand.
“Come on, love. You can help me get the stinky mattresses outside.”
Stacy looked at him puzzled, but he took her hand and pulled her from the room.
“Kallie, if I promise to not speak unless necessary, not to bother you in any way will you allow me to offer my home to you? You could spend the night.” He sounded so earnest, like a little boy, as he continued. “Honestly I won’t bother you, and you could have dinner. Then if you would like, I could take you tomorrow to buy groceries and the mattresses on the way back here.” He held a hand across his heart and swore. “Then I promise I will definitely leave you alone after that.”
Kallie realised how much he’d done today. He hadn’t been bossy or dominating except on the phone. She thought it must have taken a great deal of willpower for him to act this way. Relieved at not having to figure out how to get a mattress on a cab, she nodded. “Thank you.”
