The Project

"What's wrong with my usual clothes?" He sounded a bit hurt. "Nothing is wrong with them," she explained gently. "You just need to tailor your wardrobe to the audience, just like you tailor your content to the audience."

He looked down at his t-shirt as understanding dawned. "Oh," he said. "I don't think I have anything better I can wear."

"Come on, you must have something nice," she replied impatiently. "What do you wear when you go out on a date?" Steven looked rather uncomfortable at that line of questioning. "I haven't really had many dates," he said eventually. "I guess I would just wear my favourite t-shirt."

Julia sighed. "Let me see what's in your wardrobe."Steven led her to his bedroom with a worried frown. She belatedly realised she should have asked before going into his bedroom. Luckily it was tidy, with no dirty laundry or anything embarrassing in sight. Steven was remarkably well house-trained for a young man.

His closet, however, was not so impressive. It contained of dozens of t-shirts and an old black suit which looked like it hadn't been worn in years. "You're right. You really don't have anything else." She made a snap decision. "Alright, I'm taking you shopping. Lunchtime tomorrow, ok?"

"You're taking me shopping?" he asked in bewilderment. "Yes," she insisted. "You do want the executive management team to take you seriously, right?"

"Yes, I guess so," he reluctantly conceded. "But surely you have better things to do with your lunch break than go shopping with me."

"Don't be ridiculous. I love shopping," she said with a smile. "One of my favourite pastimes as a little girl was dressing up Barbie in new outfits."

Steven stared at her in dismay. "I am not one of your Barbie dolls," he insisted. "Of course not." She grinned mischievously. "You can be Ken." He groaned and Julia patted his arm comfortingly. "Don't worry, I'll find you stuff to try on but you can dress yourself."

They wandered back into the living room and Julia checked her watch. "I'd better go before it gets much darker out there." If Steven looked a bit disappointed he didn't try to convince her to stay. "Sure, um, I'll drive you home if you like."

"Don't worry about it, I live close enough to walk," she said. He looked like he wanted to argue but thought the better of it. "At least let me walk with you," he suggested. "It wouldn't be right to let you go alone"

"My hero," she teased. She picked up her bag and jacket waited outside the door while he locked up. The suburb of Kelburn was a winding maze of narrow roads and parks and alleyways with steps cut into the hillside. But Julia knew it as well as the back of her hand. She led the way confidently up the hill.

She paused at the top of a particularly steep climb and was surprised to find Steven still right behind her. He didn't even look out of breath. Definitely not a typical computer nerd – if there even was such a thing. "Nearly there," she promised. "My house is just further down this street."

They walked down the tree-lined street. It was one of the older suburbs in Wellington and had a variety of character homes from every decade. She stopped at her gate and Steven stared at the house in surprise. "This is your place?"

Julia felt a sudden twinge of embarrassment at the peeling paint on the weatherboards and the rambling roses which were long overdue for a prune. "Yes, I bought it as a do-up project. Obviously it still needs a lot of work but I'm making progress."

"It's nice," said Steven. "I like old villas. Is it turn-of-the-century?"

"Nineteen-oh-six," she replied proudly. "I started renovating the inside first because I couldn't bear the poky old bathroom and kitchen. Obviously the exterior will need to be completely sand blasted before I can repaint."

"You're doing it yourself?" He asked in surprise.

"Of course I am. Women can do anything, don't you know."

"Right, of course they can," he said quickly. "I just...uh...you're different to how I expected, is all." He stared at his shoes and Julia couldn't really tell in the twilight but she expected he was blushing again. She'd never met a grown man who blushed so easily. It was funny but kind of endearing as well.

"You mean I'm not the smart, sophisticated businesswoman I appear to be at work?" She prompted him.

"No. Well, yes, of course you are but..." he stammered.

"Don't worry about it. It's part of my job to project a certain type of image in the office. I need people to take me seriously and have confidence in me. Outside of work it's different."

"I don't think I could do that," he lamented. "Pretend to be someone different, I mean."

"It's not about being someone else. It's about concentrating on the qualities you already have that best fit the situation, and projecting that part of you," she explained seriously. Steven thought about that for a few moments. "How did you get to be so wise," he asked curiously. "You're not much older than me, surely."

"I'm twenty-eight," she replied with a smile. "See, only four years! It's not fair," he grumbled, kicking a stone on the pavement. "You'll do just fine," she promised him. Julia got her keys out of her bag and prepared to go inside. "Thanks for walking me home."

"No problem. Thanks for all your help" he said earnestly. He looked as if he was going to say something else but then changed his mind. "Goodnight."

Julia watched him walk away in the growing darkness. She was oddly disappointed. Usually her home was a welcome refuge but tonight it felt like a lonely place to be. Maybe she should have invited Steven in. Then she remembered she was supposed to call Ben.

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It was nearly midday. The air conditioning had been fixed and Julia had a productive morning in her office. She put down the report she'd been reading with a sigh of relief. She typed a quick email to Steven.

Hi, are you ready to shop until you drop?

She received a reply thirty seconds later.

You didn't warn me about the "drop" part. But I'm ready whenever you are."

She met him downstairs a few minutes later. He smiled automatically when he saw her. "So, where are we going?"

"I have a couple of menswear stores in mind. Let's get going, Ken."

He glared at her. "If you're going to call me Ken I get to call you Barbie."

"Fair enough," she laughed. They left the building together and walked the two blocks to the nearest retail area. It was fairly windy outside, typical of Wellington. But the sun was shining and the sidewalks were crowded with office workers on their lunch breaks.

They arrived at the first menswear shop and went inside. Julia scanned the store and zeroed in on the business shirts. She pick out a dark blue shirt with vertical stripes. "How about something like this," she suggested, holding it up to him in front of the mirror.

"I guess," he said hesitantly.

"You don't like stripes?" she asked.

"No, stripes are fine," he stammered.

"Good, why don't you try this on. What's your shirt size?"

"Um...I don't know."

She frowned and examined him with an analytical eye. He was lean, with a flat stomach, but not overly skinny. "Take a forty and a forty-two," she said finally. She passed him the shirts.

A sales assistant approached with a determined glint in his eye, as if he could smell an imminent sale. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked in a condescending tone. "Yes, he would like to try these on please," she replied. "And can you measure him for pants?"

"What?" Steven asked, startled. She turned to him and raised one eyebrow. "Would you rather I do it?" "Uh, no, that's all right," he said quickly.

The sales assistant led him towards the fitting rooms. "Your girlfriend obviously has good taste," he commented loudly. She didn't hear Steven's reply but it was probably an embarrassed denial about the girlfriend part.

Julia hung around outside the fitting rooms while Steven tried on the clothes. "Let me see when you've got them on," she instructed. "Ok, I'm ready," he called out.

She went into the fitting room and found him wearing the blue shirt and tidy black pants. He looked ill-at-ease but the transformation was startling. The shirt made his shoulders look broader and the trousers molded to his narrow hips.

"Very nice," she said appreciatively. "But you're supposed to leave the top button undone." She reached up and undid the button and smoothed his collar back. Her hands lingered on his chest. "This is good quality fabric. It won't fade or pill or anything..."

Julia stroked the soft fabric as she talked and was surprised at how warm his skin felt through the shirt. She could feel his heart beating, fast. She hadn't really noticed before but he was a good six inches taller than her. Her eyes were level with his chin and there was the barest hint of blond stubble on it. He smelled like Imperial Leather soap and some other scent she didn't recognise. Unexpectedly, she felt a sudden wave of desire. She looked up in surprise and found he was staring down her. There was a strange expression on his face and his eyes looked a darker blue than normal. He reached up and put his hand over hers, which was still on his chest. She drew in a sharp breath.

The sales assistant chose that moment to bustle in and asked if everything was to their liking. Julia removed her hand so fast it was as if it burned. She stepped backwards and Steven turned away from her, blushing furiously.

"Everything is fine, thanks," she told the assistant. She escaped back to the main area of the shop and leaned against a counter, breathing fast. What the hell had gotten into her? She wasn't type of woman to let hormones take control. Steven might be becoming a friend, but he was still a younger colleague who looked up to her and he was not a suitable or appropriate romantic partner for her. She had to control her impulses for both their sakes.

By the time Steven emerged from the fitting room she was calm and composed again. He looked apprehensive but she pretended nothing had happened. "What do you think of the clothes?" she asked cheerfully.

"They're comfortable enough. If you think they are appropriate I guess I'll buy them," he said.

"Great," she replied, pleased. "The shirt is on sale but the pants aren't. We should check the next store are see if they have anything cheaper."

The sales assistant, however, wasn't having any of that. He offered a good discount if they bought the shirt, pants and belt together. Steven gratefully accepted and they walked out of the store a few minutes later with his new outfit.

"That was a quick shopping trip," he observed. "We're not finished yet," Julia objected. "Do you have any black shoes?" "Actually, I do," said Steven. "I haven't worn them since graduation but they look fine."

"Very good," Julia replied. "Then the only thing left to consider is your hair." "My hair?" Steven touched it self-consciously.

"Yes. You have nice hair for a guy but it needs a trim and some styling product to keep it under control. Look, there's a barber right across the street." If Steven minded being bossed around he didn't show it outwardly. He just shrugged and followed her across the road to the barber.

Afterwards they had lunch at an outdoor café. Julia ordered a chicken salad and Steven had a grilled Turkish sandwich. She couldn't stop looking at his hair. "What?" asked Steven, noticing her staring at him again.

"Oh, nothing," she replied, smiling. "Your hair looks much better." It was a little bit shorter and no longer reached his neck. His tight curls were now better defined and not so frizzy. She wished she could run her hands through them and see if his hair was as soft as it looked.

"Thanks," he said bashfully.

Julia finished her salad and rested her chin on one hand, still observing him. "Maybe you'll have better luck with the girls with this new look," she said casually.

"Wha...what?" he asked, his forked paused halfway to his mouth. "Or guys, if that's what you prefer," she continued with a sly smile.

"I'm not gay," he insisted hotly. "Ok, just checking," she said soothingly. "I just can't understand why a nice guy like you is still single." Inwardly, Julia wondered what on earth possessed her to start this conversation. It was really none of her business why he was single. But on the other hand, maybe she could help him. She never could pass up an interesting challenge.

"Yes. Well." Steven stabbed his sandwich and avoided making eye contact. "I was kind of the fat kid at school. Plus I was a total nerd," he said eventually.

Julia stared at him in disbelief. "You're not overweight at all," she objected. She didn't comment on the nerd thing because obviously he did have nerd-like traits. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"I lost weight after college when I started swimming three times a week," he explained.

"But...you have had a girlfriend, right?" She asked carefully. She didn't want him to think there was something wrong but being a virgin but she just had to know.

"Yes, in college," he said. She breathed a sigh of relief. "But it didn't work out. But I still can't seem to talk to girls."

Julia smiled at his ironic statement. "You're talking to me now. I'm a girl," she pointed out. He looked up at her curiously. "You're right. But you're easy to talk to, so this doesn't count."

"Steven," she laughed. "Good conversation skills don't always come naturally. There are techniques you can practice which will make it much easier."

"Yeah? Like what?" he asked curiously. "Like active listening, for example. Have you heard of that?" He shook his head so she explained it. "Active listening involves listening to what the other person says and then paraphrasing it or asking clarifying questions."

"Ok..." he said dubiously. Julia decided a demonstration was in order. "Here, let me show you. I'll start a conversation and then actively listen to you." She paused and thought for a moment. "Tell me about this trip to Asia you're saving up for."

"Ok. I'm, uh, hoping to go to Indonesia later this year," he said self-consciously.

"Indonesia, huh? Have you been there before?"

"No, it will be my first real trip overseas."

"That sounds exciting. What are you planning to do there?" Julia asked.

"I want to see the rainforest and national parks and the water villages. And I've read the markets are really amazing too."

"Oh, I love Asian markets. Are you looking to buy something in particular?"

"Something in particular? No, not really. But they do make a lot of carved teak furniture over there, so I might find something nice to ship back home." Steven was smiling now. He was obviously looking forward to the trip.

"So you like teak furniture then?"

"Yes, I think it looks much better than the boring old pine you find in New Zealand stores."

Julia couldn't agree more. She almost forgot she was supposed to be teaching him about active listening. She could have sat there talking about travel or decorating for hours. "Did you notice what I was doing, Steven?" He frowned in concentration. "Yes, I think I understand."

"How did it make you feel?" she asked.

"Feel? Um...I guess I felt like you were really interested in what I was saying." He looked at her curiously. "You were interested, right?"

"Yes, I was," she reassured him, "but even if you were talking about something completely boring, it would still seem like I was interested if I used this technique."

"Ok, I think I could do that," he said confidently.

"It does take a bit of effort sometimes," she warned him. "Why don't you try it now. Ask me what I did last weekend."

"Ok, what did you do last weekend?"

She leaned back in the chair and feigned a bored expression. "I washed my hair," she said simply.

"You...washed your hair?" he repeated. His brow crinkled.

"Yep," she nodded.

Steven look at her expectantly but she didn't offer anything else. "Um...what did you wash it with?" he asked finally.

Julia leaned forward as if she were confiding a secret in him. "I used Garnier Organic Coconut Cream shampoo and conditioner."

"Organic coconut cream?"

"Yes, it's a brand new product range and it makes my hair so soft and shiny," she exclaimed girlishly.

Steven started grinning as he caught on to her little game. "I can see how shiny it is. Where did you find these new products?"

"Oh, my personal stylist recommended them for me. I only use the very best, don't you know."

He thought for a while about that statement. "What other products do you use?" he asked finally.

"Well let's see. I use a super-antioxidant exfoliating scrub from the Body Shop. It has, like, a hundred different essential vitamins."

"A hundred different vitamins, wow. And here I was thinking there were only thirteen."

"They created new vitamins for this product," she insisted seriously.

Steven couldn't take any more. He started laughing at her. Julia tried to keep a straight face but couldn't help grinning too. "See, you're pretty good already at active listening," she said.

"I guess it's not too hard," he conceded. "I just hope I don't meet a girl who really is as ditzy as you were pretending to be."

"Hey, for all you know I did spend the entire weekend washing my hair," she indignantly.

"Yeah, right," he grinned. "I know for a fact you were working on your renovations."

"Oh really. How would you know that?" she challenged. Her smile faltered for a moment as she considered the possibility that he might have been stalking her. But that was ridiculous, he didn't even know where she lived until last night. Did he?

Steven was oblivious to the thoughts running through her head. "You had flecks of green paint in your hair yesterday," he said simply.

Julia instinctively reached up and touched her hair. "Oh god, really? How embarrassing."

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone else could have seen it," he said.

After they finished lunch they walked back to the office. Julia was pleased to notice the receptionist did a double-take when she saw Steven's new hair cut. Just wait until they see him in his new shirt, she thought proudly.

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On Thursday evening Julia worked until six and then waited outside for Ben to pick her up. He was taking her out to dinner. Steven walked out of the office and stopped when he saw her. She was pleased to notice he was wearing the new shirt. "Hi Julia," he said in surprise.

"Hi Steven. Working late again?" she asked him with a smile.

"Not too late. You...look really nice," he said.

Julia had changed into a form-fitting black dress and let her hair down. It fell in soft waves around her face. Julia knew her hair was one of her best features, and she preferred to wear it loose when not in the office. She graciously accepted the compliment.

A moment later Ben pulled up in his silver BMW. Julia waved at him. "Here's my ride," she said to Steven. He wished her a good evening and watched her get into the car with Ben. As they drove off she could see him in the side mirror. He was still standing there, rather forlornly she thought.

"Who's the kid?" Ben asked.

Julia resented him calling Steven a kid but she kept her annoyance in check. "He's a software engineer. And a really nice man," she said pointedly. "Ok," Ben replied. His disinterest was obvious.

They ate at a popular Japanese restaurant and Julia made polite conversation all evening. Ben told her about his job as a property developer and she told him about some her recent contracts with various firms. By nine o'clock she was quite tired and asked Ben to take her home. He was disappointed but did as she asked.