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Thesurveyors explained the foundation work would be done over the short summer months when weather wouldn’t interfere with construction.Thesooner they could begin, the better, giving them the best shot of beating the snow and keeping the project on schedule.Lilyunderstood proper timing was imperative to satisfy the clients.Whoeverthey were.
Lilyturned on the ignition, the air conditioning quickly cooling her off.Accordingto the foreman, they would break ground in a couple of weeks.Unlessthe mayor and the residents managed to toss a wrench into their plans.
Ifshe didn’t pull something soon, the project could quickly get mired in a sticky web of lawsuits.Chelseawould be livid andLilywould have failed in her mission, letting her boss down—the boss who put her faith in her, handing over the reins of a multi-million dollar account.
OrmaybeI’lllose my job altogether.
Thethought madeLilycringe.Shewanted to prove herself . . . badly.Comingout here toColoradowas in her view, a power move.She’dleft behindPeter, her apartment,Jilly, and her friends for this.Shewas not going to blow it.
Herphone buzzed on the seat beside her.
Sheesh.
Itwas as ifChelseawas reading her mind.
“Hey,Chelsea!”Lilygreeted her boss, feigning a cheerfulness she wasn’t feeling.
“Didyou settle in okay?”
Lilysaw a few people exit the center.Noone gave her a second look.Shequickly set the call to the car’sBluetoothand put the car in drive, pulling out of the lot. “Yep.Theplace is really nice.Thanks.”
“Ididn’t have much to do with it other than telling the travel department to make sure you’re comfortable.Afterall, you will be there for the whole summer.”
IfImake it that long.
Lilytook the turn ontoMainStreet, now bustling with tourists.Shecaught a glimpse of a gurgling brook, kids jumping from rock to rock, the ski mountain in the background.Itwas magnificent. “Verykind of you.”
Chelseaasked, “Didyou have a chance to see the property yet?”
“Idid.Iwent over there early this morning.Metwith the foreman and surveyors.Itlooks great.”
Itwas an understatement.Theproperty was a goldmine.
“Theclient wants things to remain on schedule,”Chelseasaid, stating the obvious.
“Understood.Bythe way,Ijust attended a local community meeting.Therewas a great deal of resistance to the project.”
Chelseawas silent a moment. “Thisis how it goes with every development of this nature.Peopleare resistant to change.Idon’t need to remind you how many jobs it will provide to those same locals.Youwill need to convey that to them.”
Lilystopped at a traffic light.Ayoung family of four crossed in front of her car, each grasping a cup of ice cream. “Sure, but it will put others out of work.”
Chelseasniffed. “Pleasetell meIdidn’t make a mistake putting you on this job.”
Lilyswallowed hard.Shedidn’t remindChelseathat she was the only one available.Whathappened to her being a lifesaver? “No, of course not.I’mup for it.Justsharing the mood on the ground.”
Shehoped her frayed nerves weren’t coming across the phone line.Then, “How’syour mother?”Lilyasked, both as a show of concern and a reminder that she’d savedChelseain the eleventh hour by accepting the job.Hadshe not come out here at the last minute, the lucrative project would have ended up at a competitor’s firm.
Chelsea’stone turned warmer. “She’sstruggling but the doctors think with regular rehab she’ll come through.”
“Good.Okaythen,Ibetter get going . . .”
Lilyheard a phone ring in the background.Savedby the bell.
Chelseaadded, “Weeklyupdates, okay?”
“Yougot it!”Lilyreplied, ending on the same faux exuberance as she started with.Shefinished the call, and pulled up to the hotel’s entrance, wondering what on earth she’d gotten herself into.
ChapterNine
