Connexion

Part 59

"Well, you're here now." Sophie missed the irritation in Jena's voice. "Come on through, Ms Silva. I am really please you came." Sophie continued to smile as if this was normal for a meeting, actually a meeting that will be a quarrel about the contract. "So it's just you, me, Isaac, oh and of course Caleb, given this is his place!"

Jena wanted to grind her teeth. She asked Sophie, "Your brother tells me you don't live here?"

"True. I live with mum and dad." Sophie said.

So why meet here, Jena wondered. A meeting about the cake contract? Jena banked her irritation. Why was she here, at Caleb's home? Why did Sophie arrange this meeting at her brother's place but not her parent's place? Jena could understand why Isaac was going to be at the meeting. But the fact that Sophie was still relying on Caleb, instead of Isaac, does not inspire confidence in Sophie's prospective marriage, Jena thought.

Sophie went for charm. "You met my parents at your office. I'm sorry I was so bridezilla, as mum described it, when I met Sally, so I invited you for dinner, at a neutral venue!"

"Neutral venue?" Jena rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous." Jena mumbled. But Caleb heard her word.

"Ridiculous?" Caleb asked.

"Yes, your bridezilla-sister's episode was with Sally, so why invite me? If your sister wants to apologise for her rude behaviour, she should have invited Sally, not me."

"I know, I know, it seems odd. But still. You are the boss. You can convey my apologies to your staff. Ms Silva, thanks for coming." Sophie continued to smile.

Jena ignored Sophie's charm. "You invited me to dinner at Caleb's home despite the fact that you do not live here. You claimed you invited me, to 'dinner" because you wanted to apologise to Sally. " Jena stated. Sophie blinked at Jena's tone. Jena continued, "You told me that this meeting is about the cake contract."

Sophie opted for a smile and said with a shrug, "Yes. Of course. To discuss the contract."

"But not for dinner." And then Sophie's machinations became transparent. Jena nearly growled. Sophie could not be serious, Jena thought, as she started to figure out why Sophie wanted her here. Her incorrect conclusion, which did not match Sophie's reason, resulted in fury. Jena's eyes flashed as her anger bubbled to the surface. Jena turned and pinned Caleb to the spot, "Mr Harland, may I have my coat, please." Reaching the end of her tether, Jena looked at Sophie and said grated, "I can't make your cake, Ms Harland. And I do not appreciate your shenanigans. "

"Shenanigans? There must be a mistake here..."

"If you seriously think you can change my mind because your brother is the magnificent, all singing, all dancing, Caleb Harland, will convince me. Probably because you think, your brother, as a celebrity, has clout in my decisions. But I'm afraid you are mistaken." Jena said quietly, it was the only way she could hold onto her temper.

"What's going on?" Caleb asked as he caught the tail end of Jena's statement.

"You might be a demi-god or an hero or a celebrity, in your sister's sphere, but not in mine!" Jena told him, without flinching, and with a tone that dripped with sarcasm, "Your sister believes the marvellous, remarkable, wonderful, Caleb Harland will order me to jump to your tune, and probably tell me how high!" She declared. 

Caleb tried to ignore the sarcasm Jena used in the adjectives she attached to his name. It was pretty obvious that Jena did not think he was magnificent or marvellous. What she thought should not matter. But for some odd reason he found her sarcasm more than annoying.

Jena glared, "Unfortunately your sister believes I would follow your orders." She increased the heat in her glare, "Not sure why your sister thinks you pulls my strings? Perhaps, because you are wonderful. A god? In which universe?" Jena took a breath and reined in her fury, "Sorry, I guess I have failed to recognise the marvellous, remarkable, wonderful, aka, Caleb Harland, in my universe and I do not follow your orders." She was about to lose her rag. She squared her shoulders and demanded, "For your information, your status, your celebrity position, your business acumen has no impact on my decisions either in my personal or business spheres! May I have my coat!"

Caleb narrowed his eyes. Before he said anything to Jena, he looked over at Sophie, a brow quirked in silent question.

"Er, I, er,." Sophie squirmed as her plan shattered.

Jena kept her voice low, "Sophie, why we are having this discussion at your brother's home?"

"er, I" Sophie rubbed her fingers in agitate.

"You asked me to come here, discuss your wedding cake and the contract. Your fiancé, yes, I can understand his presence, it's his wedding too. I assume your fiancé has a home, or does he live here with your brother? Really?" Jena eyes flashed with exasperation.

"No." Sophie mumbled.

"So, why are we here? At your brother's home? Why couldn't we meet at your home or my office?" Jena did not relent. "And I, certainly, do not understand why I have to negotiate with your brother?" She gestured at the environment.  "Are you telling me, your brother has a say in your wedding cake design but your fiancé isn't involved? Is your brother paying for your wedding cake? So we are here, at his place, because he, not your father nor you and nor your fiancé, is paying for your wedding?"

"No."

"So why are we here? At the demi-god's home!" Jena missed the fact that Caleb's eyes flashed in umbrage. "Why does everyone think that if the great Caleb Harland says, 'jump', I ought to ask how high? What makes you think your brother pulls my strings? Do you think he is my keeper? That he has influence in my decisions? I made a mistake, when I allowed your brother to bring you, your fiancé and your parents to my office to 'persuade' me. Enough! Your brother is arrogant, with an obnoxiously elevated sense of self-worth!" For a second, Jena glanced at Caleb and could see her statements had rubbed him the wrong way. As expected, she thought. But at least, the fury she saw in his eyes was enough to reined in her own fury. She folded her arms and tipped her chin in defiant.

"Sophie, give us a minute here." Caleb said quietly, his eyes remained on Jena. 

Sophie hesitated. From where she was standing, it was pretty obvious that Jena was far from happy. Closer to furious. Sophie flicked a look at her brother, and was somewhat surprised to see that he too was closer to furious. That was not normal for him. He is normally calm and cool and rarely shows agitation.

Caleb jammed his hands into his trouser pockets, "Now, Sophie." He stated flatly because Sophie continued to hover. But he kept his eyes on Jena.

"Caleb..."

Caleb's heated gaze moved from Jena to Sophie, "Move, Sophie." Caleb ordered firmly. 

Sophie sighed, loudly, but turned and walked away.  When she reached the door, she glanced over her shoulder, and saw that Jena and Caleb had not moved, and were watching her. And Sophie could see steam from Jena's and Caleb's ears while their bodies vibrated with fury. Clearly her mother was right. This was blowing up in Sophie's face.