I hated seeing her there with him.
I hated having her see me there. I didn’t want her to think that was me. Let all the others think it’s me, but not her.
Carolina clearly doesn’t like her. She was right about George. Could she be right about Lizzie?
I’m haunted thinking that she could be with him.
And what am I doing? She works for me for Christ’s sake! I shouldn’t be thinking of her at all except in a strictly professional capacity. Maybe I should avoid her? Maybe I could go on a vacation?
Or maybe I should spend more time around her? I’m sure sooner or later I’d find the flaw, something that tarnishes my view of her.
I’m sure after next week, I won’t think of her again.
Chapter 5- La Loca del Tape
Lizzie pulled into the Miami DC at 6 a.m., feeling prepared and ready to take on this project. The events of Friday? Pushed out of her mind. The best revenge was going to be doing adamn good job. She’d spent the weekend prepping, and she could barely sleep last night with the anticipation of starting today.
“¡La loca del tape está de vuelta!” Ignacio yelled good-naturedly as soon as she walked in. (The crazy girl with the tape is back!)
Lizzie smiled—shelovedthat she’d made such a strong impression, even if it had inspired the nickname “crazy”. “That’s right. Hope you’re ready! Where should I put my stuff?” She lifted her bag to show thestuffin question.
Ignacio nodded behind her. Lizzie turned—and nearly ran into Will.
“I thought I told you I didn’t like pink?” Will said by way of greeting, eyeing her pink blazer.
“I thought I told you I didn’t need you babysitting my work,” Lizzie fired back.
“Well, I guess it’s lucky that I’m the boss, and I don’t have to listen to what you say, huh?” He said in admonishment. Lizzie got the feeling that he meant this to be at least partly in jest, but it still bothered her. She also didn’t have a good response; he was right; she worked for him.
“I’ll make sure to follow that request in the future,” She said through a forced smile.
This is fine,she thought. She wasn’t going to let him make her nervous. She reached into her bag, pulled out a roll of red duct tape, and slung her bag onto a nearby desk.
“If there’s nothing else, I have to get to it. I’m being held to a pretty strict timeline. Myclientcan’t wait to get me out of his hair.” Lizzie said this teasingly, but Will didn’t look amused. He just crossed his arms and clenched his jaw.
Lizzie worked with Ignacio’s team through the morning. She focused on procedures—cart parking, flow from heavy to light, and pickers safely stacking multiple orders. They moved inventory and rearranged aisles—efficiencyporn.
She slung her blazer over a chair an hour in. By 11:30, she sent the team to lunch and dragged stuck-wheel carts into a corner. Grease, sweat, this morning’scoladapowering her through—she was in her element.
This is how Will found her: sitting on the floor, wheel grease on her hands and smudged on her arms, sweat beading on her brow.
“Is this what I’m paying you for?” Will said, frown etched deep.
“You sure are,” Lizzie said, snapping the wheel back in and pushing it to test. She stood, satisfied. “That’s got to be worth some time savings, right?”
“And lunch? Don’t you eat?”
Lizzie grabbed a towel and wiped her hands. “That, you actually don’t pay me for.”
Will’s jaw clenched. “Don’t worry—I’ll grab acafecitofrom the break room. And I couldaffordto skip a few meals, right?” She smiled and winked to soften the comment, but internally she hoped he felt bad for calling her chubby on the day of the pitch.Will’s expression darkened, which made Lizzie think it struck home.
“I’d be happy to buy you lunch,” Will grumbled.
“Oh, thanks! I was half-joking—I’ve got a protein bar. But would you be open to buying theteamlunch on Friday? I’m asking a lot this week. Reward goes far.”
“You don’t have to do that. They get paid to work hard.”
It was Lizzie’s turn to clench her jaw. “Yes, but kindness makes a better environment. I’ll buy it—don’t worry.” So much money and so stingy, Lizzie thought.
