Here, Will cuts her off. “Pay her the rate she quoted.”
“Will!” Carolina looked at him incredulously. “For three months’ work, at this fee, the rate per hour is…” She shook her head as if she didn’t know a word to describe her incredulity.
Will looked over to Lizzie now. “90 days to implement these changes—and that’s it, right? No additional cost or fees? We don’t have to keep you on payroll or keep your company on retainer? Nothing like that?”
Lizzie felt a little hurt by the need to keep reassuring them that she would end their relationship after the project was completed. She assumed she wasn’t for everyone. And who cared if they liked her? They were going to pay her to do the job, and she would. She wasn’t exactly clamoring to spend more time with them. “Yes, that’s it. 90 days, and then you don’t have to see me again. In fact, I can do most of the implementations with your team, and you don’t have to be directly involved at all.”
Will clenched his jaw as if bothered by the comment—or maybe because he realized how obvious his desire to have her go away was; Lizzie wasn’t sure. Carolina looked at him pointedly, waiting for his response, which prompted him to clear his throat and say, “Right, good…”
Just then, Will’s phone rang, and he gestured to it, got up, said, “One sec, I have to take this,” and left the two women on their own.
Lizzie squirmed in her seat, eager to fill the silence with conversation but unsure what to talk to Carolina about. Carolina busied herself with pulling out some hand sanitizer and rubbing it on her hands, even though Lizzie hadn’t seen her touch anything since she sat down. “Poor Will’s been so busy these days,” Carolina said. “With the company growing at a record-fast pace, his father’s failing health, and of course his soon-to-be engagement, he’s running out of hours in the day.”
Lizzie’s surprise was obvious. Not that she was surprised that he would be involved with someone—men of Will Pemberley’s stature often were—but that she hadn’t known. She took great care in researching her potential clients, and while she found several reports of his attendance at galas and events, nothinghad mentioned a relationship, with a few stories even calling him “the most eligible bachelor in Miami.”
Carolina smiled slightly, obviously happy to see that her comment had been met with surprise, which she registered as disappointment, and elaborated on the subject unprompted. “Yes, it’s not common knowledge, but all of usclosefriends of his know of his relationship with Alisa Reed.”
“Alisa Reed? The daughter of the guy who owns Reed Medical Centers?” Lizzie knew the centers well—there were Reed urgent cares and hospitals all over South Florida. “That’s one couple that would be kept in good health,” making a note to look her up later. She couldn’t remember what Alisa looked like, but she’d remember seeing the father in the social pages: porky with a red face and thick glasses. Her curiosity was definitely piqued.
“Yes, well, the plan would be—if they continue their relationship, which seems to be a certainty at this point—they might be tempted to relocate the company to West Palm Beach or Naples. Somewhere less, you know…” Carolina looked around, searching for the right word. “Busy” was the word she settled on, although Lizzie could feel the word she wanted to say was “chusma.”
“So you see, it’s not that I don’t want to make this deal or work with you—it’s that I’d hate for you to waste your time just for everything to be moved and the work to be undone.” Carolina’s words dripped with fake concern.
Lizzie simply shrugged and said, “Will seems to know what he’s doing. I think he can choose to hire whomever he chooses.”
Carolina bristled, obviously unhappy with the lack of more emotional response, and said, “Right, well, I just thought I would let you know. You know, woman to woman, as a friend.”
Lizzie almost laughed at the word.Friend? I’ve experienced warmer interactions with TSA,she thought.
Will came back to the table, no longer on the phone but typing something out on it. Without looking up, he said to Carolina, “Alisa says call her about that thing.”
Carolina beamed—I told you sowritten all over her face.
Lizzie sipped hercortaditoand then said, “Are we good here?” She waved her hand over the contract. “You can make the changes, and I’ll have it DocuSigned the moment you get it over to me.”
Will looked at both women and said, “I think so. Did we have anything else to cover?”
Carolina shook her head, and Lizzie grabbed her bag, saying, “I think we covered everything. Implemented by year-end, and I’m gone in 90 days. Merry Christmas to everyone.”
Carolina’s smile widened. Will’s jaw flexed again. Lizzie gave a small wave and said, “I’ll start at the DC Monday if you get those over to me today.” Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she left.
Carolina waited three seconds.
“Will. She’s… aggressive.”
Will stared at the contract. “She’s effective.”
Carolina touched his arm. “Alisa might not like…”
Will pulled away. “Alisa doesn’t have anything to do with this.” He stood. “I want to be kept in the loop of her progress. I’ll oversee her work directly.”
Carolina’s smile froze. “But she said…”
“It’s just 90 days. I can manage it.”
He left, grabbing hiscoladaand sipping it, trying to get back some of the buzz he felt in his DC this morning.
* * *
