53Title: A Second Chance At Love
Summary: 27-year-old Kolya Narrah is a successful Landscape designer who managed to score a high paying job at a Five Star Hotel on the Island of Maui. However, there is a catch. He has to work with his ex-fiancé, Kale Karlton – whom he left at the altar six years ago!
Claimer: All characters are mine and are not to be used without permission. Any names or likenesses to people or events, living or dead, are purely coincidental.
AN: Ok, this is a story that I had started a while ago but then completely forgot about…Yeah. So, I though why not post it anyway. Hopefully it will give me the inclination to complete it as well as to rid myself of this accursed writer's block. And I also hope to be able to up the rating in a later chapter to write a love scene. Either way, I hope you'll enjoy reading.
Chapter 1:
Kolya couldn't believe his luck. He had been working as a Landscaper and Landscape Designer for the past five years, working his butt off with for his father's old friend, Malcon who owned Grandeur Garden Designs. It was a hard slog, those five years, but it was proving to be worth it.
For now they managed to score a job at a five star hotel on the Hawaiian island of Maui!
The best part for this 27 year old was he was going to the one who was creating the design for the new outdoor lounge/garden. He had done multiple jobs before, but it was a first for him to create and build a design for a high-class hotel. Not just any hotel, but the newly renovated Pink Hibiscus. A hotel famous for its serenity and scenery.
So, he was understandably nervous. He had sweated over his drawings and sketching's for the whole week after Malcon informed him of their new job. He was excited about the job, but he also held a sense of nervousness about returning to Maui.
Kolya hadn't been to Maui for six years. And, well, he never thought he'd return after what happened six years ago either. Oh, it was beautiful and the people were as friendly as those in his home country of Australia. And when he lived here he loved it. He even fell in love for the very first time here, on this very island. And he had thought back then that he would make a life for himself here. Everything was perfect.
But…
He couldn't stay. He…
Kolya physically slapped himself on the cheek before running a hand through his short, messy brown hair. Now wasn't the time to think about that.
"Kolya? Are you getting nervous?"
Turning to the older man beside him, Malcon who was accompanying him on the interview with the client, Kolya gave him a reassuring smile. "Yeah, but I'm also excited. I hope he'll like the designs I created."
He indicated to the rolls of paper under his arms with a tilt of his head.
"They'll love them," Malcon said readily in a form of reassurance, even giving him a hard pat on the back as they stepped into the grand foyer of the Hotel. Immediately, they are greeted by a portly man with a moustache and thinning grey hair.
"Ah, are you the men from Grandeur Garden Designs?" he asked them. And when he received an affirmative, he smiled and offered his hand in greeting. "I am Mick Douglas."
So that was Mick Douglas. Malcon had told him about him after they spoke over the phone about the job.
"Kolya Narrah," Kolya introduced himself as he shook the man's hand firmly, giving him a bright smile. "How you doing, alright?"
Mick seemed startled when he heard him speak. "That accent, you're-?"
"Australian," Kolya grinned, a sense of pride shimmering in his light brown eyes about his heritage. "My family is living in Australia, but I did live in Maui for quite a few years about six years ago."
Six years ago, when he…
No, don't go there. It had to be done.
"Ah," Mick said with an understanding nod. "Yes, we saw that on your resume. We preferred to work with those who had lived in the area. We like to keep things authentic, if you understand what I mean?"
"No worries, mate," Kolya quickly replied. He had figured that, so he made sure that most of his designs incorporated the island's natural beauty, but he also added a few Australian influences here and there. Hopefully, they'll be what they had in mind. Of course, he had no problem."
"Kolya has been working for us for the past five years and had nothing but good reports of his work," Malcon said as Mick led them to a room where they could converse in private.
Mick seemed cheerful and helpful enough, Kolya figured. So working on this project shouldn't be difficult. It should be fun, actually.
But, that optimism faded quickly when Mick showed them into an office…and there was someone already there, waiting for them. The owner.
The sketches and design plans fell from Kolya's hand as he opened gaped at the man before him. He couldn't believe it. Handsome, tall with blond hair as shiny as gold, eyes as blue as the waters surrounding the island and skin a healthy bronze. He knew this man when he lived here six years ago and he was as gorgeous as ever.
But, his gaze was never this piercing or fierce before. He looked professional and stern, unlike the carefree but stubborn man he once knew. And loved.
This man was Kale Karlton…
"Kolya."
"K-Kale?"
Both Malcon and Mick seemed surprised that Kolya and Kale knew each other. Mick looked intrigued as he turned his attention to Kale, while Malcon looked concerned, nudging Kolya in the side, doing very little to pull him out of his shock.
"Ah, yes, this is Kale Karlton, the owner of this grand hotel," Mick explained.
While Malcon was able to give a proper greeting, Kolya was unable to find his voice and just stared at Kale.
"It's been a while," Kale said, but there wasn't even a remote sense of nostalgia in his voice. It was terse, abrupt, merely making a statement. And it made Kolya wince visibly as a lump of emotion appeared in his throat.
"Y-yeah." His own voice was shaky, tight with surprise. As well as a sense of fear and guilt.
Kale? Kale was the owner of the Pink Hibiscus?
So it was true…he was only…
"Kolya," Malcon said as he nudged him in the side again. "The plans?"
"O-oh, right," Kolya stuttered and managed to pull together a half-hearted smile, bending down to the floor and picking up the scattered papers. "Sorry, I was just surprised."
Surprise was an understatement, really.
Quickly, Kolya placed the sketches and plans onto the table that had been provided for such a purpose, fanning them out so it was easier to glance over them. He then subconsciously took a step back when Kale stepped forward to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Mick stood by Kale, waiting for him to make his decision as he meticulously looked through each draft.
The wait for a client to make his/her choice was always nerve-wrecking, but now it was gut-wrenching! Would Kale terminate their work because of him? Would he like any of his designs?
Did he…Did he hate him now?
"This design will do," Kale said suddenly as he picked up the third design Kolya created before he leaned back in his seat, leaning his elbow on the arm of his chair, his chin resting in the palm of his hand. And he made no further contact with Kolya.
His heart was torn between feeling elated that Kale chose one of his own designs and crushed that Kale was so (understandably) cold toward him. Kolya wanted to ask him why he was willing to still work with him, allow him to become an employee of his. But he held his tongue and let Malcon and Mick do the rest of the negotiating and finalising.
It was going to be hard working with Kale on something so important. But, he was a professional now. They both were. They were going to work together, never mind the fact what Kolya did was…that Kale was…
The man who was the one he fell in love with …
The man who was his ex-fiancé…
The man who he left at the altar six years ago!