Page 4 of Flawless Foundations

Ouch. You know what's worse than being friend-zoned? Sister-zoned.

Dude was just making excuses. He didn't know me well enough to claim "like a sister" status on me. It was bullshit, but whatever. The next day, with my tail between my legs yet kinda pissed, he ignored me the rest of our visit. Wouldn't even make eye contact with me when he passed me the salt at lunch.

Needless to say, my crush on Levi King ended that day. Left in its place, pure and unfiltered annoyance. So yeah, asking Levi for a job. Not going to happen.

"So, are you going to ask him?" Emmy urges.

"Yeah, of course." Shrugging my indifference, I unpause the show, effectively ending this conversation. I have no plans to ask Levi King for a job. Hells no.

* * *

Hours later,I manage to shove all thoughts of Levi King and jobs out my head as I try to enjoy my date with Marshal. Normally, we go out on the town but he's working on a deadline and wanted to speed through dinner to make this more than just sex, so we're at his penthouse. Look, I know what this is, and this arrangement, it works. For now.

"So, how was your week?" I ask him, nodding my thanks to his butler, Henry, as he refills my wine glass.

Marshal doesn't look away from his phone when he answers, "It was busy, but I finalized two sales so that was worth the 80 hours I put in."

I hum my agreement as I take a swig of my wine.

"And yours?" Still, he's focused on his phone, but honestly, I don't mind. If I hadn't set my clutch down on the counter, I'd be on mine as well.

"It was alright. I'm considering a career change," I offer.

His eyebrow raises, and he looks up at me for a split second. "Yeah?"

"I asked Emmy if Envirogal was hiring, she said she'd find out Monday. I'm thinking research and development is probably my go-to department, but we'll see. I told her finance would be fine too." I leave out the fact that she said she wasn't sure there was anything because I don't want it to sound like a girlfriend looking for help from her boyfriend. That's not what this is.

"Who’s Emmy again?" he mutters, and now I'm just annoyed because he's met Emmy.

"My roommate, Emmy King," I snap.

He repeats her name under his breath a couple of times, then his eyes shoot up to me, and he asks, "Emmy King, the daughter of Joseph King, Owner and CEO of King Cosmetics?"

His sudden attention is startling. "Yes." I drag out the word.

"You're roommates with her?" He sets his phone down on the table.

I gulp. "Really, Marshal. You've met her, twice. Yes, Joseph is her father." I don't bother hiding my annoyance. Now I'm wondering if he's ever listened to anything I've ever said to him.

"Do you know her brother, Levi?" He leans back in his seat, but for the first time in, well, forever, I have his full attention. Even during sex, he's more focused on himself. So, what the actual fuck, it's all about Levi King when I finally get it all.

I let out a sigh. "Yes, I know Levi. I grew up with him. Emmy has been my bestie for fifteen years." I really don't what to make this about Levi fucking King.

"Hmmm. Interesting. Do you know when Joseph is planning to retire?"

"Uh, yeah, no. I can't remember the last time I even saw Joseph, and Levi and I don't talk often." Really, it's not a lie, I can't remember the last time we had a conversation.

Marshal nods his head as if what I'm saying makes sense, but his line of questioning is kind of bogus. "Kind of crazy that he broke off his engagement, what—a week before the wedding? Did that shake things up at King?"

"It was two weeks, and she cheated on him one too many times. In my opinion, he should have never put a ring on." I take a breath and see that Marshal is taking it all in. I can't help but continue. "All I know is that Joseph is pissed that the wedding was canceled, but Levi did what was best for him. And Darcy was not it. Knowing Joseph, I suspect he isn't making things easy for Levi in general. He's still hard on Emmy years after her decision to walk away and work for Envirogal."

Now my fucking head is spinning because why am I defending Levi?

"This is all fascinating." He looks at me for another moment and then picks up his phone. I swallow down a massive amount of wine, draining the glass.

"I need you free for dinner Wednesday night. It's a business meeting, wear something classy. Seven-thirty, I'll pick you up at seven." He looks up from his phone at me, waiting for my confirmation. I blink. This is new territory. We don't mix business with whatever this is.

"Sorry, but I work Wednesday." I don't mention that I'm not really into being told what to do.

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