Let It Be Me (Let It Be Me #1) (5 page)

“Shall we start?” she said to the room. Everyone took their seats as the secretary brought in coffee for all of them. 

They went over the drawings and the three men seemed all on board with all the revisions. Brandon presented to them the latest numbers. Alex, Henry and Ben only had a few questions.

They also talked about the phases. With four mid-rise buildings in the complex, they would build the one with the soup kitchen first. That could be finished in a year. The succeeding buildings will be built in a staggered schedule so that the foundation would have more than enough time to raise the funds for the whole development. Bobby did warn Kayla the project would drag on a bit due to the development’s phases. Kayla didn’t mind at all since she loved it.

“It’s good that we’re well within our budget,” Ben said enthusiastically. “And the drawings look great. Looks like our pipe dreams are finally coming to fruition, right Alex?” 

Kayla watched as Ben looked over at Alex. It was then that Kayla knew that at least Ben has been a good friend of Alex for quite some time now.

“And more,” Alex said, grinning. His eyes met Kayla’s and seeing the excitement in his eyes, Kayla saw how much this project meant to Alex. He really was an enigma.

“So when can we have the sets of drawings for the contractors to bid on?” Henry asked.

“Yes, we have five contractors interested to submit their bids,” Alex announced, proving to Kayla how involved he was with the development. 

Kayla nodded. “Since we don’t have many revisions, we can have everything ready in three weeks.” She loved how easily pleased the clients were and that they were in sync in terms of what the output of the development would be.

“Great,” Henry exclaimed.  “Thanks everyone.” He stood up to officially end the meeting. He approached Kayla, Jenny and Brandon to shake their hands and offered his thanks. He excused himself to make some calls. 

Jenny started gathering their copy of the drawings, as Ben chatted with Brandon about the New York Knicks game the previous night. Kayla expected Alex to join in on the basketball chat as she remembered the Knicks cap he was wearing when she first saw him. He surprised her by approaching her instead. 

“So about learning to live a little,” he started. “Ben and I, and a few other people, are having drinks tonight at Harvest.” Kayla recognized the name of the newly-opened upscale bar. “Maybe you can join us. Jenny and Brandon are invited too of course. Bobby too, but I doubt it would be his scene.” 

Kayla laughed at that, but shook her head. Going to bars wasn’t really her scene. “Thank you, but I’d have to decline,” Kayla replied. 

“Again,” Alex said with a knowing smile. “We can all be friends, you know. I know this isn’t just a project to you. You’re emotionally invested in this.”

Kayla looked at him in shock. How did he know?

Alex chuckled. He must have seen the surprise in her face. 

“Okay, maybe next time,” she said noncommittally. 

“It won’t be a maybe next time,” he challenged. 

And he didn’t waste any time in teasing her. It was around eleven that night when she received a text message from him.

“We’re missing you here,” she read. 

Kayla was surprised that he would remember her while he was out with his friends. But she didn’t want to make such a big deal out of it. Maybe he saw her as a project, a challenge, or who knows what. As long as Kayla knew her limits and see that Alex was way out of her league, she should just take him lightly.

She restrained herself from replying. He was trying to test her endurance. He didn’t know though he wasn’t getting anywhere with her.

Chapter 6

Kayla’s phone rang early the next morning.

“Kayla Richardson’s office,” she automatically answered as she was checking the documents in her in-tray.

“Kayla, I sent a link to your email,” Jenny said. 

“And good morning to you too,” Kayla greeted good-naturedly. Jenny wasn’t at her desk yet when Kayla arrived.  

“Come on, check it,” Jenny urged. 

Jenny twisted her chair to face her monitor and checked for Jenny’s email. Clicking on the link, she was directed to an entertainment blog. “Stone’s Wild Night” was at the top right below the blog title and there was a picture of him with a statuesque beauty cozying up to him.  She read the first few words of the article. “Alexander Stone graced the new hip club Harvest Wednesday night and partied the Alexander Stone way – with overflowing alcohol and beauties!”

Kayla shook her head in disbelief. They missed her that night, alright.

 “Can you believe this is the same guy we see in meetings?” Jenny said incredulously. “It’s like he has a split personality.”

Kayla didn’t tell Jenny that if she had agreed, they would have been at that bar last night too. 

“In defense to him, maybe he’s just good separating business and pleasure,” Kayla reasoned. But then she remembered that time in the elevator. Even if he may or may have not known she was part of the team doing the residential development with him, he knew she was part of the firm. It didn’t stop him from trying to seduce her. 

Maybe he didn’t deserve her defense then.

“Maybe,” Jenny said, though still sounding doubtful. Then she paused. “I do see that the two of you are getting chummy.”

Kayla was speechless for a second but managed to shrug. “I’m getting used to him. Or rather, I’m learning how to deal with him. If you try to forget what or who he is, he seems like a normal enough guy.”

Yeah, right. 

“What if he shows some interest in you, Kayla?” Jenny asked. 

Kayla laughed. “That’s crazy,” she said vehemently. “Look at the article. He’s surrounded by gorgeous actresses and models. He wouldn’t look at some boring architect.”

“Of course that’s not true,” Jenny said. Knowing Jenny, she would still want to debate with her, but she laid the matter to rest. “Anyways that’s just for some entertainment this morning. Back to work.”

Kayla just laughed. “See you later, Jen.”

Putting down the phone, Kayla stared at the screen for a minute before giving in. She scrolled down to see the rest of the article. There were more pictures of him with a number of women dressed in the tightest clothes. Kayla spotted Ben in the corner of one of the photos. He seemed to be having fun too. Her attention went back to the photos of Alex. This was his life. He was surrounded by equally beautiful and exciting people. 

This just confirmed Kayla’s thoughts last night that as normal as Alex seemed sometimes, he has this life that seems so foreign to her. It was just right for Kayla to keep their relationship to stay professional. She couldn’t even imagine being friends with him outside the conference room.

Yes, he has kissed her, but that was before Kayla put her foot down and insisted he can’t treat her like his other women. She doubted he was interested in her. He was just a player. He treated women that way because he could. He thought she was just another girl for him. 

He should get the message that she wasn’t like the others.

* * *

From: Kayla Richardson 

Date: Thurs April  25 14:11:47 2013

To: Henry Chapell, Alexander Stone, Benjamin Wright 

Cc: Jennifer Martin, Brandon Costa, Robert Flanders

Subject: List of Contractors

Henry/Alex/Ben,

May I request for the list of contractors bidding on the project, the contact person and their contact details. We will contact them this week.

Thank you.

Kayla

From: Henry Chappell 

Date: Thurs April  25 15:04:12 2013

To: Kayla Richardson 

Cc: Alexander Stone, Benjamin Wright, Jennifer Martin, Brandon Costa, Robert Flanders

Subject: re: List of Contractors

Thanks Kayla.

I will have our secretary Miranda email you the information by five in the afternoon today. 

Best,

Henry

From: Kayla Richardson 

Date: Thurs April  25 15:09:31 2013

To: Henry Chapell 

Cc: Alexander Stone, Benjamin Wright, Jennifer Martin, Brandon Costa, Robert Flanders

Subject: re: re: List of Contractors

Thanks Henry. That would be great.

From: Alexander Stone

Date: Thurs April  25 15:17:41 2013

To: Kayla Richardson

Subject: re: List of Contractors

How was your evening?

From: Kayla Richardson 

Date: Thurs April  25 15:22:11 2013

To: Alexander Stone

Subject: re: re: List of Contractors

Not as wild as yours, I gather.

From: Alexander Stone

Date: Thurs April  25 15:26:31 2013

To: Kayla Richardson

Subject: re: re: re: List of Contractors

Didn’t peg you as someone who reads entertainment blogs. Or were you just checking up on me? ;)

Technically, Kayla did read the article. But in her defense, she wouldn’t have come across it if it weren’t for Jenny. 

From: Kayla Richardson 

Date: Thurs April  25 15:31:08 2013

To: Alexander Stone

Subject: re: re: re: re: List of Contractors

Don’t flatter yourself. And who needs those when I have people in the office updated with the latest Hollywood gossips? 

From: Alexander Stone

Date: Thurs April  25 15:38:01 2013

To: Kayla Richardson

Subject: Darn

And you ruined it. For a second I was hoping you DID read them. LOL.

From: Kayla Richardson 

Date: Thurs April  25 15:45:12 2013

To: Alexander Stone

Subject: re: Darn

LOL??? Seriously? 

Anyways gonna say bye now. One of us has work to do. (Someone doesn’t seem to have any movie lined up at the moment!)

From: Alexander Stone

Date: Thurs April  25 15:49:22 2013

To: Kayla Richardson

Subject: re: re: Darn

For the record, we just wrapped up filming a sci fi movie last month. So have pity while I’m still unemployed.

Okay then, will catch you again soon.

Miserable and Jobless,

Alex

Kayla had to laugh at that. Alex was very good in charming people. Must be why he has made it so big. 

It was moments like those that Kayla had to remind herself to be careful. She was starting to enjoy their repartees. His random text messages were starting to frequent that at times she was starting to expect them. 

The last thing she needed was to fall victim to his charms.

 Chapter 7

It was one morning in July when she got a call from Alex.

“How can I help you, Alex?” she answered. By that time the awarded contractor has gotten the permits and construction was starting the following week. Things were all in schedule. 

“So formal, aren’t we?” he teased.

“Don’t you have a new movie to film?” Kayla retorted. She remembered he mentioned it one time they spoke after a meeting.

“That starts in two weeks,” he replied. “The reason I was calling is that I wanted to ask how many tickets you all wanted for the premiere of High Alert. It’s next week.”

“What?” Kayla, asked, surprised. High Alert was the sci-fi movie he finished a few months back.

“I said, how many –“

“I heard you the first time,” she said, cutting him off. “I meant, why? You don’t really need to do that.”

“I don’t need to,” he agreed. “But I want to. So that would be you, Jenny, Jenny’s husband and little boy, Brandon, Bobby... Wait, you’re not going to bring a date, are you?”

“How can you assume I’m not bringing a date?” Kayla exclaimed, baffled by his comment.

He was quiet for a second. “Wait, you’re dating someone?”

“No,” she admitted, suddenly embarrassed. One disadvantage of being single was not having a ready date. “I just said that for argument’s sake.”

She heard him laugh. “I’ll send eight tickets to your office. You guys have been showing off your fancy drawings and Powerpoints. It’s my turn to show off just a bit.” Kayla laughed. “I’m expecting the whole team to be there okay? You guys are part of the foundation’s first project of this size. Would mean a lot for you all to be there.”

Kayla was actually moved by his mini speech. And she just knew the team would be over the moon to be able to watch the premiere.

“If you put it that way, we would appreciate it,” Kayla said. “Thank you.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Alex teased.

“Alex Stone, you’re such a clown,” Kayla scolded jokingly. “You couldn’t sustain a decent conversation.” 

He laughed. “Sorry, it’s my defense mechanism.”

Kayla laughed with him

“See you then, Kayla.”

“See you, Alex, and thanks again.”

Kayla found herself smiling as she put down her phone. She was suddenly in a good mood. 

Checking the clock to see it was half past eleven, she stepped out of her office to approach Jenny’s desk. Jenny was working on some CAD drawings on her computer.

Kayla was tempted to tell Jenny that they might be watching Alex’s movie premiere night, but decided against it. She wanted to make sure Alex was going to follow through with what he said. He didn’t want to get anyone else’s hopes up

“Wanna have an early lunch?” Kayla invited.

Jenny looked at her, with her mouth hanging open. “Who are you and what did you do to my boss?” she kidded. It was very rare for Kayla to go early for lunch – unless it was a lunch meeting. Most of the time even, Kayla would have a shortened one.

Kayla laughed. “I’m taking baby steps, okay?” She was referring to Jenny’s hope for Kayla to loosen up a bit more. That was one thing Jenny and Alex had in common.