Page 69 of Crazy In Love
“No. You can pay as you go. I’m in the process of setting up a portal, so it will update on each stage, and you can just go on and pay as each job is completed.”
“And your fee?”
“I, um, well, you’re my first client, so I’m still figuring that part out. We can either do an hourly rate, or we could do a percentage of the project cost.” Clearly, this portion of the business was not her strength. Normally, I’d go for the kill right here. She’d just given me all the power.
She didn’t have a plan.
But for whatever reason, I didn’t want to do that.
“Emilia, it’s important that you have a plan in place for billing. I actually did some research on this before you arrived. Are you open to some advice?” I asked, and her gaze searched mine, and I could tell she was disappointed that she hadn’t thought that far ahead.
She nodded.
“If I were you, I would charge a combination of both. You can do an hourly rate for the consult and the design phase of the project and then do a percentage of the total project cost as well.”
“Okay. Yes, that’s a good idea. I can type up a contract and bring that tomorrow with the hourly rate and the percentage.” She chewed on her thumbnail, and I could see the way her mind was spinning.
I chuckled, because I could tell she was still trying to figure out what to charge me. I leaned forward, my lips grazing the shell of her ear, as jasmine and vanilla flooded my senses. “Don’t sell yourself short. I have an eye for recognizing talent, and I think you’ve got it.”
When I pulled back, she was watching me. She appeared shell-shocked.
Do I make her nervous?
“Breathe, Emilia. It’s just financial advice. Nothing more.”
She shook her head as if she was pulling herself together and then abruptly pushed to her feet. “I’m just processing. It’s a new business, and I have a lot to learn, but I can see it, you know?”
“See what?” I asked.
“I can see this place in all its glory. I have the vision. I just need to get the business side under control.”
I took the final pull from my bottle and watched as she turned slowly and took in the room as if cataloging every detail.
The doorbell startled me, and I groaned.
I hated unexpected visitors.
“Oh, do you have a hot date?” She hurried over to the table and dropped her laptop in her backpack.
“No,” I said dryly. Annoyed with whoever the fuck was here.
I pulled the door open and glared at Rafe, who barreled right past me wearing a peach sweater and baby blue skinny-fit trousers.
He looked like a toddler.
“Why aren’t you answering your phone, fuckface?” he said over his laughter. “Everyone is meeting for dinner.”
I followed him through the house, about to argue that I knew nothing about dinner plans, and he paused when he saw Emilia. “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I interrupting?”
“Yes,” I said, just as Emilia said “No.”
She chuckled. “I just booked my first design job. It’s official. Vintage Interiors has its first client.”
Rafe moved toward her and gave her a big hug, which pissed me the fuck off. No idea why it bothered me. He was a friendly fucker, so it wasn’t out of character.
But she’d never hugged me before.
I wasn’t a hugger, to be honest.
