Genre: Romance
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply. The characters belong to Shalz R.
Chapter 3: Revamping Begins
This was not the first time that Ms Stephens had encountered amused looks. People often mistook her to be man. Of course, the reason being that the people at McKenzie Creations had become used to referring to her simply as Stephens, and any one hearing anything about her naturally assumed that it was a man who was the subject of discussion. Not that she disliked being called Stephens, she was used to it and rather liked it when she saw the surprised, amused and sometimes shocked and confused looks, often expecting such reactions. When anybody did not react in this way, it was her turn to be surprised. In this household, however, she had been assumed to be a man, as usual!
Mrs. Maxwell though amused by the fact the Mr. Stephens turned out to be a woman, was even more surprised by the fact that it was a rather beautiful woman. She was tall, slim and had long black beautiful hair, which she had made into a neat French braid, and had a pale pink scarf tied around them at the nape. She had pleasant features, and wore practically no make-up, barring a light pink lipstick. Dressed in a simple yet elegant baby pink straight skirt and top, with a slightly dark pink business jacket she was very professional in her attire and manner. She impressed Mrs. Maxwell at least in this respect. Her face wore a determined and confident expression, but her big black eyes revealed the sweet simple person she really was and the faith she placed in her fellow humans.
"I think I'm going to like her!" Mrs. Maxwell thought to herself.
Ian felt that he had seen her somewhere before but could not place her. Moreover, at this point of time, he really did not care about it either. The very fact that he now had to deal with a Ms. Stephens instead of Mr. Stephens had undone all the coaxing his mother had just spent the past hour doing.
"Mom, I'm getting late. I think I'll leave." He said and hurriedly started walking out.
Stephens was slightly taken aback that almost as soon as he saw her he turned to leave, and so was everybody else. They all felt and quite correctly, that it was because it was a lady they were dealing with. Not that the representatives they had met before were all men, but this one was expected to be one.
Mrs. Maxwell rushed after him and spoke in low tones so as to not let Stephens hear. "Ian, I think if you could sit and talk a while it would be good. All you have to do is say hello and answer a few questions."
"Mom, you and Tyler have handled all the people before, why don't you handle her as well?"
"Ian you are going away just because the representative happens to be a lady. You must talk to her; it becomes so obvious when you leave all of a sudden as soon as you see her. Listen dear, she has come from Mr. McKenzie's office, you must talk to her. What has she done to not deserve a little courtesy from you? This is not the Ian I know!"
Ian sighed, "Ok Mom. But just this once."
He came back and tried to say something, but could not think of anything to say. Stephens sensed this and helped.
"Sir, I will need certain details as to exactly what kind of changes do you want in the house." She addressed him directly.
Ian, a bit startled for he was expecting her to talk to his mother, did not address her directly but looked at his mother and said, "Well, um.. I … want this house changed, that's it." Then looked back at her, knowing he had not given her the details she was looking for and letting her know that he wasn't going to either.
She knew then that conversation with this man was not going to be easy. Some people gave out their ideas without even asking, and some did not. She was used to this. For getting his answers, she would have to find and ask the right questions. She smiled and simply said, "Very well. How much of the house do you want changed? Any specific part of the house like the hall only, or the entire house?"
"The entire house." he said a bit sternly after the first answer; his reply directed towards his mother and still desisting from directly looking at Ms. Stephens or answering her.
"What kind of changes? I mean when I came here I noticed many chimneys, but in here, I see that the fireplaces have probably been closed. Would you like them to remain closed or shall they be re-opened?" she did not know this, but she had hit the right note.
"I want all the fireplaces opened. Mom, now I really must leave."
With that, he turned and left, with Adrian and Tyler following. Mrs. Maxwell was impressed that she had actually been able to get three answers out of him. She decided then that this was going to be the one who gets the assignment. She knew it would have to be explained to Ian, but that could be managed. She had very soon figured out how to get him to answer her questions and will be able to make a good job out it.
She sent one of the servants to hurry up after them and call Tyler back for a minute. Meanwhile she asked Stephens what else she proposed to do with the house.
"Ma'am, its really the client's choice. After all, they have to live in the houses. An interior designer must be able to comprehend what the client wants and do accordingly. My job is to suggest some designs but it finally has to be done in keeping with your preferences." Mrs. Maxwell nodded in agreement.
Tyler walked in, and the satisfied and impressed look on Mrs. Maxwell's face told him that she had probably decided. She told Stephens that she needed the work done as soon as possible, and that she would inform and discuss other details with Mr. McKenzie.
With that they finished the coffee, and Stephens left. Mrs. Maxwell asked Tyler to inform all the other companies that the assignment had been given to McKenzie Creations.
Ian was waiting in his car for Tyler to return, when Stephens came out of the door and passed his car, on her way to the gates. Ian watched her with no interest as she walked to the gates, not knowing that Adrian was watching him watching her. He had seen her somewhere! The dark windowpanes of the car were rolled up and she did not know that Ian watched her. Then he noticed Adrian watching. He did not even bother to explain that he just felt that he had seen her somewhere. Adrian did not ask either, but his eyes smiled. Tyler came back into the car and informed everybody that McKenzie had been selected. He deliberately did not name her for Ian's sake.
They drove off.
In the evening, Mrs. Maxwell informed Ian that McKenzie would start working within three or four days, and that she, also must leave in a day or two. Ian got up from his place and sat next to his mother. He knew that after he went to his outdoor shooting schedule he would not be seeing her for at least two more months. She had come to stay with him and he could not do that. He felt bad about it. He decided that he would go home with her until the time he had to go to Europe.
"Mom, I changed my mind. I think I would go over with you for a few days, after all."
Mrs. Maxwell was overjoyed to hear that. She knew Ian was not happy but at least he would be at peace in her care.
That evening, after dinner Ian left house for a walk in his favorite woods. Still not being able to get the past events out of his mind. Other details like, he was leaving for home, and then for Europe, like he was having his home redone, like he had met the designer that day were not even in the remotest parts of his mind. All he could think of was the betrayal. He had every intention of forgetting it and getting on with his life, but he just could not get himself to do that. He just could not get himself to enjoy the things he enjoyed so much. He could not forget that if it had not happened he would have married that woman. How happy he was that day, and what a bitter end it all had. His three years strong relationship was over within a matter of ten minutes. And then the realization, that he never had a relationship. It was merely a mirage. And he almost lost his life on account of it. The bitterness of it all was not leaving him.
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Three days later the Maxwells left for N. Y. after settling the details with Mr. McKenzie, leaving Adrian and Tyler to take care of the household and revamping. The day after their departure, Stephens started her work.
She had only one detail yet, that the chimneys had to be opened and the fireplaces were to be made functional again. She was told that Ian would return in almost a week's time and then he would leave for two months the next day. She knew the amount of time she had to get the details from him - one day.
One week however, was enough to open up the chimneys of the house. During this one week, she became quite friendly with Carlton and Tyler. They could never help with the details she wanted but they were good company. Tyler found her to be very sound and even started discussing his relationship problems with her. Stephens was very chatty and cheerful. She brought life back into the now very quiet Maxwell Manor. She had her way with people. Tyler even had Ashley and Lauren to meet Stephens. She even got a serious person like Adrian to talk to her. Nevertheless, the one person she knew who was going to be difficult was the one she was working for, Ian Maxwell.
She seemed to be in a hurry to have the fireplaces working. When Carlton asked her why, she said, "That's the only thing he's asked me to do yet, I should at least do this in order to get more information out of him." Carlton agreed and was impressed though he wasn't sure if even that would help her getting the information she wanted.
When Ian returned after a week, he found most of the fireplaces opened and the one in the hall was lit. The place still looked like an exhibition, but at least a start had been made.
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