Not keen for another episode in the lift, she headed for a staircase in the far corner, hesitating as she passed some black and white photographs. In one, a man in a hat with round framed glasses and a big coat had been captured stepping out of the Huntleys doors, head high. The picture must have been taken in the 1950s, from the woman beside him, with her cinched waist, wide skirts, hat and white gloves. One hand was tucked into his arm like it belonged. There was the edge of a tram in the foreground, not far from her stall’s position.
In the next photo, the women wore suits with big lapels and shoulder pads. The cars were boxy. 1980s? A tall man, also with glasses, was waving out of the brass-framed doorway. He looked confident, happy, a man on a mission. How many people had passed Huntleys threshold since then? What dreams had this man had? Was success easy back then? It was another world. She had to get back to her own - to make her own dreams come true.
...
Fritz saw her coming and handed over her bag of takings. She was grateful. He’d made her feel welcome since the moment she’d arrived; exclaimed over the quality of her work and wished her luck. He’d been glad to share his knowledge of the mall and its people with her.
“Thank you, Fritz! Nearly 5 o’clock already!”
She headed back to her stall to try the evening rush.
As she refilled the trays of goods from her spare supplies, the doors of Huntleys opened again. There they stood, James, so handsome and Nicole a bit awkward, her lips pursed, staring at her with clear, cold contempt.
Stella straightened and met their gaze, rapidly running through some options in her head. How would she handle this? She was ready to apologize, now that she understood why James had needed her to move.
She gave them both her widest smile.
“Good evening,” she called out, waving to them both. She hadn’t deliberately planned to sabotage their event. She had nothing to hide from them and nothing to fear, not really. She had her licence, and a great product. Antoinette’s endorsement had proved it.
Nicole merely sneered. James nodded back at her, catching her eye. He really was good looking, damn him. Well, she knew all about good looking men, and she was perfectly immune. Damian had seen to that.
Thank goodness she’d woken up to all of Damian’s deceptions in time to salvage something brilliant - her own business, Stellar.
Nicole, far too haughty to smile back, turned to James. For a moment, he’d looked like he might have even been about to come across and talk to her, but Nicole had taken hold of his arm, possessively. She was clearly asking him something, keeping his attention.
James frowned as if Nicole were an irritation. Stella looked away. Their relationship was no business of hers, though she hated friction. There’d been enough of it in her childhood, slowly mounting before their little family would move on once more, minus the latest man.
Stella closed her eyes and clenched her fists, a habit from childhood. It reminded her she had control over the space between her hands, if nothing else.
Opening her eyes again, she took in the work in hand, her need to refill the velvet tray in front of her, now that more than half of her pendants were gone. Spinning on one heel, she turned her back on both of them, stooped and grabbed a handful of brooches to replenish her display tray. Let them think what they liked. She had work to do.
Chapter 6
Stella was checking her supplies, mentally calculating which additional goods she must polish that night to restock, when she heard a voice behind her - her first customer of the evening.
“One moment, please. Can I help you?” She straightened, smiled and turned; straight into the interested gaze of James, who was fingering some drop earrings. His was a fine hand, a cultured one, a hand accustomed to dealing in precious jewels. He turned one of her Antoinette earrings in those practised fingers, examining it carefully, assessing its construction and proportions as professionally as if it were one of his own. He seemed to like what he saw. Very much. Why did his gesture suddenly feel so personal?
Without thinking, Stella reached up to her own earlobe, to touch the faux jewels she’d placed there this morning, wanting to showcase her wares.
His eyes snapped to her fingers and wrist, curiously intimate. Exciting.
The slight smile on his lips was deeply interested, discerning. Appreciative, not just of her jewelry, but of her. She drew in a breath and bit her lower lip. His gaze was way too intense, far more than the detached interest of a customer or competitor. Why did it feel as if he were touching her?
“These are good, very good,” he said, igniting her with his blue eyes, scrutinizing those ruby red droplets as they swung at the edge of her jaw. She swallowed.
In the darkening evening, her solar-powered sign blazed. When she glanced in one of her customer mirrors, she saw her earrings catching the lights from her sign and reflecting, red, at her throat.
At this proximity, Stella could see James’s own jaw, the faintest shadow of beard. She chanced a glance at his lips, imagining, despite herself, how it might be ... It was undeniable. There was a warmth about him despite his formality, despite everything. She wanted to step even closer. He was...
“Beautiful. Truly beautiful,” he announced. “I see a lot of jewelry, you understand.” Authoritative. Not patronising. It was a true compliment. Astounding. Flattering.
“Yes, well...” Shouldn’t she have been on her guard? Flattery from handsome men made her wary.
“I’m not just saying it. Did you design these?”
“I make everything myself.”
“$50 a pair, you say? No wonder these’re selling. You’re giving them away at that price. You’ll go broke.”
“I don’t intend to.” She took a step back. Was he insulting her? She lifted her chin and stared at him.
“None of us do,” he said, shaking his head, contemplating her. Was he bitter?
“Here.” He pulled out a wad of notes from his suit pocket. “I’ll have one of everything, please.”
“You don’t owe me anything, James. I’m not a charity.”
“Nor am I. In fact, I rather think you owe me something, don’t you?”
She turned away from him, busying herself with change. A purchase was a formal transaction after all.
Turning to him again, she stood tall.
“If you mean I planned the whole Antoinette Lacy thing, I’m pleased to tell you I had absolutely no idea Antoinette would come here today. None at all. And, can I help it that she happened to like my earrings, James?”
At the sound of his name, he pinned her again with his eyes. She stared right back, innocent. Why should he be so astonished that a jewelry business so close to his own should be trading so successfully? His own customers might operate in the stratosphere, with spending power many multiples higher than that of her own, but everyone was entitled to buy jewelry if they wished, whatever their budget.
What was it about his eyes that so fascinated her? Was everyone so mesmerized by their intensity? Deep water. Shifting thoughts.
Despite her determination to avoid this man, she found herself smiling. That did it. It snapped the spell. He gave her a tight little smile back. Was James shy?
“No, don’t worry about wrapping them, thank you,” he said, looking away from her. “I have to get along.”
She handed over his purchases. The joy in his expression was astonishing, light years away from the ponderous mood she’d seen earlier in the day as he’d readied himself for Antoinette’s arrival, so concerned about her stall being in the way, and the heavy way he’d carried himself as the famous star broke the script and helped herself to Stella’s earrings; not to mention the sombre atmosphere in the elevator.
She studied his tall frame as he departed, a spring in his step. She could swear he was almost whistling as he sauntered away around the corner where Nicole had disappeared 10 minutes earlier.
“Get along.” Such an old fashioned expression. Stella shook her head, puzzled. Her smi
le widened as five more people approached her stall, reaching for their wallets and purses. The Antoinette magic continued!
...
It was 8pm before Stella reached her sister’s townhouse, a barbequed chicken in one hand and her bag full of cash and the EFTPOS reader nestled in her other arm. Her stomach growled, and she couldn’t wait to sit down.
“Champagne?” Matt offered. “Your first day of trade was a triumph from what I hear.”
That was Matt. Totally supportive. How he could let her move in and take over his workbench in the garage as well as the spare room without one word of protest still amazed her.
“You guys have some, please. Have my helping. I’ll fall asleep. And I absolutely need to work tonight. Maybe all night. You can’t believe how much I’ve sold.”
“I can,” he said, pouring one for Jeannie and one for himself and grabbing Stella a sparkling mineral water. “It’s all over social media. She’s got me following you, too. Everyone’s wearing the Antoinette earrings, Stella. You’re a genius!”
“Total first day luck for me. Not for Huntleys, though. Matt, Jeannie - I’ve made an enemy.”
Stella flopped down on the couch next to Jeannie, exhausted. “You wouldn’t believe it. That James Huntley the Third and his PR side-kick, Nicole. Talk about ‘looks could kill.’ I truly had no idea. I’m innocent!”
“You can’t worry about everything, Stell,” said Jeannie. “Have you seen your Facebook page?”
Stella fished out her phone then wished she hadn’t.
“No,” she groaned. “Message from Damian.”
“What? Don’t you even look at that. Give that to me. You need to block that man. Cheers!”
“How are the girls? How was your day?”
“Shhhhh. Only just got them to sleep. To Stellar!”
They swapped stories as they ate. Jeannie’d spent the day at a three-year-old’s birthday party. Stella smiled and relaxed for a moment, banishing all thoughts of the mall for a while. Stock. That was what she must focus on tonight.
“And you should have seen Lucy’s face!”
Jeannie grabbed her phone and flicked to her photos, showing her eldest daughter with chocolate icing all over her chubby cheeks.
“That’s revolting, Jeannie!”
“Isn’t it! And she still wanted more!”
“Too much of a good thing.”
“What about Sienna?”
“Still has sore gums. You’d think all her teeth were coming up at once the way she’s grizzling. I only just got her off to sleep when you turned up.”
”My stall’s right near a chemist, Jeannie. Let me pick up some more of those chewy things you can put in the freezer. I’ll grab some tomorrow.”
“You’re a great aunty, Stell. I don’t remember Lucy having so much trouble teething. Can’t wait to show you your website. Matt reckons it’s one of my better efforts, don’t you dear.”
The Matt and Jeannie team. They always made Stella smile. Radiant. Generous. Matt was a catch for her big sister alright - a farm boy living in a share house in Ryde while he did his electrical apprenticeship. They’d clicked the first night she’d moved in as a new student at Macquarie University. He’d ended up working on power saving technology, and had just been promoted to Australian Pacific manager of Reduxen. Even though he was away half the time, the couple had never looked back. Their happiness was like sunshine.
Sales were going well internationally. He’d flown back that morning from New Zealand where he’d signed up two new clients.
“Everyone’s getting into it,” he said. “It’s not like I have to convince them. Energy efficiency’s just common sense.”
It was great to take the weight off her feet and totally relax, but she started to yawn. “Look at the time! I need to polish stock for tomorrow!”
Thank goodness Stella made so much stock before she’d left Perth. Once she’d made up her mind to leave Exos, she’d gone straight out and invested in as much silver wire and other materials as she could find. Gone were the days when she’d made things from offcuts of electrical wire and anything else she could find. With her savings, she’d been able to flash her card left, right and centre. Once things were going well, she planned to buy her materials in bulk, online, but right then she had to get busy and create enough jewelry to make her dreams come true. By working with silver, she’d be able to charge real money for her creations. Well, $50 for a pair of earrings was “real money” to her, even if it barely registered in James Huntley’s budget.
“Gotta spend money to make money,” she’d told herself when some of the totals shocked her. She reasoned she’d be adding value big time, earning back more than ten times what she’d paid. If she didn’t believe in herself, who else would? Without her Exos wage there was no one to rely on but herself. It had been time to step up, pay up and get busy, and she’d worked day and night, squirrelling away her hand-made treasure for a brighter future.
She was glad she’d been so organized, with all her pieces sorted in portable trolleys.
Back in the living room, with the girls safely snoring in their cots down the corridor, Stalla pulled out her jars of silver cleaning fluid and got to work making her creations sparkle, while Jeannie showed Matt and Stella the website she’d created. Jeannie was clever. Just as creative as Stella, in her way. They discussed pricing and online activity.
“You told me to go ahead, and I did. And guess what, Stell! Thirty nine online sales, just today!”
“You’re joking!”
“Nup. And another one’s just gone through. Oh no! Do we even have enough packaging to ship them in?”
“Unbelievable! Are you sure this is not too much for you to handle, Jeannie?”
Jeannie insisted she loved to help. She told Stella she’d missed using her brain, though she clearly adored staying at home with her girls till they were ready for preschool. She confirmed a few more online sales while Stella packed another tray of the Antoinette earrings, arranging them to catch the eyes of passers by.
Stella made a mental note to create more jump rings as soon as possible and order more findings. Thank goodness she wasn’t trading every day of the week.
“What do you think about packaging up an ‘Antoinette set’ online?” Stella asked, explaining how Ruben Slavonicus had dropped in and accepted the first “set” for his girlfriend.
“Ruben Slavonicus interviewed you? Why didn’t you tell us? He might have posted something on you.” She searched her Facebook account and caught Stella’s attention.
Suddenly, Stella recognized the familiar face of Antoinette Lacy, wearing none other than her own green earrings. And no. Was that herself, red earrings dancing?
“... Stella Rhys staged her own Heist, attracting the star’s attention with her faux jewelry street stall.”
There was leggy Antoinette, all teeth and bright green dangling earrings, and there was she, Stella herself, looking busy, slightly annoyed even, curious, trying to gauge what the reporter was saying. Now she was happier, and talking.
“I’ve always loved jewelry. Doesn’t everyone? It’s just a bit of fun, to brighten up your day or spice up the night. A bit of a novelty, you know. So we’re not always ‘same old, same old.’ It makes us feel fresh. A bit of sparkle never goes astray. jewelry makes people happy.”
Ruben Slavonicus had crossed back to himself. She remembered it all now. What a day!
“Well, Stella Rhys has certainly given her own Stellar performance with her new Oxford Street Mall business. She’s made Antoinette Lacy happy, and stock is selling fast. This is roving reporter Ruben Slavonicus, multimedia influencer.”
“Amazing, Stell! You know Ruben used to work for a major newspaper chain. I think he has quite a few followers. No wonder everyone’s ordering your stuff online. I’m going to retweet and like this everywhere right now. Wow. So many orders! They must have run that story in their earlier bulletin. Better brace ourselves. You are amazing, little sister. Incredible. Reme
mber how I used to get you to do my school projects? Remember that volcano with the frothing lava, and the rocket. That thing was like a dolls’ house inside, with the astronauts hanging upside down? I got an A+ for that one. And now on your very first day of business, look at your success. Anything you turn your mind to just works somehow.”
“‘Somehow’ nothing! Damian and Exos didn’t exactly work out for me. Look, Jeannie, none of this would be happening if you and Matt hadn’t opened up your home to me, and you know as well as I do that nothing was falling into place while I thought I was in love with that wretched Damian. You and Matt made this possible for me. This is your doing, Jeannie.”
Stella stopped for a moment and rested her weary hands. As she looked across at her sister, who was doing something with the back end of the website, a rush of gratitude came over her. Jeannie was more of a mother to her than Flame, always encouraging her.
Flame was big on sayings and short on action.
“You must always do what you love, my girls.” Flame told them both more than once. It was certainly a motto Flame lived by. The only problem was that Flame loved many things. Too many things. Her loves were ever changing. Not Jeannie. Jeannie was steadfast. She always had her back. In the playground, in the camping ground between rental homes, and now, even here, though both of them were adults.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you and Matt, Jeannie.”
“Stell!”
“No, hear me out. Damian was a mistake. I don’t understand why I didn’t just walk out sooner. I should have listened to you, Jeannie, but I wanted what you and Matt had so badly. I kept thinking Damian understood, that he really loved me...”
Jeannie turned from the computer screen and smiled back into Stella’s eyes.
House of Diamonds Page 6
