Chapter Sixteen
Changing Rooms
The last few days had been a blur. Kaylen was still at the house in the country while the Kensington house was cleaned and prepared for her arrival. She had bought her car and had been running into the city every day to check on her little bookshop. Albert had offered to buy her a car but Kaylen insisted she buy it completely. It was still a bit of a shock that they had given her that amazing house and she felt guilty. They would take no discussion on the subject, it had been put into her name and that was all there was to the issue. Kaylen was in the mean time trying to decide what to do with the place. Her current line of thinking was learning towards a guesthouse or apartments and was glad for any advice from her grandfather on this subject.
The Chapmans knew the owners of this block of shops and the apartments that were overhead. This shop�s previous tenant was at the end of the lease and did not really want to continue on, they were getting old and wanted to move into something new. The Chapmans offered the owner a very good price for the contents of the shop and the block owner a handsome price for the shop. The shop and the contents became the belongings of one very proud owner, Kaylen Knight. Her little piece of the world.
At the moment Kaylen was sitting in the middle of her little bookshop taking inventory of every book in the place, the previous records were sparse at best and with her computer skills she would have a spreadsheet full hopefully within a week. She looked around at the dusty shelves and smiled. This was all Kaylen�s to do with what she wanted. Her own little bookshop in a good part of London, just a short walk from her palatial home that boarded a wonderful private park area. Things couldn�t get much better than this whole situation. Kaylen felt she deserved it after everything that had happened over the past few weeks. It was hard to believe she had left England in the first place hardly one month ago. Now here she was the owner of a house and a shop.
The doorbell rang and Kaylen popped up to see who had entered. The shop wasn�t officially open for another week and she had thought the door was locked. �Hi, the shop isn�t actually open yet, but can I help you?� Kaylen saved her spreadsheet and was surprised to find a fairly dark well-dressed man who looked to be in his late twenties.
�I am very sorry, I always used to come into this shop. I didn�t even know it had been sold, I was just wanting to see what you planned on doing with the store.� He moved forward and Kaylen was ashamed to admit she lost herself in his eyes for a few minutes. There was something different but spectacular about this person standing directly behind the stand of books she was putting into the computer.
Kaylen managed to find her own voice and answer. �It is remaining a book store and will even be selling the same stock. I am reopening in a week; I just have to finish setting it up and cleaning. I also have some painting to complete, the name and storefront mainly.�
�I hope not too much is changing because I love this little store. I didn�t even know the old guy and his wife were leaving. I hope it was not anything serious. I would hate to think something bad had happened.� The guy put his briefcase on the ground and scratched his head. All Kaylen could concentrate on was the fact he was obviously somewhat well built in the muscle department, she just hoped not too much. What was up with her this afternoon? Maybe the dust was getting to her.
�Their lease ran out and they decided that they wanted to do something else. I believe they were offered quite a reasonable amount for the contents of the store and they saw it as a sign. I think they wanted to spend some more time with family. I�m sorry for being so rude, I�m Kaylen, by the way.� Kaylen dusted off her hand and put it out to the mysterious stranger. He reciprocated.
�Hello, I am Ashton. I live a couple of streets away. Look, I can see that you probably have a lot of work to do because I know the one thing the Ormond�s did not do too well was keep the place tidy. Would you like me to go home and get changed out of this suit and then I could come back and help. I mean I am not too bad with a mop and broom, or the end of a paintbrush.� Ashton smiled and Kaylen thought she might melt. The last thing she had expected was an offer of help.
�I would not want to impose on you, Ashton. Thank you very much for the offer, I would love any help I could get. My grandparents offered to get someone to help me, but I think they have done enough.� Kaylen smiled and Ashton nodded and said he would be back in half an hour and might have even more help. Kaylen had to sit down again once he had left and check herself. She had never really had crushes before on boys, I mean she went out and liked boys but the feeling had never hit her like with Ashton. Kaylen picked up her computer and put it aside while she figured out the next plan of attack, best to use the bulk strength while she had access. A small sneaky smile came over her face and she laughed. This was turning out to be a really good day with nice surprises everywhere. Kaylen set about putting together a list of things that needed to be done.
By the time the list was finished and the kettle was boiled Ashton breezed back into the bookshop looking as fine as anything. Kaylen had to pinch herself with her good fortune, she would probably only see him today and then he would decide her bookshop was dumb and never return. He was dressed in an old sweatshirt and track pants but Kaylen�s breath was still taken away. Ashton smiled and asked where he could start and she could think of several places, but offered him a hot drink instead while she told him what needed to be done. Ashton sat down next to Kaylen on the boxes she had turned into seats for the mean time. Kaylen would continue doing her inventory and Ashton would set about sweeping and mopping the old wooden floors. She had organised a floor polisher to come in two days time so the whole place needed to be cleaned and the bookshelves moved, which would be done after the inventory. Kaylen was working on a plan for where the sections of books would go in the store and also the inclusion of a reading zone, with comfy old seats that matched the d�cor. Ashton was very supportive of her ideas and thought they would be really good for the store. He loved this store because of the access to old books that a lot of stores no longer stocked. There were books here that he hadn�t seen for years. Helping was also a very good excuse for spending more time with this mysterious new girl running the store. What would make a twenty-something take over a dusty dirty old bookstore? She must really like books. Ashton smiled once again as Kaylen tried to make the drinks, work on her list of things to do and figure out what to call the place, all that the same time.
Three hours later Kaylen sighed and exhaled while looking around at what they had achieved that afternoon. She put down the rag she had been using to clean off the books and smiled. The floors were swept and mopped, the bookshelves had all been moved off to the side to allow the floor polishers in, and now all that remained was deciding on a name and painting the front of the store. Ashton had been a great help and had ducked out for a moment. Kaylen had expected that he would have headed home, it was eight o�clock and she would be pulling the sleeping bag out of her car and crashing on one of the couches at her new partially furnished house. It was too late to drive the two hours back to the Estate. Kaylen yawned and the familiar bell rang at the front door. She walked back out from the back room to find Ashton standing there with what appeared to be takeaways and drinks. He sat down in the middle of the floor and set them out. Kaylen walked over and joined him on the floor.
�Dig in Kaylen, we have both earned this meal. I hope you like fish and chips.� Ashton opened the packages and handed Kaylen a can. She opened it and welcomed the refreshing liquid in her dry throat.
�Thank you very much for this, I should be buying you dinner for helping me out so much this afternoon. I couldn�t have done without your help. You are my saviour.� Kaylen smiled and leant forward to pick up a piece of fish.
�Well I wouldn�t go that far, just put it down to being in the right place at the right time. I always seem to pop up in places when work needs to be done.� Ashton leant forward to pick up chips and proceeded to stuff them all in his mouth at the same time. It did not work very successfully and they dropped down the front of his sweatshirt. �So why isn�t your hot sexy boyfriend here helping?� Kaylen had some special factor that made her mysteriously pretty and Ashton could see it in her eyes. He had been having trouble all afternoon avoiding her stare, which would at one point be illuminating and then a look of pain would wash over.
�Unfortunately I don�t have a hot sexy boyfriend, there was this one guy that I met when I was in New Zealand and he came home with me but I guess he changed back into a frog because of the smog.� Kaylen had told Ashton about her recent trip overseas, just the travel bit and not any of the other stuff. Ashton laughed at Kaylen�s joke and got the feeling this was a no go area.
�Well that is a complete shame, that some dumbass out there is missing out on being with you. But I shouldn�t be complaining because it means I get to sit here on this floor and share my take out with a stunning charming character such as yourself.� Kaylen tried to avoid Ashton�s gorgeous smile and eyes as he spoke. A blush went over her face as he talked about her. She had never really believed she was anything important or wonderful. She was just Kaylen, normal nerdy book loving with the funny name, Candida Kaylen. Really, what parent would call their daughter Candida, at least the name Kaylen wasn�t too bad and that was why she used it as her first name. It is mean to even do that to your kid, it is hard being called Candid Camera every day, and then when she did change her name it became Candid Kaylen. Kaylen sighed and looked away from Ashton. He picked up her serious vibe change and admonished himself for being so forward. �I am so very sorry Kaylen, I shouldn�t have said those things. I never meant to hurt you with what I said. I do mean those things though. I do think you are stunning and charming. I also think that anyone who let you go has got some serious issues. I know I only walked in here to help a little over three hours ago but there is something really cool about you Kaylen. I am guessing that there is this other side of you that I don�t know about, but I think I would like to have the chance. I will come back tomorrow and we will do that outside painting. Until then I will take my share of dinner and leave you alone. I feel as if I have offended but that was clearly not my intention. Until tomorrow, Kaylen, goodnight.� Ashton stood and left, Kaylen dearly wanted to run after him and have her way with him here in the middle of the floor but let him walk out of the store.
The first half of the next day was spent at the house. Kaylen was busy making plans to try and figure out how to deal with the whole thing, and she was wondering what to do with Ashton. The house was clearly way too big for just her. The upper levels she had claimed for herself and her private area, but there were still about five or six bedrooms left on the next two levels. The basement level was the source of the kitchen and laundry and the ground floor contained reception rooms and accessed the back patio. It would take quite a lot of effort and money to convert the middle levels into self-contained apartments but it would be good to see people enjoying the space as much as she was intending. It could be quite a fun project to undertake. Kaylen would discuss it with Ashton this afternoon and would show him the sketches she had been spending the morning creating. Her next job was to phone Albert and gain access to the blueprints of the house, or at least get a floor plan, to help in planning what to do with the space. Because of the location of the house and it being in very close proximity to both shops and the park area there would definitely be people who would want to live there.
By the time Ashton turned up at five o�clock, Kaylen was spread out on the floor of the bookstore with a pile of interior design and improvement magazines. She was working on her laptop and her home design programme. Albert had emailed a copy of the floor layout and Kaylen was busy removing walls and adding facilities, which was made a lot easier on computer. Ashton came and sat next to her and enquired after her project. �Well, I kind of I guess inherited this house from my grandparents. They have not died or anything, just sort of gave it to me in lieu of the living I should have had. I�m not sure how to explain it any better than that. Anyway, I have decided to convert it into apartments, with myself getting the penthouse of course,� Kaylen smiled while continuing with her task at hand, Ashton smiled and laughed a little. �And so now I have to figure out what to do. I don�t really know where to start. Any ideas? I mean I don�t know anything about this property business, I could easily ask my grandfather but they are doing so much for me I want to approach him with a full business plan of what to do with the dwelling.� Kaylen stopped, saved and looked at Ashton with his chip stained sweatshirt from the night before. He was smiling a sneaky little smile.
�Well, you are very much in luck young lady because I am currently working for the local government body. I guess I am pretty much a glorified property inspector but I look after laws to do with property development. This means I know all about the processes to do with making additions to houses and the correct standards and regulations, especially to do with houses being fit for apartment living. I also must say I am a bit knowledgeable when it comes to the design and layout. My sister is an interior designer and her husband is an architect. I have seen and learnt a lot about what works and what doesn�t. Also in making inspections I have seen quite a few houses and apartments. I would love to assist you in this major remodelling project.� Ashton was suddenly excited about something, his job could get quite boring and mundane when he would sit in his office and constantly just be answering questions about building regulations. Now he would be able to put his other skills into play and help Kaylen. It would also mean they would get to spend a lot more time together because the help with the bookshop would soon be finished and then where would he be, just another customer. Kaylen�s eyes widened with each new thing Ashton was saying. He was like an angel sent from up above and any help would be greatly appreciated. Maybe it was fate that sent him into her little bookstore. She flung her arms around him and he returned the affection. Suddenly their emotions surfaced and the two pulled apart a little, they looked at each other and knew exactly what they wanted. Ashton made the first move and made contact with Kaylen�s lips. Kaylen gladly returned the kiss and after about a minute they smiled at each other and got down to work.