Granite and velvet

"What a joy to see you all happy on a Monday morning," her senior editor, Evan Mathews, greeted everyone when he spotted Katherine giggling with her colleagues.

"Good morning, Mr. Mathews," she greeted him with a pleasant smile.

"Katherine here says she finally found a new house but she wouldn't reveal her new address to us," Christy spoke to Evan.

"That is great, I am definitely happy for you, Ms. Katherine; but did you edit the report that was mailed to you?" he asked, but with a smile.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Mathews. I am working on it," she replied. Every day she would enquire her colleagues about rented rooms and now that she found one, she was truly happy that she had been telling about the new house but by not revealing the owner's identity.

"Great, I will expect you to send in half an hour," he said and made his way to his desk, after which the chit-chat resumed.

"So, the owner is a man, you said?" Christy continued the conversation that was interrupted by Evan.

"Aha!"

Katherine exclaimed, skimming through the contents on the monitor. There was no way she was going to spill the beans no matter what her colleagues might presume.

"Unmarried?" she asked.

"He is an old lonely man, if that satisfies your curiosity, Christy," answered Katherine, with a stiff smile as if to break Christy's curiosity, which she did.

"And here I thought we could hear a good, interesting story," it was Shelby's voice that was heard when Christy remained silent. It didn't matter to them where Katherine was staying, they only wanted to have a treat with some drinks included. There was one time when they partied at her place and turned the house into a mess. Lucas words still reeled in her mind, he made it clear that it was only his place and not hers in anyway, even when she was paying for it.

"Oh, look, look. There she is," Shelby who was had just completed a task, spot a familiar person who was walking in the other direction. "Again, in a slutty attire and a heavily done makeup. Where does she get all the money from, I always wonder."

"The term is sexy, Shelby. Liane is a true epitome of beauty," sighed Tristan in admiration, which Joan agreed like any other man in the office would do. She was beautiful indeed, with her long legs and slim waist.

"Does she not date and dump guys every month, what is so attractive in her other than…whatever," Christy took a look at the woman's curves. She was indeed sexy but nothing beyond it was attractive in her.

"She is like a prize everyone wishes to win, you women will never understand it," remarked Joan.

"Exactly, going on a date with her is like a dream for many men here in our office," chuckled Tristan, joining hands with his fellow mate.

"Guys, shall we get back to work. Are you not tired of talking about her almost every other day?" said Katherine and then came an answer in unison.

"Never."

They were a group of five friends in the office, and they were well updated with current affairs in office, be it rumours or secrets. They knew it all.

On one evening, Katherine visited her wretched house again, where the broken pipe in the kitchen was not leaking anymore but the house was still a mess. She packs all her necessary things on every visit because it would be too much for her to pack all at once. Katherine was grateful and delighted that she could finally sleep in peace for having a roof over her. His place was comfortable and there was enough place for her to put her small plants at the window in the room she was accommodated. The empty wardrobe in the room was now filled with her clothes and her scent filled the room, it was as if she had been living there for a long time when it hasn't even been a month yet.

With the spare key given by Lucas, Katherine opened the door where she was welcomed by Trixie that was put in its spacious kennel before they left in the morning. Katherine had been feeling bad to see it inside almost every day until Lucas returned, she wanted to open it at first but she did not dare of letting it free, afraid that she may not be able to control the little one if it was set free when the owner wasn't around. Katherine took a quick shower and started to cook for the dinner. It was nine by the time everything was set on the table but Lucas wasn't home yet. Her stomach grumbled but she decided to wait for his return. Minutes passed and Katherine fell asleep on the couch in the living room. By the time Lucas had arrived after a meeting, it was past twelve in the night. The lights were on and Trixie greeted him as soon as he opened the door. Unlocking the door of the kennel, he set it free and noticed the water bowl and an empty plate.

Upon walking into the living room, he found Katherine in a vulnerable state, he sighed and motioned Trixie to be silent as well. With one hand on her stomach and another touching the floor, Katherine was sleeping in peace unaware to her surroundings. Though they now live under the same roof, they barely see each other in the office. She looked tired and exhausted. Her lips were parted a little and a little of her hair was over her cheek. Lucas didn't wake her up, instead he took his time to study her. Everyday she would smile at him with a cheerful smile that almost irked him every morning, it did even now. How could someone be so happy and loud, and still complain about life. He did not understand. He was quite opposite to her, nothing made him too happy or sad. Life was just life to him. There weren't any good days or bad days to him, there were just days. There aren't good people or bad people, there are just people on this planet. Everything was a just to him and to Katherine it was no just, it is either that or this.

Lucas did not understand why she was sleeping in the couch, he didn't bother to wake her up. He never does, it was she who always initiates something. Be it a conversation or any other thing. Just as he came from the bathroom after a warm shower, he heard a shrilling voice that hurt his ear-drum.

Not again, he thought.

His initial thought was to just fall in bed but his feet padded towards the door to see the commotion outside.

"You, you are such a bad dog," he saw Katherine speak to his pet that was wagging its tail at her. To Trixie, it was fun playing and teasing her but Katherine hated it. She would run in opposite direction and Trixie would follow her. "How dare you lick my hand when I was asleep. Did I not make it clear the other day, no touching," as if Trixie would understand, Lucas retorted in his mind.

"Sit right there, and don't move," she instructed, and like the good boy he was, Trixie sat while Katherine stood on the couch.

Lucas saw her slowly getting down the couch but when Trixie stands on all four, she decides to not move from the couch and it continued for a few minutes. It was entertaining to see hers and Trixie's encounters every day. In the beginning, he wondered if she will ever get used to his pet. But she learned to command it to an extent.

"Come here, boy," upon Lucas's call, his dog rushed over to him and he took it in his arms. "You fed him," he acknowledged. Clearly, she was still afraid of it, or may be in her terms not so touchy with it but she still managed to feed the little thing.

"You were late and I thought he would be hungry. How can the owner be negligent, you should add extra food when you're away for too long. I am not so kind to do it every day," she may have not set him free but she did feed him and it was only then she realised how difficult was it to raise a pet. She made sure it did not jump over her and as it was hungry, its only concentration was on the food.

Katherine zeroed her eyes at him when he wasn't giving an attention to her words. How ungrateful, she thought.

"Um, you must be hungry…"

"I am not, I had dinner outside," he answered.

"Oh, I see, very well then. Good night," she pressed her lips into a tight smile. For some reason, she wasn't hungry anymore but angry at herself for waiting for him and starving herself. Katherine didn't wait for him to reply and left to her room.

That was odd, he thought.

It was a minute later when he was on his way to drink water in the kitchen, did he notice the neatly arranged bowls and untouched plates on the dinning table. Did she cook for him as well, it surprised him. She didn't have to do I though, he thought and gave a look at her closed door.

What was Katherine even expecting, he could do as he wished. Just because they have been eating together every day doesn't mean he should inform her.

Katherine got up from the bed when she heard a knock at the door.

"You shouldn't be sleeping with empty stomach, Ms. Priestley. I re-heated your food," it was a command with politeness.

"I am not hungry," she mumbled, but he wasn't listening to her.

"Don't act like a child now. Come on, what are you standing there for."

A child, how could he comment on her. Any person in her place would be upset after all the long wait and here he was commanding her.

"I don't act like a child. I am not you," she retorted. Bringing up the incident happened two days ago where he was all riled up because he couldn't find his laptop cable. It was the first time Katherine realised that a neat freak like him could turn the house into a mess like normal people do too but again, he left the house only after cleaning it.

"We can settle that later after you are done eating, Ms. Priestley."

Katherine pulled out a chair for herself and saw that the food was already served in her plate as well as his, didn't he have his dinner. Why was he eating with her again, is it his way of making up to it?

"I know it isn't my place to say it but it would've been nice had you told me about your schedule, Mr. Wynne," she spoke, adding a little amount of pepper into her food. She didn't want to speak about it but she wasn't the kind of person who can hold within herself for too long.

"You could have at least informed me in the evening or called me, why haven't you?"

"I…"

"Eat. I am not asking for any explanation. It doesn't matter now," he said.

Of course, it doesn't matter, she thought but somewhere it did matter to her at least.

Lucas was washing the dishes by the time and Katherine helped him by drying the vessels.

"I visited my house today. There haven't been any changes made since past two weeks," she started. In the beginning of the first week, it was quite difficult for her to start a conversation with him. Though he was still the same, she now at least knows he listens to her and replies when needed and other times she is invisible to him.

"But our deal was only for a month," he quickly replied, handing over the washed bowl.

"I know, I was only saying that even if the house will be under repair, I will be leaving next month," she sighed.

"It is good that you are already searching for a new place, I wish you all the luck with that," he wipe his hands with a dry cloth and spoke to her. "I am done with the dishes, do not forget to switch off the lights. Night, Ms. Priestley."

Katherine glared at his back, but she can't blame him. Days were passing by and her house hasn't been reset yet. It would be a headache to search for a new place again. It was quite comfortable for her with Lucas, though his grumpy mood affects her sometimes but she ignores it most of the times. They would talk about nothing but have casual conversations randomly, sometimes they spend their time in complete silence or stay in the rooms and sometimes Katherine talks to him.

Katherine would wake up early and cook breakfast for herself and make a cup of coffee for him. She would try to talk something but he would indulge himself with his coffee and the newspaper. One day when they were having breakfast like other days, Katherine started the conversation like any other times.

"How long have you been in London, Mr. Wynne?" she asked him, applying jam to her bread.

"Longer than you have been here," he replied.

"And your family?"

Lucas, who was reading the newspaper, folded it and placed the paper on the table.

"Tell me why am I being interrogated early in the morning?"

"That is not an interrogation but a curiosity to know about you," she bit her bread and the bread crumbs stayed on either side of her mouth.

"Me?" he raised his eyebrow, noticing the crumbs on her face. Women tend to eat in a proper way but the lady in front of him doesn't care of all the table etiquettes.

"Yes, we have been living under the same roof her half a month without any knowledge about each other," she knew it was difficult to make him answer to her question but she never gives up.

"I do not wish to know about your personals, Ms. Priestley. Who you are, where you come from or whom you meet, are not my interests," he answered.

"But your tenant here, wishes to learn a little about her kind owner. Is it too much to ask for?"

"You may ask anything related to the house, not me. I hope you are clear there now," he simply stated.

"I come from kingham. My mother and father run a resort. You could come for a holiday and stay in our resort, you would love it there," she spoke.

"And will I receive any free services if I stay at your resort in particular?"

"Of course, but only if you pay for a membership card and visit us often," she threw a smile at him.

Katherine did not know in which category to put him. He was still ruthless to her in the office and didn't spare her when something went wrong. Outside office, he was aloof but with a little of kindness in him. He speaks less, but his subtle actions had a depth. Mayhap, he was like that of a rock-solid granite on the outer side with a touch of velvet deep within. One could only wonder what could thaw the ice in him to bring out the person he was trying not to be, may be a little bit of warmth.