Heartbeats in Moonlight

Chapter 19

Ella didn't say anything about the view, took a quiet breath, and then just turned back to face him.

Let him lead. He'd asked for her to come round to discuss this job. Let him discuss.

David watched her face. She gave nothing away. Her lips were curved but there was no accompanied emotion in her eyes. Her shoulders were squared, her chin lifted a tiny margin. Who would have thought this woman could kiss like that, he thought as he remembered that kiss. Cool, calm, composed now. How different to that uninhibited response to his kiss.

David jammed his hands into his trouser pockets, squared his shoulders, and said, "This room, the main bedroom and the kitchen are the only rooms vaguely furnished." He indicated for her to take a seat, which she did. "I'm looking for the whole place to be done. Greg finished building the house a few months back. I have ignored the fact that I have not decorated this place." He waved at the plain walls, the ceiling and the floor. "Now I want it to go from house to home. You can see, it needs some work."

"And you want me to do it?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"You happen to be the only interior designer within a fifty mile radius." He knew that for a fact, as he had tried to find another local designer. Had to extend his circle and couldn't find anyone within a fifty mile radius! "And you have a good eye for what goes together." He reminded her, as he remembered the way she had found items of clothing that suited Amelia while meeting the practical spec aspect. "And Amelia said you did a great job with her place." David didn't carry on. Actually Amelia had gone on and on about Ella's skills. Amelia told her about Ella's place, the fact it was built from containers.

"Right." For a second neither said anything. Well that confirmed things, Ella thought as she retrieved her notebook and pencil and flipped it open. "And you want a quote?"

"Yes a ball park figure to decorate this place." He shrugged. He wasn't sure how much it would cost.

"Are you working to a specific budget?" Her voice was professional, calm and well modulated. On the inside she was barely holding onto her composure. Frustration overwhelmed her nervousness. What was she expecting, her head reminded her, this was a job. Not some dating ploy. She was here to gather information before she could cost for the job. Nothing to do with their recent change in their relationship.

He shrugged, ran his fingers through his hair as he worked on his equanimity. He held onto his self-control by a thread. Ran his palm behind his neck. Tranquillity was about to vanish. He decided he needed to focus on facts that would not remind him about that kiss. Cost. Focus on money.

"I thought I'd let you guestimate some costs, bearing in mind I am a lowly paid teacher." He hadn't really thought it through at all. First he tried to find another designer, then his heart remind him that their recent kiss required reviews. Then Amelia all but ushered him into considering Ella. And the idea kept him awake. He'd just had this insane idea to get her to do the place up. That way they could spend some time together and he could figure out whether his reaction to that kiss was just moonlight affecting his brain. But then he had panicked, remonstrated with himself for reading too much into that kiss. All he needed to do was to find a strategy to handle their meetings, given Jack and Amelia's relationship was burgeoning. They would have to meet often, given Jack's relationship with Amelia was mushrooming at a rate. So of course, he thought that Amelia would be happy that he had asked her friend to look at his place. Because it showed that he was not avoiding Ella. But it hadn't taken him long to start thinking of ways to extricate himself. After making an appointment for Ella to come round to talk about decorating his home, he arranged for Loretta to be here, socialising. Keep things in perspective.

"Do you have any idea what kind of style you'd like?" Ella tried to keep the exasperation out of her voice. Obviously he hadn't even bothered to prepare for this. He should have researched. What exactly did he want?

"Style?" A bit of paint, decent flooring, something that could change his house into a home.

"Yes. Style, what do you want? This is your home. What do you want?"

"Classy, but comfortable." He shrugged, wondered what else he was expected to say. It was just paint and wallpaper, what more could you do? Find the right colour, and that would be it. He shrugged again. "But again, over to you. You are the designer." He folded his arms and watched her reaction.

Ella bit her lip as she held onto her words. Fine, if he wasn't ready, she would just look at his place, suggest something, and leave it to him to decide if it suited his wishes or dreams.

She put her bag on a seat, looked around this room and wondered if the rest of David's place was the same. "I'd need to have a look around, get a feel for the place." She told him, glanced at the way the room was furnished. Spartan. Not exactly sophistication. Just utilitarian. "We can arrange a time for me to do that, perhaps..."

"What's wrong with now?" He frowned. He hoped this appointment was all they needed. One day, look around, come up with possibility, he would confirm which option, and leave her to arrange it all. That is why David needed a designer. He had left it because creating a classy, well put together home, was harder for him. He was good at painting walls, he just needed help with the style and class aspect.

"You have a guest." She reminded him coolly, she couldn't help the ice that crept into her voice. At what age was she going to stop being stupid and start getting over this guy? Obviously he was over her, had moved on. Can kiss, actually, really kiss, but that meant nothing to him. Message received loud and clear. Now to just take notice of it.

"You need me to show you around?" He quirked a brow, challenging her as he leaned a hip against the desk and watched her response.

"No." She didn't add anything else.

"Ok. You look around. And I'll see to my guest."

"If you wish." The ice was out in full force. This is why she had avoided him for the last two years, because she knew it would be hard to see him with his girlfriend. She just hoped she wouldn't see any public demonstration of affection with his girlfriend today.

He quirked brows at her tone, then went on to say, "Basically there are two wings to the house, both flaring out from the kitchen lounge. This wing holds the study, and we walked past a bathroom, utility room, dining room and spare room. The other wing has three bedrooms one with an en-suite, and the other two bedrooms share another bathroom. All on one level. And you can't get lost."

She got to her feet, reached for her bag. "I'll make a few notes and get out of your way." She began to rummage within her bag, looking for her notebook and pen.

"Take your time. Loretta and I can keep ourselves occupied." He taunted her deliberately, waiting to see how she would react. When she said nothing, he added, "Shall I leave you to start here?" He hovered as he waited for her response.

"Sure." She failed to look at him.

With a rueful shake of his head he left her to it. She blew out a breath.

Ok, ok, her mind reminded her, this was just a job. Just a normal job. Her gaze wandered over the furniture in the room, but her eyes misted with tears as her emotions welled-up. What was she expecting, this was a job? Him, to talk about the kiss, her heart reminded her head. Stop it, stop it, her mind ordered herself when her brain recognised the fact that she was about to cry. This is just a job. Treat him like a customer. Focus on the job. She fixed her gaze on the white wall, blew out another breath, ran a finger beneath her nose then reached for her bag and rummaged for a tissue. Come on, come on, her mind encouraged her. She blew her nose, huffed out a sigh. Inhaled, exhaled, inhaled, exhaled, then closed her eyes, inhaled, exhaled, inhaled exhaled. A few seconds later she opened her eyes, and squared her shoulders and murmured to herself, "Pull yourself together. Gabriella." She blew out another breath. More loudly she repeated a mantra, "He is just a customer. He is just a customer." She looked at the room with her eyes wearing her designer lenses. "You can do this. Come on Gabriella, you can do this." She flipped her notebook open and began to make notes.