Connexion

Part 6

He trained his eyes on her with the kind of thoroughness she usually equated with laser driven precision technology. People of this calibre do not appear on her horizons, she reminded herself. Jena wondered whether it would be a good plan to run for the door. Fast. Would it matter if she looked like a coward or a fool?

Jena tried to hide her gulp, but the image of a cat toying with a mouse came to mind. Only in her mind, she was nothing but a straw mouse, and he was a big-game cat. One paw swipe or a stomp would flatten the straw mouse.

Caleb studied the woman in front of him. The fact that she had persuaded his secretary to make an appointment for her, with short notification, with him, when his secretary, Annie, knew about his diary's engagement for today, suggests the woman in front of him, can manipulate circumstances. He had pencilled time in the diary to focus on his imminent meeting with an international company's CEO. Only to find Annie asking if he could make time, ten minutes, and talk to someone who had just arrived at the office.

Evidently this woman was good at handling people. The security guards at the door did not stop her. She had a conversation with the receptionist. The receptionist apparently phoned Annie. A few minutes later she was on the lift on the way up to his office. She then had another conversation with Annie, and she negotiated her way to his sanctuary. Caleb knew his assistant was not easily persuaded to change his schedule without his permission. Now in his sanctuary, this fencing with her submerged his reality. He had the skill and experience to squash this squabble within seconds, but he chose to prolong the joust despite the fact he had things to do before an imminent meeting with another CEO. The woman in front of him must have superpowers.

He glanced at his watch. Noted the ten minutes he allowed, had elapsed, five minutes ago. Enough. He thought. Time to squash this meeting. With his voice giving nothing away he moved quietly, and asked with equanimity in his tone, "Your opinion of yourself." Caleb was not sure whether to allow her sometime to process his statement. He rubbed his cheek with his fingers, as he considered his next statement. Direct, uncompromising or plain blunt, versus veiled, tactful or subtle. He decided, frank and forthright.

Me? Jena blinked. Her world tilted. Perhaps she had skipped into another universe when she came into his office, she glanced at her watch, fifteen minutes ago. "Sorry? What?" She blinked again, her brow furrowed. "Did you say, my opinion of me? Which, given your tone, suggest not positive!" She asked and narrowed her lips. He thinks I have an ego? She thought. She blinked. She silently reviewed her nature. Self-assured and assertive in the business arena, her brain confirmed. Confident with a caveat, sort of, her heart said. Positive, most time. Strong, unless facing a big game cat. Calm and controlled, in essence. And surely those are positive traits.

In her personal arena, Jena was shy, a tad reserved, but not with her friends. And if she allows someone into her personal area, she would be a loyal, steadfast, reliable, friend. That is why she was here. She was here to defend Tony, her cousin. Again, all good positive traits. But unfortunately they also bring responsibility, well, at least in her mind and her heart.

Caleb watched emotions flitting through her eyes. "Yes. Perhaps I can help you. To help you to identify your fundamental traits," he tipped his head as if he was considered his words, he shook his shoulders, shrugged as if his words had no consequences for him or her, "or should I say, unattractive traits."

His blue eyes were flint hard. No sign of any soft edges.

Jena folded her arms, and did her best not to shriek or cower. Clearly the wolf had dispensed his sheep mantle.

She said with a haughty toss of her head, while her heart restarted, "My unattractive traits?" She resurrected her business persona, cloaked her heart with adrenaline and invited him to prolong her chat with the wolf. "Go ahead, Mr Harland, you identify my unattractive traits!"

Caleb was impressed. No outburst. He was expecting an explosion. No sign of a rant. But he could see her eyes were battling with the words she wanted to spew. Time to see how far he could go before her histrionics escaped its leash.

Still with no sign of his annoyance in his tone, while his words illuminated his ire, "You have the gall to appear at my office and demand I follow your instructions." A pause. Waiting for her reply. But no tantrum. Her face remained serene.

"Suggests bullying is part of your armoury." He knew he was deliberately pushing her buttons. And he found her reaction interesting. Surely most would take umbrage. "To get your way." He added when she ignored his earlier statement.

"Rubbish!" She muttered. On the inside she was baffled. Jena was not happy that he labelled her a bully