Sophie waited for Jena to speak. The phone was quiet. Sophie scowled, Jena was not playing ball. Hoping she hadn't blown it, Sophie feigned confidence and said, "You have to eat, and Wednesday night is probably our best option with regard to you being free. So, 7pm."
Again, nothing from Jena.
Sophie continued. "We can talk about this face-to-face." Sophie paused. No response from Jena. Sophie rolled her eyes. Time to play hardball. She said with certainty, " We can sort out the contract, or discuss and see if you can pull out without having any consequence for your business!"
It took a few seconds while Jena dealt, silently, with her temper. If this woman wants to play, fine, she will play! And by the end, Sophie will know that she can't take advantage of people to suit her whims.
"Fine." Jena stated quietly, as she came to a conclusion. She gave Sophie one final chance to pull in her head. "I think you will find your solicitor tells you, that we, as in By Design, have the option to withdraw!"
Sophie blanched, but she held her nerve. "Fine. I'll ask mine to look it over. So, see you 7pm Wednesday." And she read out Caleb's address and promptly said, "Thanks, Jena. Bye!"
Jena arrived at the Caleb's home, a few minutes before 7pm. The house was at the end of a long, well-established tree lined driveway. With extensive gardens. Clearly they have a team who tended the place, given the extensive native planting, and the immaculate flowerbeds that were the centre of the circular driveway just in front of the house. Jena couldn't imagine any of the Harland family gardening, given they clearly do not have the patience-genes.
And Caleb's place was miles away from her place, both in terms of mileage and context. Her home would be a pimple on this place. Cheese and chalk: the building in front of her screamed residency, while her place screamed industry. Clearly the Harland family's residency exuded class. A beautiful house, enveloped by a gorgeous garden.
Smiling to herself, Jena walked a few feet from her parked car, which she had abandoned a few meters to the left of the front door. Just in case she needed a quick getaway, she mulled to herself. She took her time, stopped and sniffed the flowers perfume. Again, she thought , clearly this family has a gardener, as the planting was visual and had impact, but also provide a sensory journey. Unlike her place! She was thinking about raised beds for various plants at the front of her place, given the current soil would not support much, apart from weeds. But perhaps row of roses might enhance her front garden. What garden, she snorted. Her 'front garden' allowed her to turn around on gravel and grass. The soil was poor, so what she had tried to plant had died. Her recent idea was to use raised beds close to her home, and leave the rest as gravel with a strip of grass. Jena realized she was stalling, and was not sure why she was delaying this meeting. Perhaps a premonition, or just intuition, because the door was answered by Caleb.
She wasn't expecting to see him. She was here to meet with Sophie, and possibly her fiancé. She definitely was not expecting Caleb. And he didn't look pleased to see her. Good, that made two of them.
"Come in." Caleb all but ordered. He was far from pleased. Every time he thought he had this woman figured out, she did something to upset his interpretation and perception of her.
He had not figured her for someone with little integrity.
He arrived an hour earlier, removed his jacket and he was loosening his tie, when he found Sophie at his home, as expected. Because Sophie phoned him and told him she would arrange dinner this evening with her, him and Isaac. And that she would cook. At which point Caleb accepted the 'dinner invitation' because it suited his schedule. But when he arrived back at his house, he found a teary Sophie and she told him about Jena's imminent visit.
So much for niceties, thought Jena. "Thank you, Good evening, Mr Harland." She noted he had removed his tie and jacket and had rolled up his sleeves. His attire was relaxed, but his body language was anything but. "You live here with Sophie?"
"Good evening, Ms Silva." His eyes suggested he was not happy. "This is my home. Sophie lives with our parents." Jena blinked. Caleb was polite. "May I take your coat?" He asked smoothly. He expected Sophie and Isaac at his place, because Sophie was cooking dinner for him, Isaac and her. So of course when he saw Sophie he was pleased. Just a shame that his good mood was ruined when Sophie told him that Ms Silva was trying to cancel the cake contract. And as planned, Sophie produced the contract and hand him the document and asked if he could read it. Caleb, despite being tired, read the contract. Sophie's behaviour suggested there was an issue about whether By Design was going to adhere to the contract. Caleb read through the two-page document and phoned his lawyers. If Jena thought she could blow hot and cold over this agreement, whenever it suited her, she was about to find out the hard way, how wrong she was. Tiredness was replaced with fury.
"Will I be staying long?" Jena countered smoothly. She was tired. She would much prefer to be at home, doing absolutely nothing, other than sitting on her deck, reading whatever came to hand, sipping a nicely cooled glass of Sav Blanc, and nibbling on nothing more substantial then cheese and crackers. But instead, here she was, playing cat and mouse with Caleb Harland. Jena shrugged out of her coat and handed it to Caleb.
Caleb took Jena's jacket and went to a small cloakroom when he heard his sister's voice.
"Oh, great. You're here." Sophie beamed and marched straight over. Caleb was surprised by his sister's smile. What happened to the tears when she told him about the contract issue? Sophie, in contrast to her brother, seemed more than delighted to see Jena. Just a shame that Jena was not delighted to see Sophie!
"You did request it." Jena reminded, underlining the word request with a fair amount of sarcasm. She was not happy about the fact that her strings were pulled by this particular family. Clearly this family got their own way with everything! And she was really fed up with this matter. And while she was tired, she was determined not to lose her temper over this situation.
"Yes, but you didn't sound too happy about it." Sophie trilled, not at all perturbed by Jena's less than warm response. Sophie beamed. She was delighted that her plan was working. Jena was here. Caleb was here. Sophie had prepared dinner, and she was justing waiting for Isaac. In the meantime, Caleb could entertain Jena, and Sophie thought she could excuse herself using the excuse dinner needed her attention. Perfect, her plan was working. Just a shame she had not noted the fury in Caleb's and or the exasperation in Jena's eyes.
Jena's eyes showed exasperation: Sophie basically ordered her to come, had challenged the contract, and was threatening court action, and now was smiling at her?
Jena decided to be blunt, but kept her voice quiet. "I wasn't." She had plans for this evening. She has a challenging cake to sort out and had allowed her some time this evening, but Sophie's antics had thrown a spanner into Jena's schedule. She took a moment before she added, "I'm still not." Her eyes moved from Sophie to Caleb, who was glaring at her.