Two CEO

Chapter Nine

To say the house that was currently in my name was beautiful, was not on target what so ever.

It was practically run down.

Need a good coat of paint on the exterior or at least to clean the bricks and make it pop. It was two story, barn conversion, pretty much. And it looked like the barn was still a barn on the inside.

A small kitchen tucked away with bathroom next door and an upstairs landing which was the bedroom and lounge room in one. I could tell with the small amount of furniture by what rooms were what. And then there was empty horse stables still at the other end. It was more or a stable with a keepers nook. It needed some serious work on the inside and outside.

Although, the grounds itself were amazing, still needed to be tamed.

Looks like I have a new project to work on.

I placed my bags down, grabbed my phone and iPad out and went straight to work. I started making a list of what I wanted in this barn conversion. Which was a lot for the space I had. And I wanted to also extend the property, if I could. Meaning permits and planning approval.

But first, I need to see if I have power and a somewhat working kitchen. And to also see if that open fireplace was able to be used to keep me warm. I walked over to a light switch, turned it on and waited. A few flashes before the light exploded.

'Smart one Isla!' I thought to myself.

Next stop kitchen, maybe some gas in the kitchen for the stove to boil a kettle. I turned on the stove and I couldn't smell anything. I quickly turned it off, tried to move it to look at the back of it, but it wouldn't budge I

blame the fact that it's a cast iron range cooker.

I mentally groaned at myself.

"Ok, please for the love of god that the fireplace is not filled with spiders or birds nests!" I said aloud to myself. I peaked my head through the fireplace and looked up. "Hallelujah!" I screamed, it was surprisingly clean and I could make a fire to keep myself warm. As I am wrapped up.

Now, I just needed to call someone to help me here to figure out what I can and can not do with this place.

~~**~~

After two hours of waiting and the fireplace now providing heat to the barn.

Amelia, the surveyor is standing in my kitchen. She was dressed in jeans, gumboots and a thick black coat. Her hair was up in a pony tail and she smiled at me, whilst writing her notes down on a clipboard.

"So, if I get the architect to look over the barn, that will help you with designs. And I'll get out electrician in to fix the power for you. And also the gas guy to help with the stovetop." She wrote down a few more things on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

"Thank you so much. I am useless with all the building things. More into my clothes and sewing then building." I laughed at her.

"You're alright, hopefully you'll the dream house you wanted in 3 months." She looked me up and down.

"You're Australian aren't you?"

I nodded.

"Long way to make your dream house. Why Appleton, Oxfordshire?"

"It's a long story, Amelia." I sighed out.

"Well, how about I let you stay at mine for the night and we can took about it over a nice pot of tea?"

"You had me tea!" I giggled.

"You know that was my last word right?" She laughed back at me.

I smiled. "Yep! I love my tea!"

She gave me a serious face.

"I think this might be the start of a beautiful friendship."

"Aww, thanks Amelia."

With that she picked up her bag off the dirty old timber kitchen bench and walked me over to the fireplace.

"Positive side, the fireplace is fully functional and didn't need much of a clean."

"I know right," I nodded and picked up my bag.

"However, it still needs a double check over. Would you mind putting out the fire? Just incase it actually isn't safe, I don't want your barn to burn down."

"Sure, I'll get something... " I scratched my head whilst thinking what I could use.

"Snow, use that old bucket and put snow on the fireplace from outside."

Genius I thought. I did what Amelia said, waited for the fire to completely burn out before heading to her car.

The drive to her place was about 20 minutes to Woodstock. She owned a property just off Manor road, right on the Blenheim Park. It was beautiful. She was telling me the story of how her family are the gate keepers of the Blenheim Palace, less than a 5 minute drive from her house. Whilst her parents stay at the Palace, she and her two older brothers stay at the house.

"Welcome to Casa de Amelia!" She says with a funny and not-so-great accent.

"Woah..." Was all that popped out of my mouth.

It wasn't as big as my fathers house or my grandparents house, but it sure was big enough. It was old Victorian style, large bay windows and high ceilings. Still had all its period pieces. One large and long corridor with a staircase to the side of it.

"It's not much, but it's home!" She smiled.

I burst into laughter. I got that reference.

"What?!" She looked at me.

"That... Haha... That Harry Potter reference!" I had to wipe the tears away from my eyes.

She thought about it and then a light bulb moment happened. But before she could answer. I heard footsteps coming down from the staircase. They weren't big legs, more little footsteps.

"Mummy!" A little adorable boy run to his mummy. He looked a little like her. Wearing little gumboots, pants and a jumper.

"Ello sweetpea!" Amelia picked up her little boy and hugged him tight. And then another pair of footsteps came down the stairs. A very familiar pair of footsteps.

"Afternoon Doc!" I salute him. He looks at me for a second and then like his partner, has a light bulb moment.

"Miss Isla, what a pleasant surprise!" He seemed a little shocked.

Amelia popped her little boy into Dr. Stanley's arms and looked at me.

"You two know each other?"

"Yeah, he was the doctor that saved my life in Ireland."

"Come again?" She crossed her arms.

"It's apart of my long story that I was going to share over tea..." I tried to reassure her.

"Still a tea addict, I see?" Dr. Stanley looked at me.

"Guilty!"

"You two will get along swimmingly!" Dr Stanley walked away with the little boy in his arms.

"So what's that little adorable boy called?"

"Harry... Wait... Don't change the subject on me missy!" She poked my shoulder. "C'mon, tea time is well deserved!"

~~**~~

HEEEEEEYYYYY,

Sorry, for this long and awaited chapter. I have been super busy with school. And been in and out of doctors with dislocated fingers and damaged knees from Basketball.

But here you go! Enjoy. And trust me it will start to get better, I've just been having writers block and being uninspired to write. But don't you worry, I'll finish the story!!!

Thanks,

Your amazingly crap author,

Krystal Waters xoxo