Having anticipated this issue, I flagged that we were now overtime and over budget. I suggested that I fly up to the next board meeting and we workshop the remaining issues to find a resolution. He agreed gratefully and informed me that his executive assistant would manage the travel arrangements for me and enquired whether I would be bringing Chloe. She had attended each of the other meetings with the board and I realised I would need the help. I suggested that we arrange the workshop over two days. This would allow me to make any revisions overnight and put them to the board for final agreement the following day.
When I hung up I placed a call to the project liaison officer managing the resort development at Wooyung Beach. I advised I would be in town in just over a week and indicated that it would be good to see the site and meet with her face-to-face to map the process for concept design approval so that we stayed on timeframe. She agreed and we arranged to meet on site the day after my business was concluded with Carillion.
I called Chloe into my office and brought her up to speed with the latest developments on the projects.
“I’m sorry about this, but we are going to have to work closely together to get this business with Carillion finalised. Are you going to be ok with that?” I enquired gently.
“I’m fine with it, Alex,” she replied.
We set up shop in my office as we went back and forward on how to deal with the contentious design elements in the presentation. While Chloe pulled the slides together, I mocked up some of the proposed design suggestions the client had made. The treetop restaurant had proven to be the focus of much of the concern. I decided to get Jaimie to work his artistic magic on a couple of renderings to give a better impression of how it would look at completion.
He came into the office more than was strictly necessary, given that he had all the information he needed. Each time, he stopped to look over Chloe’s shoulder, using it as a pretext to talk with her. I felt my annoyance bubbling away under the surface and I fought to contain my jealousy. The third time this happened, Chloe looked in my direction as Jaimie walked out of the office and gave an exasperated look. Her reaction to Jaimie’s persistent attempts at seduction released the tension and I burst out laughing. Seeing my response, she broke up and it took a few minutes to regain our composure.
Immersed in the drafting process, I distantly registered that staff were leaving, however, it wasn’t until I looked up to see that it was dark outside that I realised it was getting late. I turned to see Chloe intently focussed on her laptop.
“It’s time to call it a day, Chloe,” I said breaking the silence in the room.
She looked up to discover what I had and rubbed her eyes wearily.
“I still have a few things I need to get done before I call it a day,” she replied.
“I’ll order some dinner then,” I offered, picking up my phone.
Forty minutes later we were reclined back in our chairs, each with a slice of pizza. When I finished off my first slice, I made a beeline for the bookshelf that held the bottle of scotch and crystal tumblers. I placed one in front of each of us and poured a generous nip. Wiping the grease off her hands with a napkin, Chloe took the glass and held it between her hands as she leant back relaxing. I admired her appreciatively and she caught my gaze, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.
I sat back with my own glass swirling the burnished liquid absently.
“Jaimie appears to have taken a shine to you,” I teased as I took a sip.
“He’s not really my type,” she responded dismissively.
“What, a good looking, young guy isn’t your type?” I countered. “The other women in the office seem to approve of me hiring him.”
“The problem is he knows he is good looking. He is a bit too self-absorbed.” She observed.
“So, what is your type?” I asked.
Chloe paused looking up at me searchingly. She took another swig from her glass before responding.
“Someone who uses less product on their face than I do,” she said smirking.
I chuckled as I took another sip, letting my eyes stray south to appreciate the way Chloe’s red crepe dress hugged her hips and thighs. As I looked back her eyes met mine and I realised I had been caught.
Ruefully, I reached for the bottle to pour myself another nip. I sensed Chloe’s eyes still on me. My feeling was confirmed as I sat back with the crystal tumbler.
“Do you ever wonder which of the staff saw us that night?” She said changing topic artfully.
I almost choked on my dram.
“Shit, I never told you, did I?” I squeezed out between coughs. “It wasn’t one of the team, it was Jess.”
“Oh my God!” She cried out. “You’re kidding. I never….Oh God, I’m so sorry Alex!”
“Don’t be,” I replied. “While I wish I had just told her years ago that it was over, rather than letting her find out that way, I don’t regret being with you for one second.”
Chloe sipped her drink, deep in thought as she processed this news.
“Why don’t we call it a night?” I suggested. “We have another day before we fly out. We can finalise the presentation tomorrow.”
Chloe nodded, placing her empty glass down on the table. I followed her as she gathered her personal effects and walked her out to her car. As she reached the driver’s side door I wished her a good night and she turned, pressing her soft body against me and placed a feather light kiss on my cheek. My hands went reflexively to her waist and held her against me for a moment, before she gently pulled away.
**********************
The morning of the trip was a flurry of activity. We caught the 7AM flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast and spent the trip putting the final touches on the presentation. It was still early in the day, but as we walked out of the air-conditioned airport terminal we were assailed by a wall of heat. I was grateful for the climate control in the taxi that took us directly to Carillion’s headquarters in Tweed Heads.
By the time we were led up to the board room, I had removed my suit jacket. But the heat of a Queensland summer was nothing compared to the reception that awaited us during the presentation with Carillion. I had under-estimated the tone of the board, if not the CEO’s capacity to manage them. From the opening slide we were hit with a barrage of questions about the design concept and perceived practicality of various features. I wondered more than once why they had chosen my proposal given the level of unrest about the project. But while I was at home behind an easel, this was Chloe’s arena. Although we had role-played this, the antagonism rankled more than I had expected. By contrast, Chloe effortlessly redirected the criticisms, leading the complainants step by step towards the conclusion that she wanted.
By the end of the first session, she had dispatched most of the issues with the cottages, setting up the afternoon to begin negotiations on the restaurant. I was sitting at the window eating the salad wrap that had been provided by the caterer for lunch when the CEO wandered over for a chat.