Unfinished

Chapter Thirteen

Stacy

By Monday morning, I had decided the reception had been a perfectly ordinary evening.

Nothing particularly memorable had happened.

I had met a few people, exchanged business cards, spoken to Evelyn, and spent some time talking to Nelson.

That was all.

So why was I standing in front of my wardrobe, wondering whether I should wear the blue blouse or the cream one?

I stared at both options.

“Get a grip, Stacy.”

The cream blouse won.

By the time I reached STACE Studio, Maya was already at her desk, typing away with a cup of tea beside her keyboard.

“Morning,” she said without looking up.

“Morning.”

“How was Friday?”

“Fine.”

She stopped typing.

“Fine?”

“Yes, Maya. Fine.”

“That’s disappointing. I was hoping for a dramatic story.”

“Sorry to let you down.”

She leaned back in her chair. “Did you at least enjoy yourself?”

I placed my bag on the desk.

“It was nice. I met some of the people involved in the development. Evelyn was lovely.”

“And Mr. Voss?”

I gave her a look.

“What about him?”

Maya’s smile widened. “Nothing. Just asking.”

“He’s still the same man who thinks a deadline is a personality trait.”

“Yet you seem to know quite a lot about him.”

“Because I work with him.”

“Of course.”

I ignored her and walked into my office.

My phone vibrated before I could settle behind my desk.

Jenny: Good morning, stranger.

Me: Good morning. Since when am I a stranger?

Jenny: Since you attended a fancy event and didn’t give me a proper report.

I smiled.

Me: There was nothing to report.

Jenny: Did you have fun?

Me: Yes. It was actually nice.

Jenny: And how was your very demanding client?

I stared at the message for a moment.

Me: Still demanding.

Jenny: That’s not what I asked.

I shook my head.

Me: Go to work, Jenny.

Jenny: Love you too.

I put my phone down, smiling despite myself.

Jenny had a way of making ordinary mornings feel less ordinary.

⸻

At eleven, Evelyn called.

“Stacy, do you have a few minutes?”

“Of course.”

“Nelson wants to review the updated residential floor plans with you. There have been a couple of changes from the construction team, and we’d rather address them now than have you redesign something later.”

“That makes sense. When?”

“He’s available at one.”

I glanced at my calendar.

“That works.”

“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

The call ended.

I returned to the drawings spread across my desk, making notes about the material samples we still needed to approve.

At twelve thirty, Maya appeared in my doorway.

“You’re going to be late.”

I looked at the clock.

“How?”

“By spending the next twenty minutes arguing with that floor plan.”

I gathered my notebook and tablet.

“You’re becoming very comfortable telling me what to do.”

“Someone has to.”

⸻

Nelson was already in the conference room when I arrived.

He stood near the large display, speaking quietly with Evelyn. A few documents were arranged on the table.

He looked up when I entered.

“Stacy.”

“Nelson.”

His gaze lingered for a brief moment before he gestured toward the empty chair.

“Come in. We were just discussing the latest changes.”

I sat down and opened my notebook.

Evelyn brought up the revised plans.

“The construction team has adjusted the service corridor and moved one of the access points,” she explained. “It’s not a major change, but it affects the proposed wall treatment.”

I studied the drawing.

“How much movement?”

“About eighteen inches.”

I leaned closer to the screen.

“That’s enough to affect the panel spacing.”

“That’s what I thought,” Nelson said.

I looked at him.

“You thought?”

“I’ve learned to recognize when a small change is about to become an expensive problem.”

“Well, look at you. Learning.”

Evelyn laughed under her breath.

Nelson gave me a flat look, but there was amusement behind it.

“Try not to sound so surprised.”

“I’ll work on that.”

We spent the next forty minutes going through the changes. I suggested adjusting the panel arrangement rather than abandoning the original concept. It would preserve the overall design while allowing the new access point to remain unobstructed.

Nelson listened, asked a few questions, and approved the revised direction.

It was becoming easier to work with him.

Not because he had suddenly become less demanding, but because I was beginning to understand how he thought. He wanted reasons behind every decision, and once he was convinced, he didn’t waste time arguing for the sake of it.

I appreciated that.

When the meeting ended, Evelyn gathered her documents.

“I’ll send the updated measurements to your team this afternoon.”

“Thank you,” I said.

She left us alone.

I closed my notebook and reached for my tablet.

“Anything else?” I asked.

“Actually, yes.”

I looked up.

Nelson had moved away from the screen and was standing at the end of the table.

“How did you find Friday?”

“The reception?”

He nodded.

“It was nice. Your team did a good job.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Although I think Evelyn enjoyed embarrassing you.”

He gave a quiet laugh.

“She enjoys that more than she should.”

“She seems to get away with it.”

“Unfortunately.”

I slipped my tablet into its case.

“Well, I should get back to the studio.”

“Of course.”

I walked toward the door.

“Stacy?”

I turned.

“Yes?”

“Good work with the revised layout.”

The compliment was simple, without the usual discussion or qualification.

“Thank you.”

He nodded.

I left the room feeling strangely pleased.

It was just a compliment.

I reminded myself of that all the way back to the studio.

⸻

Ruth called while I was reviewing the measurements later that afternoon.

I answered on speaker.

“Hello, trouble.”

“Excuse me. I’m a delight.”

“That’s debatable.”

She laughed.

“How was your weekend?”

“Good. Yours?”

“Uneventful. Which is another way of saying I need a vacation.”

“You need a hobby.”

“I have hobbies.”

“Complaining isn’t a hobby.”

“Then what have I been doing all these years?”

I laughed and leaned back in my chair.

We talked about her weekend, her latest work frustrations, and a restaurant she wanted us to try. Eventually, she circled back to Friday.

“So, how was the fancy Voss reception?”

“It was nice.”

“Did you meet important people?”

“Several.”

“Did you wear something beautiful?”

“Yes, Ruth.”

“Did you see Nelson?”

I closed my eyes.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because you keep mentioning him.”

“I do not.”

“You just did.”

“Ruth.”

“Stacy.”

I sighed.

“He was there. Obviously. He hosted the event.”

“And?”

“And nothing. We spoke. That’s all.”

There was a brief pause.

“Did you enjoy talking to him?”

I looked down at the notes in front of me.

“He’s easier to talk to when he isn’t trying to cut my budget.”

Ruth burst out laughing.

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“It’s the answer you’re getting.”

“Fine. I’ll leave you alone.”

“Thank you.”

“For now.”

I shook my head, smiling.

After we ended the call, I returned to work.

But my attention wandered once or twice.

Not to the reception itself.

To the way Nelson had looked at me when I walked into the room that afternoon.

And the way he’d said my name.

I shook the thought away and focused on the drawings.

I had a business to run.

And I wasn’t about to let one surprisingly pleasant client become a distraction.