Page 14 of She’s a Big Deal

It was typical of her aunt to jump in like that. Grace reflected on the unusual evening and awkward invitation on her flight back to Miami. She was due to return to Red Falls the next weekend to see to a few things: accompany Charlie to a medical check-up, speak to her sister about the deal, hunt down a reluctant Reece for a serious one-to-one, and fulfill a professional engagement. This latter, she was looking forward to. Janis Cassidy was a new architect on the scene who blended art, unconventional designs, and cutting-edge technology. Her latest creation, a mansion on the outskirts of Ottawa, was currently set up as an exhibition, and she had invited Grace for a private viewing. Spending time in Red Falls was a perfect opportunity for this since she could drive there and back in a day. Grace had planned to travel to Canada on her own. She still did, even after seeing Olivia’s face light up like a Christmas tree at the mention of Cassidy. Back in her office, in her usual environment, Grace found it hard to concentrate. Flashes of velvety dark eyes and sensual lips kept coming back into her mind. Even with fifteen hundred miles in between them, the intriguing Olivia Bianchi would not leave her alone. Grace had stopped thinking of her as just ‘Charlie’s young friend’ by now . The dog-sitter. Olivia was tough and cute at the same time. Fourteen years younger but mature and strong in spirit. Grace only had to think of her subtle brush of the hand when Jeremy had been barking at her. Olivia had stood her ground next to her. Quietly, respectfully, but no less firmly. She was also extremely beautiful when she chose to let it shine. On impulse, Grace brought up her website for another look at her creations. Hmm. Yes… The pieces were exquisite. Though, once again, she shook her head at the clumsy set-up.

“Libby,” she called over the intercom. “Send Joel into my office, please.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Michaels.”

As she waited for her web designer, Grace stood up to pace aggressively in front of her wall of windows. I shouldn’t be doing this. Getting involved was a bad idea. Certainly, she’d made no promises…

“Just kissed her as if I was running out of air.”

She grumbled in irritation. This had been another sparkling loss of control, for sure. At least she had managed to decline Charlie’s unhelpful and, frankly, naive invitation on her behalf. And left Olivia with a clear understanding that nothing else could or would happen between them. One kiss, a dance… Too much already. So now, end of story. With a fresh wave of temper, she stabbed the intercom button again.

“Libby.”

“Yes, Ms. Michaels?”

“Tell Joel not to—” About to cancel her previous request, Grace found herself hesitating. And when did that ever happen? Losing my stupid mind… At a loss, she still decided to stay with it. “Never mind. Send him in as soon as he gets here. And tell him to hurry up, for God’s sake! Haven’t got all day.”

“On it, Ms. Michaels!”

◆◆ ◆

“I’m just confused,” Olivia admitted to Dana. “Really, it’s clear as mud. The connection between us was out of this world, you know?”

“So you keep saying,” her friend sighed. “And I get it, Oli. You kissed, and then she rocked your world on the dance floor. But what part of ‘Let’s leave it there’ is unclear, exactly?”

“Hmm. I don’t think she meant it.”

“Olivia. Come on now.”

“No, really.” Olivia had to laugh at her friend’s exasperated expression. “Bear with me.”

“I’m trying.”

“Look, I’m fine, okay? I’m not losing my head over just one kiss. Or, well, a couple. And a whirl on the dance floor.” Though Olivia, for sure, had replayed those scenes over and over in her head. “But I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh. Good to hear. Still, you’re talking nonsense.”

“I just think there’s a lot she keeps under wraps, that’s all.”

“Why?” Dana frowned suspiciously.

“I don’t know... Protection, probably. I get the sense there’s bad blood between her and some of the family. Her brother was nasty to her when we bumped into him the other night.”

“You could ask Charlie.”

“Absolutely not. First of all, she’s not the kind to discuss her family behind their back. Also, I don’t want to. It would feel too much like an invasion of privacy.”

“Alright, fair enough. Shame we aren’t from the Burlington area, or we’d know the history of its most famous family.” Dana considered. “You could ask around.”

“Again, I’d rather not. If Grace feels like telling me, she will. I do know she left a long time ago, and she’s had nothing to do with the family business since then. She’s a self-made woman. Only owes her success to her own hard work and talent.”

“Gosh, listen to you,” Dana snorted. “You sound so proud of her. So smitten already!”

Olivia shrugged. “What can I say? I like her.”

“Sounds like she’s the black sheep of the family.”

“Yeah… Her brother said peculiar things—” Shit. She’d not meant to share this bit.

“What things?” Dana prompted.

Reluctantly, Olivia told her. Predictably, her friend became even more reticent.

“Dangerous?” she repeated. “A coward? That’s the woman you’re all goofy-eyed about?”

“Trust me, I’m sure her brother was self-projecting all over the place. And Dana?”

“Yes?”

“Please, stop looking so worried.”

“I’ll make you a deal, darling. I won’t worry if you don’t go chasing after her.”

“Hmm.”

“Deal?” Dana growled.

“Fine. I won’t.” Olivia would hate herself if she turned into the chasing kind anyway. “But if she gets in touch with me first, all bets are off.”

“Fine.”

They shook on it. Then, right on cue, Olivia’s phone beeped.

“Oh my God.” She beamed. “She sent me a text. It’s a sign!”

“She psychic too?” Dana rolled her eyes even as she also laughed. “Alright. What does it say?”

“Just to check my email.”

“Well. Suspense is killing me, but I have to go to work for a scheduled surgery. Call me later, okay?”

“Yes. Good luck with the op.”

Olivia opened her laptop after she left and found an email from someone named J. Edwards, as Grace mentioned in her text.

‘Dear Olivia,’ the email read. ‘Please see the link to your new website below. Waiting to go Live pending your approval. I look forward to working with you on any edits required. Feel free to call me any time on my cell. Best, Joel.’

His signature listed him as Joel Edwards, Senior Web Designer, Brazen Inc.. And, indeed, it gave a phone number. Direct access? Unsure of how to feel about this unexpected gift, Olivia clicked on the link. And her eyes widened slowly as she took it all in. Somehow, this Joel had found a local news segment where she was interviewed about her work. One she’d actually planned to include on her own site but never managed to figure out how to edit. He had done a brilliant job of it. Some of her more recent work was highlighted, too, like the pieces she had shown to Grace on her phone. Her clunky old website had been transformed into more of a trailer-type animation which showcased her work exquisitely. Olivia bit on her lip as it occurred to her: How did this guy know which music to include? Pachelbel’s Canon in D Minor was her all-time favorite theme.

“Oh, gosh…”

Seeing her own creations displayed in such a splendid and thoughtful way made her feel emotional. Grace. The complex and obviously complicated woman who said she did not want to get further involved had done this for her. What did it mean? Olivia took in a deep, steadying breath. It would not be chasing and making a fool of herself, would it, to call her now?

◆◆◆

Though still early in the day, Grace had already sweated at the gym, slayed a bunch of admin meetings, completed the last of her three holographic designs for the new nightclub because she liked to give her clients plenty of options and scope, and drunk entirely too much coffee. Indeed, all before ten A.M. She felt jittery, which she blamed on the caffeine, whilst also being aware that she was full of shit. There was only one reason for the slight tremor in her hands and a line of tension lingering annoyingly behind her eyes. And that reason was— Oh. She started when her cell phone rang. Olivia. Grace stared at the pulsing screen. Two things might happen now. Either the woman was calling to say thank you. Or to yell at her because Grace had no right to take matters into her own hands when it came to her personal business. Well. Only one way to find out… She picked up.

“Hello.”

“Grace. It’s Olivia.”

“I know. How are you?”

“Brilliant.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes! About the website. WOW! I don’t know how to thank you... It’s AMAZING!”

So, Olivia was happy. Grace exhaled in relief quietly. She went back to her desk, sat down, and swiveled in her chair to gaze at the vibrant Miami sky—electric blue, not a cloud in sight. Olivia sounded equally joyful.

“Given what you’d said to me before, I wasn’t sure you’d appreciate my intervention,” she admitted.

“Oh, I was fully prepared not to.”

Spirited. Spunky. Grace appreciated that about the woman.

“But?” she prompted her with a smile.

“Ah, but I clicked on the link, and I was blown away. This is a full order of magnitude better than my old site.”

“Yes, I think Joel did a good job.”

“You saw the site?”

“Of course. He ran it past me first.”

“How did you know to include Pachelbel? I am in love with this music!”

“Joel did his research. Whatever we design for our clients, be it a website or a brand-new interior for a nightclub, is bespoke to the customer. Excellence goes a long way toward a reputation, so my people spend the time to get it right. And they do. Is there anything you’d like to change?”

“No, it’s perfect!”

“Okay. Tell Joel. He’ll take care of deactivating your old site for you and swapping domain names.”

“I will. Um, Grace… How much do I owe you for this?”

“Nothing, don’t be silly.” A loaded silence ensued, and Grace figured Olivia must be one of those people who struggled to accept gifts. “Problem?” she prompted.

“No… Just a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Why?” Olivia inquired softly.

Grace shrugged. “You do quality work and deserve to have it showcased properly. I happen to be in a position to help you achieve that. So, I did.”

“Simple as that?”

All Grace needed to say was, Yes . To tell her she was busy, which was true, and end this call. But in fact, it was not just as simple as that. She hesitated. Encouraged, Olivia went on.

“I thought we were done, you know?”

“We are.”

“Right, okay. But when you do something like this, it makes me wonder.”

Oh, Christ. “It’s business, Olivia.”

More silence greeted those words. Stubborn, uncooperative silence. The kind Grace was definitely not used to. People in her world did what they were told. Her company performed like the well-oiled machine she had designed it to be. Her staff gave her results and solutions, not questions or tantrums. The escorts she hired were all experienced professional submissives who knew how much to tease and provoke in order to enhance the pleasure of the game. Her pleasure. Then, there was Olivia. Not staff. Not a hired escort. Charlie’s friend. And she was just… What? Grace wondered as she stumbled in her own mind. A woman that she could not control and who challenged her sense of order and peace? One who made her want to kiss her again just by being on the phone? She rubbed her left temple where the headache was trying to migrate.

“Just do me a favor. Accept the gift and leave it at that,” she instructed.

“Okay.” But Olivia said that and went on to insist in the same breath. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think you like me.” Teasing. Warm. Hopeful.

Bad, Grace reflected. This was bad. Definitely should not be encouraged. And yet… She wanted to stay on the phone. Talk to her some more.

“I don’t dislike you,” she grunted in compromise.

Olivia gave a light chuckle. “Cool. I don’t dislike you either, Grace. Okay, I’ll accept the website.”

“Halleluia.”

“Yes, but on the condition you do me a favor in return.”

Grace’s right eyelid started to twitch. “What kind of world do you live in?”

“A daring one, apparently.”

“I’ll say. So, what’s the favor?”

“I’ve been dying to see Janis Cassidy’s work. And it’s a long drive to Ottawa. I thought maybe I could come with you. Share the driving… Keep you company?”

Damn Charlie for planting that seed. The idea of spending a day alone with Olivia filled Grace with equal amounts of dread and excitement. This was not just about catching the work of a genius architect, she knew... Her headache flared.