Connexion

Part 31

"What's going on?" Kevin asked.

Jena just shook her shoulders, that everyone noted and wondered about, instead, she said, "Time to relocate, head for the lounge for coffee?" In the dining room, Jena's guests looked at her with speculation in their eyes and a question on their lips.

"Time to relocate?" Steve got to his feet. He glanced at Kevin and then back to Jena. "Why?"

"Melanie and Mr Harland are back early." Jena rolled her eyes. Thoughts raced through her mind. He was here, in her home. Why? What was she going to do about him? Silently she made a promise, she would not loose her temper or composure, or give him any ammunition. She rolled her lips and caught her lower lip between her teeth. It was either that or scream. He was ruining a good evening. She and her friends shared the same humour genes, so the evening, as per normal, was great. Then the great Harland crashed her party!

Kevin grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Caleb Harland? Really?"  He was on his feet,  "He is here?"

"Yup! I can see you are practically salivating at the thought of talking to him!" She teased with a grin to hide the fact her heart was thumping out of her chest. 

"Brilliant!" Kevin brushed her cheek with his lip. And Kevin did not wait for his friends and was already on the way to dinner room's door. "Thanks Jena!" Kevin said without any reservation.

"Why?" Steve asked and frowned at Jena

Jena shrugged and nodded at the door, "Kevin can chat to his hero! As you can see, he could not wait!"

"His hero?" Steve snorted.

"I know. Poor taste!" Jena gestured with a toss of her head.

"And he is really here?" Steve asked. "I thought you were teasing Kev! He is really here?"

"Yes." She sighed. "Come on, I'll introduce you" She sighed again. "Come on. Time to relocate to the lounge!" She left the dining and knew her friends would follow her.

Ali, Steve and Kels followed Jena.

Caleb stood at the floor to ceiling glass and was staring out at the waterline which was easily visible given the deck lighting outside. This woman was an enigma. The front of her cubicle home was dull, but the back was magical. When Caleb heard their footsteps, he turned around and smiled when her friends appeared at the door. "Hope you don't mind us joining your party, here?"

Jena smirked at him.

Her four friends stood at the door and gawked. Jena's friends looked at each other and grinned. They knew of the man. For they'd seen him years ago on the televised racing circuit, or in the newspapers either on the back cover, or in the social columns. The man had been able to practically date any woman of his choice. The fact he was in Jena's home left them with a lot of questions.

With quick efficiency, Jena introduced everyone, before making her escape, as she could read the interrogation that was gathering momentum "I'll put a kettle on." She announced with feigned enthusiasm, which earned her a grin from Kevin. He knew she was escaping. "Won't be a sec. Grab a seat." Jena knew the evening was going to be either fab or awful. Fab if she panders to the great Mr Harland or awful if she looses her rag with him! Just a pity that her heart was racing. 

It was obvious that Jena's friends were desperate to ask him the stock standard round of questions, but equally obvious that they were doing their best not to appear to be in awe. It was Kevin who broke the silence.

"Jena's kept you very quiet." He grinned as he came forward and gestured toward a chair for Caleb to take a seat. Kevin was doing his best to stop his gushing over a celebrity. But at the same time, he definitely wanted to store this memory, including any conversation with his hero.

"Excuse me?" Caleb settled more comfortably in the large over sized armchair. He wondered why Jena had large furniture in her home given she was average in stature. But he was grateful, for he usually found himself perched on small furniture, given his height, and the length of his legs. The room was large enough to hold one large four-seater couch a three-seater couch and two over sized arm chairs. Melanie had taken a seat on the three-seater couch, expecting Caleb to sit beside her. Much to her dismay and annoyance, he'd opted for one of the armchairs. Jena's friends took up seats, Ali, Kevin and Kels occupied the four-seater, and Steve joined Melanie on the three-seater.

"She knows you are my hero! She never said she was acquainted with a racing legend!" Kevin announced boldly. Kevin's comment surprised Caleb, for he'd expected Jena to explain to her friends how she knew Caleb. Apparently, Jena had told them nothing! Interesting, Caleb thought. And unusual. Most people he knew were always keen to make their association with him, even if it was slim, known to all and sundry. But obviously she had refrained from talking about him during her dinner party today with her friends. Extraordinary.

"Perhaps that's because she isn't." Melanie told him, squashing any suggestion that Caleb was here because of Jena. Melanie had no intention of allowing Jena to share the limelight when in reality Caleb was only here because of her, not Jena. Melanie intended to make sure that the other women in the group knew that Caleb was out of circulation.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Kevin nodded. "I assumed, as Jena and Mr Harland have similar ancestry that they probably knew each other. And I thought Jena might have introduced you to Mr Harland." He dug himself an even bigger hole.

"Call me Caleb." Caleb smiled at Kevin. Kevin's eyes flashed with admiration.

Ali chided with a speaking glance at Kevin, as she pointed out the obvious, "You have Dutch ancestry but doesn't meant you know all Dutch people in Wellington!" Ali glanced out of the window, and said with surprise, "Hey, Jena, looks like the deck's finished!" The last time they had visited the deck was out of bounds as it was being constructed.

"Yeah," Jena said, "nearly finished. Just a few bits and pieces to finish."  She could see that Melanie was not happy. Good, thought Jena!