Billionaire Blaze, page 11
Slowly, I calmed again, but Kit was soon in my thoughts. She had been one of the best parts of the short vacation. No matter how unsuitable it had been for anything long-term, I found myself wondering what she would make of this project with Sarai and whether she would want to be involved.
However, it wasn’t my place to ask her, and I had learned my lesson before. I would never work with someone I had any romantic interest in. Not even for just one project. It led to disaster and heartbreak. For everyone involved.
Ten minutes later, at almost exactly nine-thirty, my PA appeared. Henry was perfectly on time, as always, but that didn’t mean I was ready for him today.
“You okay, boss?” he asked as he came to sit down on the other side of the desk. I wasn’t surprised he was asking. By this point in the morning, I was usually sitting down and putting some thoughts on paper.
I considered telling him about Kit, but again, I didn’t want to mix business and pleasure, and I couldn’t think of anything better than being able to put her behind me by throwing myself into work. Maybe this job with Sarai would help. Something quirky to work on that would fill my time.
“I’m good. Better for the break, even. Made a new contact, and I have a project I’m probably going to want to take on. Can you handle a lot of my workload for today?”
“You want me to do it all?” Henry gulped as if he wasn’t confident, but he had been training with me for some time now.
Although I wanted to push him, I didn’t want to push him beyond what he was capable of. I didn’t want him to fail. It wasn’t good for his self-confidence, on top of being bad for business. “How about this? You do whatever you think you can handle and stretch yourself a little. If you are worried, run things by me, and if you can’t handle it, chuck it back to me, and I’ll take you through how I’d do the task. This is your turn to see what you can do and make your mark.”
Henry nodded as I spoke, and that seemed to settle the matter. “Can we just go through everything that needs to be done today first so I can get an idea of what might be expected of me?”
“Sure,” I replied, grateful he wasn’t so scared that he wouldn’t even try. This, I could work with.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Within thirty minutes, Henry had satisfied himself that he knew what he was doing and what I needed him to do. I suspected he would only get so far down the list of tasks before he struggled with a few and had to kick them back my way, but either way, it cleared enough of my morning so I could keep my promise to Sarai.
She was also quick to get the information files across to me, and they were comprehensive. I was pleased to see a lot of the permission work and surveys had already been done. She was as ready for an architect to step in and do the actual designs as anyone could be.
This was going to be a project I would enjoy working on.
It took several hours to go through all the documents until I was satisfied that I knew what they wanted and how they wanted it done. It was going to be a themed vacation park, and there were a lot of buildings to design and lay out. In a lot of ways, it wasn’t too unlike some of the business complexes I had done in the past, and I knew my team and I were going to be able to bring our expertise to the table and really make it function well.
There were some suggested layouts already, allowing for certain wildlife areas to be preserved, but I made a few tweaks, drawing out a rough sketch of what I would put where, and then scanned in the image and sent it back to Sarai, along with my reiteration that I would be happy to come onto the project.
At the same time, I asked her how much of my team and company she would want to use and gave her some quotes for various parts of the project, depending on how much I was doing for her.
I’d built my company up to be able to handle the whole process from start to finish, but considering Sarai and how organized she was, I doubted she wanted more than the bare bones from me.
Within minutes of me sending the email, another phone call came through. I answered, knowing it would be her. The first thing I heard was a delighted squee.
“I hoped you would want to be involved when you saw the details. We don’t need everything you can do, but I do want whatever you think we lack. I’m going to send you over the team names and specialties we have involved so far. Let me know all the gaps you can fill in and complete the picture for me. Your quotes look to be in line with what we expected. No problems there.”
Sarai was so straight to business after her initial excitement that I could barely get a word in edgewise, but I didn’t need to right now. Her enthusiasm for the project was infectious, and I soon found myself grinning ear to ear and wanting to get started. As long as Henry could handle everything he had, I would be able to make a dent in the preliminary part of the project.
As much as I wanted to get started on the creative side of things, I needed to see who else was involved, what was still needed, generate an official quote, and get paperwork signed. Even with the speed at which Sarai was responding, I knew that would take several days.
I had to cool off and just do the parts I needed to in order.
Thankfully, Sarai got another call and had to go, allowing me to come off the call before I said too much and let myself get carried away. I sat back to wait for the list of other folks. Henry chose that moment to ask me for help as both he and Lucy appeared in my office.
“Lucy, more problems?” I asked, opting to start with her. If nothing else, this would keep me from being impatient for Sarai again.
Lucy grinned, very much not upset, and shook her head. “Actually, quite the opposite. I decided to be a little more forceful and told the client you had put me on the project and approved my work. If they didn’t like what you thought was good enough, they could always talk about canceling our contract with you. It worked.”
I got up and went over to shake her hand. “Good. I’m glad you could get them to understand. Finish it up. You should have a clear shot to the end now.”
“Thanks, boss.” Her grin didn’t fade as she hurried away.
“How do you do that?” Henry asked.
“Do what?”
“Get everyone to handle your work for you and make it seem like they love it?”
“You tell me. It’s working with you, too.” It was my turn to grin. I knew I was teasing, and I didn’t entirely mean the words. They worked for me, but I knew most of them wanted to be at the top one day. I was just giving them an opportunity to learn.
“You make a good point. Need your help with this proposal, though. I think I’ve included everything, but I want to be sure before I cost it up.” Henry handed me his notes, and I happily took them. This was the one element I hoped he would come to me with. Nothing upset a client more than giving them an official quote and not including an important part that would need paying for later. Even more so if it was an expensive part.
He had done a good job but missed a few minor things. I handed him back his notes and made him add them then and there. At the same time, I went back to my computer and looked up my emails. The top one was from Sarai and had the list of staff she already had on the project.
While I waited for Henry to make his changes and add the costs to the list, I scanned through the names, recognizing several and approving of every choice.
When I got to the design team, I paused and swallowed. “Oh, fuck.”
“What?” Henry asked, stopping what he was doing and giving me his focus. I let out another groan and walked away from my desk to stare outside. This was bad. This was the worst thing I could have hoped for. Kit had also been added to the project as the interior designer, and Sarai was the kind of person who would have this project overlapping. I would be on site on days Kit would, no doubt about it.
Had Kit known I would be on this project, too? Was this part of her scheme? I had seen her talking to Sarai lots on the island, but I hadn’t thought anything of it. It was when she had turned off her attention to me. Or at least it had seemed that way.
Now, I wasn’t sure about any of it. She’d confused me, and I was sure I had confused her.
“Boss?” Henry asked, still staring at me.
“Nothing,” I replied.
“Doesn’t sound like nothing. I barely ever hear you swear. Especially not at work.”
It was a good point, but I had no idea how to explain what was going on in my head. Henry had pushed his work aside, however, and I knew I would have to tell him something.
“I’m looking over the team for a possible project.”
“And you don’t want to work with someone sucky?” Henry asked, getting closer than I’d have liked quickly.
I frowned, not sure how much to say. Did I leave it at that?
“You probably have enough clout and respect that if you told the client this was someone they didn’t want to work with and why, they’d probably listen and fire them.”
“It’s not like that. I’ve never actually worked with this person.” I went back to my desk and sat, double-checking it was who I thought it was. Kit was definitely listed as the interior designer.
Henry looked confused, leaning in closer.
“It was someone on the island. A woman. She was...” I trailed off and threw my hands up.
“A bitch?”
“No. If anything, she was wonderful to me. Funny, had similar interests, intelligent, beautiful. Carried herself well and clearly cared for her friend Juno.”
Henry put his pen down and sat back. “I’m not sure I understand what the problem is.”
“It’s hard to explain. She was… She could have been anything. After my money. After anything.”
“She sounds wonderful to me. And if she’s at one of the most prestigious weddings of two very famous people, she can’t be that poor. Or that in need of rich friends. From what I know about Jack and Juno, they take care of their friends. If she was Juno’s friend and genuine to Juno, why would she need to dig for gold anywhere else? Especially if she’s getting herself jobs on similarly prestigious projects as you.”
Henry had a point, and I deflated and nodded. It was better if I let him see that calm my mind, even if, for some reason, it didn’t. Something was up with Kit, and I couldn’t put my finger on what.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Kit
Five more days had passed since I’d confirmed with Sarai that I wanted to be in on her project, and I was now drowning under a mountain of work and paperwork. I didn’t know if I was coming or going, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to sign on when it would be this complicated.
I knew I should get myself a lawyer, someone who could go through all of this and make sure that I knew what I was doing and wasn’t signing my life away, but I didn’t know any.
In the past, Juno had always sorted these things out for me, able to write a decent contract herself and knowing enough law to make sure it was watertight. She was still on her honeymoon, however, and Sarai wanted to know what the holdup was in getting the paperwork signed.
When I looked at the pay part and the first figure I would get upfront, it was tempting to go ahead and sign the forms without hesitation. Sarai was going to pay me more just to get started on the project than I had ever been paid for a single design. For a whole year of designs.
And that was only the upfront payment. There would be more at specific milestones, and I wouldn’t have to worry about costs. I wouldn’t have to buy anything, just instruct what would amount to an assistant to buy whatever I thought was necessary. And I’d be living in accommodation near the site with all meals provided.
In short, I was going to be in the lap of luxury for at least a month or so, and I was going to be paid to enjoy myself. Given I also loved what I did, it was the chance of a lifetime. But I couldn’t shake the immense amounts of anxiety I felt about it anyway.
This was also something I could totally screw up. There were clauses upon clauses in the contract for all sorts of eventualities, and I was worried that if I didn’t do a good enough job, I could walk away with nothing but debt. And I couldn’t figure out if that was the case or not.
I put the contracts down and exhaled, feeling my vision blur and my palms go sweaty. Close to a panic attack, I got up and started walking back and forth, counting my steps across the room and then back again. At the same time, I ran my fingers along the rough band around my wrist.
It didn’t seem to work at first, my body nowhere near calm enough. Slowly, the counting broke through the fear, and I could think rationally again. This wasn’t a huge hurdle. I just needed to think of the right person—other than Juno—who was clever enough to have some idea what all this said.
After pacing a little longer and getting my mind as calm as I could, I sat down again and looked through my phone contacts. There had to be someone who knew business well enough to interpret it a little. I could have smacked myself when I got to Matt and Stacy. Of course Matt would have some idea.
I quickly dialed the number and waited to see if he was home.
“Kit, what can I do for you?” Matt asked as soon as he picked up. “Need help getting some projects finished so you can go on your big adventure?”
“Not project help as such, but I could definitely do with some assistance with a problem.” I felt relieved already. Why hadn’t I just asked for help sooner? But in the back of my mind, I knew why. I wanted to be capable. I wanted to be better than I was. So many times, I hadn’t been good enough, and I’d been made to feel like an idiot.
Asking for help wasn’t easy. Admitting I wasn’t good enough yet again. But Matt seemed to understand.
“Contracts can be awful. I’m glad you’re asking for backup. No matter how much you think you know what they’re saying, getting a second pair of eyes from someone detached who can consider all the ways it might go wrong is important.” Matt was so calm and respectful, giving me the benefit of the doubt that I understood it and offering to be an extra pair of eyes.
He offered to come over right then and there, saying he had nothing going on that evening, and I felt even better. I told him to bring Stacy and that I’d buy dinner afterward as a way to celebrate after the contracts were signed.
“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. There’s a small chance you won’t sign these. We’ll sort dinner out after, whether that’s a commiseration dinner or a celebration dinner.” Matt hung up, leaving me with just under half an hour to clean my apartment and get it ready for guests.
If nothing else, it kept me from panicking too much, but it didn’t keep me from thinking about my other problem with this project. I wouldn’t be doing it alone. Although Sarai hadn’t confirmed it for sure or brought it up since I’d first been told about it, I knew Lukas was likely to be working on this project as well.
Could I run the risk of bumping into him again? Part of me wanted to. No matter what had happened and how much I felt I’d screwed it up the first time, I wanted to try again. There was just something about him. I liked being in his world. He moved and spoke with an assurance. A confidence that helped me be calm around him.
Every moment I had with him, I’d felt safe. Protected, even. It was as if I knew he had everything under control, and I could just let go and be.
I’d never felt quite like that with anyone else.
Thankfully, Matt arrived, with Stacy not far behind him, before I could talk myself out of the whole thing again. Lukas hadn’t felt the same way about me. I was almost sure of that.
Although Matt got straight to business and looked through the contracts for me, I got to sit with Stacy. She had just started a new job, too, and we spent the time talking about it. Now and then Matt interrupted to get me to clarify one or two things, but for the most part, we were left to talk and catch up.
“Tell me about this guy,” Stacy said when she had run out of things to say. “Sounds as if he was rich, if he was at Juno’s wedding and friends with Jack.”
I shrugged. How much money he had hadn’t even occurred to me to think about. “Everyone there was wealthy, but I have no idea if he was rich. He was hot, though. And Jack spoke highly of him. Likes the same sorts of books and traveling to the same sorts of places.”
Stacy beamed at me as if this settled everything. I didn’t agree, but Matt interrupted us again, and I didn’t have to explain more.
“Honestly, Kit, this looks pretty good. You don’t have much to risk unless you’re an asshat. If you just run purchases by the client before you do anything big, you get an upfront payment, more in stages, and even more when it’s all done, and everyone is happy. They possibly could drag out that last payment, but I get the impression that’s not going to bother you too much.”
Matt reached for his phone and handed the paperwork back to me.
“So you think I should sign it.”
“Hell, yes. Go, enjoy Chicago, and we’ll be here when you get back. You should go even if there wasn’t a guy involved.”
“I don’t know if he’s really going to be involved,” I replied. And it was true. Sarai had only said he might be part of it. He might not.
To my relief, neither of my friends mentioned “the guy” again. Instead, we focused on the one important thing—celebrating my signing the most lucrative contract of my career so far. It wouldn’t make me a millionaire, but it would set me up well enough that I would know I could pay the bills for a very long time. That in itself was a victory.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Lukas
Getting through the week wasn’t normally something I struggled with, but from the moment I had signed the contract with Sarai, I had felt divided. My team had handled everything I hoped they would and done a decent job, so no wheels had come off the bus, but I still didn’t feel settled.
I couldn’t think straight, and everything was taking me longer than normal. And I was grumpy. Really grumpy.
