His Camelia [Completed]

Chapter 21- Mr. Steel

"I'm all ears. Please continue." He responds taping his fingers impatiently on his desk.

"Well, she came to me this morning requesting your number to thank you for the flowers you sent for her birthday." Julien explains.  "I must admit I was slightly surprised by her request especially with the current situation but I see no harm if that's all right with you.  I was thinking to supply her with your home number since she has your personal cell. But again, I wanted to make sure you were fine with the idea."

A smile lightened his features.  A genuine smile that stretched clear across his features.  He tilts his head back and closes his eyes in pleasure.  I was more than fine.  Whatever she wanted he could never deny her.  Anything she wanted he would give her, unbeknown to her. 

"Of course, that will be fine."  Stefan replies, adjusting his voice to keep the smile from being heard through the line.  He hadn't felt such a rush of happiness twice in a row in such a long time. 

Slowly. The black void was decreasing.   More and more with each passing day.  There was hope at the end of the tunnel.  Things were clearing as the fog around him lifted. 

"I will inform her after she completes her breakfast. I expect she'll phone you shortly. Once Camelia is determined on a task she does not stop nor wait until it's done." Julien informs him.

"I'll be looking forward to it. Thank you for informing me ahead of time."

Stefan deposits his cell on the desk, leans back in his chair clasping his fingers together, deep in thought. He had to remind himself to act like he hadn't met her in ten years. He needed to pretend he didn't know every expression, every tone, every word he learned over the span of short two months.

It was Stefan talking to Camelia. Not Kent. Although he disliked fooling her, aloofness will be required.
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It was his house number.

Camelia holds the post-it with shaking hands and slowly climbs the stairs while staring at it in fear.  Entering her room once again she sits on the edge of the mattress and sticks the note on the table beside her bed.  Still staring.  The sounds of her heart pounding in her ears. 

Don't get too emotional, she chides herself. You're only thanking him for his thoughtfulness after all these years. 

What would he say? 

How should she start? 

Would he be home?

Camelia exhales once and taps his number before her nerves fail her. 

It rings twice.

"Hello, this is the Stefan Steel residence,  how may I help you?" A female answers the call and Camelia almost falters as her heart stops.   The urge to press end was overwhelming.  Was she his girlfriend?  But the tone of her lady's voice was professional and detached.  She couldn't be his girlfriend as she first suspected. 

"Hi, my name is Camelia St. James and I'm calling to speak with Stefan."  She explains clearly, proud at how her voice sounded calm and controlled.  There was no uncertainty or nervousness. 

"One moment please, I'll inform Mr. Steel." 

Camelia's heart rate picked up at how formal she made him sound.  Mr. Steel.  Even his name sounded authoritative and sexy to her ears.  The image of him plastered on the front cover of the magazine she spotted weeks ago enters her mind.