Page 38 of Stuck in Paradise with You

She rolls her jaw tightly and inside, I’m laughing myself to death.

‘On that note, and before you two start quarrelling across the table,’ Joe says. At his words, I watch Carrie swallow so hard, it’s a movement deep in her neck, right down to where her collarbones begin. I have to look away. ‘I’ve been ruminating on something since we got here and I want to run it by you both for your views. Whether you think it’s a flier, how we would structure it efficiently if you do.’

‘That’s our cue to go, Alisha,’ Ella says. ‘We’ll leave this trio to the mundane.’

‘I’m all ears,’ Carrie says, brightly yet matter-of-fact. Happy to be on professional territory, I think. But… this isn’therjob; it’s mine. I’m Hettich’s sounding board.I’mhis CFO.

‘We can chat this through first, buddy,’ I tell him. ‘LetEricknow if there’s anything we need to put his way afterward.’

The shape of Carrie’s cheek changes and I know she’s biting down on her gum. It’s one ofherstress tells.

‘I’m more than happy to be a sounding board,’ she says, smiling at Joe. ‘Off the clock.’

She’s playing that card? Throwing him a freebie initial consultation.

‘You’re sitting on his multi-million dollar, fully catered yacht, Carrie; it’s hardly free advice,’ I gripe. It’s querulous and petulant but also true.

And it has the desired effect. Her professional façade drops as she asks, ‘I suppose you’re being paid overtime?’

I narrow my eyes on her. ‘I have an equity stake in Hettich global; I don’t get paid in six-minute units.’

Screw you.

‘So the idea?’ Hettich says, reminding us he’s still at the table, though it takes long seconds before Carrie and I stop glaring at each other.

Something inside me has tightened and twisted and I think it’s loathing, but Carrie must be the only person in the world whom I hate so much, I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s a witch. Spellbinding and dangerous.

‘Go ahead, Joe,’ Carrie says, finally breaking our stand-off to reach into her over-packed bag at the side of the dining table and take out her laptop.

‘You brought your laptop?’ I ask, disbelieving.

‘Lucky, too, isn’t it?’ she says, one side of her lips quirked.

‘I suppose it’ll stop me needing to make notes.’ Then because her sanctimoniousness is eating me alive, I add, ‘Just like old times. You taking my notes.’

As the Bosun appears at the table, shielding me from the direct line of Carrie’s sight, I chuckle like an adolescent in sex ed.

‘Sir, with lunch wrapped up, we thought we’d head on out to our first stop. Drop anchor and get the sea toys out. Are you ready?’

Joe looks my way. ‘Are you sure you can play nicely?’ He thinks he’s funny and honestly, I do too.

Smirking, I tell him, ‘I’m always nice.’

As we sail the dazzling blue ocean, Joe explains his latest wish to diverge. This time into digital media advertising.

‘It’s a highly regulated space,’ I tell him.

‘Luke’s right,’ Carrie adds, though I think it physically pains her to say the words. ‘And we’d need to think about intellectual property, which entities are licensing to which within the group. For example, if the Delaware subsidiary…’

At some point, I forget that I’m in one of the most sought after financial advisory positions in the entire North American continent. In fact, I plain forget to advise. Because I’m lost in the poise and elegance of the expert tax advisor sitting across from me. In her knowledge and business acumen. In the way she has complete control of the situation. Command of her billionaire client.

I know that no matter what happened between us, what she did to me afterward, I did the right thing in leaving our firm and giving her fledgling career the chance to thrive.

‘What do you think, Chalmers?’ Joe is saying. I’ve a feeling this isn’t the first time he’s asked.

Shit. Where were we? Where werethey?

Carrie is watching me and I want to say something smart and insightful. Something full of wisdom, somethingshehasn’t thought about. But I’ll be damned if I can.

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