Page 34 of The Forever Rule

It had been three months since I lost my job. Three months because my former boss was an arrogant asshole. And in that time, I’d worn more suits than I could count, all of my wardrobe at this point, just to see if I could make a living in what I was good at.

I sighed, searching through the various colored blouses that I had hanging up, wondering what color would show that I was smart, good at my job, and innovative.

“Not red, I wore red yesterday for that terrible interview. Not green, because that’s what I’m currently wearing.”

I looked at the pale pink top that would go great with dove gray pants. I hated the fact that this color reminded me of everything that had gone wrong. However, maybe that’s exactly what I needed. I pulled out the silk top, and set it aside, knowing that this had to work.

I still couldn’t quite believe that I was nearing thirty, unemployed, and running out of resources and plans to figure out my next step. I had rent due, and while I had a decent savings account, thanks to my previous job and the fact I didn’t like spending money, it was going to dwindle fast if I kept having to pull out money just to survive.

The problem, however, I was a business manager ofsorts, but one that specialized in strengthening business assets. Meaning I needed to work for somebody else to help them work better. And while it made sense in action, on paper, it looked like I had many skills, but I wasn’t brilliant at any of them. The term jack-of-all-trades had been bantered a few times to me, but I knew it wasn’t because of who I was. Okay, maybe it was exactly because of who I was.

I had worked for Howard Enterprises since graduating from college. I had been top of the class in business at Boulder, which wasn’t an easy thing to do. Especially since most of the people surrounding me had been legacy students, guys who had known exactly what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives because they could work for their families’ empires. At least in a smaller sense. We weren’t an Ivy League college, so I wasn’t rubbing elbows with those who would one day rule the world, but I wanted to at least help those ruling our part of the world. And I had been good at it.

Howard Enterprises had taken me on as a college grad and not even through internship. I’d had a full paycheck, a retirement fund, medical insurance, and my own desk. Yes, the desk had been a little wobbly, and there hadn’t been a single window in the office I shared with four other people, but eventually I had worked up to my place. I had worked right under Mr. Howard and had dealt with his inability to save a PDF and his blowups at every single little thing. And while he had been a jerk, and prone to temper tantrums, he had never treated me with anything but respect. At least in the sense of hisrespect toward anyone else. I didn’t have to fight in the boys’ club that so many of my other friends—including Isabella—had to do every day.

I had been an equal, and I had been damn good at my job.

Even though Mr. Howard didn’t always listen to my advice, which would inevitably end up with some form of downward spiral, I had still done good work. And yet, it hadn’t been my whole purpose. I’d wanted to do more, do better. I hadn’t always agreed with the business practices that man had chosen, but I had done my best.

And then I had lost it all.

Lost it all because Mr. Howard hadn’t liked a single dance.

I shook my head, pushing that thought out of my mind.

No, he would’ve found another way to fire me, like any other egotistical asshole who didn’t want somebody telling him what to do. Because while I had been good at my job, I had been expensive, and did voice my opinion. Maybe that had been wrong, but it hadn’t been why I lost my job.

Nor was it why I couldn’t get a job now.

The Howards had power. Maybe not as much power as their rivals, but enough. And now, every time I tried to get a job in this city, doors were slammed in my face because they did not want to get involved in the rivalry between the Howards and the Cages.

A rivalry that I wasn’t even sure that the Cages were aware of.

I quickly put my hair up, and then let it fall down again, not knowing what to do with it, and feeling itchy beyond all reason.

The problem was that I was an idiot. I had shared a single dance and a single cup of coffee with Aston Cage. The sexy and chiseled president of Cage Enterprises. And because I had dared to dance with him in front of Mr. Howard, he had seen it as disloyalty.

One pink slip later, I had found myself booted out of the comfort of a job that I was damn good at but didn’t love.

And here I was, unemployed, and really fucking annoyed.

Aston Cage was not my enemy, and yet it sure felt like it.

He probably didn’t even remember my name or my face. It had been a kiss, a dance, a touch, and then nothing.

No call, no text, nothing.

He had walked away after promising to speak to me again and left me behind in shambles. Then again, I wasn’t even sure Aston Cage was aware. Because why would he be aware of anything that was beneath him. Just like Howard Enterprises and Mr. Howard himself was.

Just like I was.

But now, I needed him to give me a job.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and quickly took a deep breath, trying to remember the meditation that Isabella had taught me. Which was ironic consideringIsabella was way more high-strung than I was. But I wasn’t going to dive too deeply into that.

There was a knock on my door, and I frowned, going to answer it, wondering who could be here around lunchtime.

And as if I had conjured her up, my best friend stood at the door, hair a little frazzled, with stress all over her face.

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