“And…” She paused. “Thank you for last night. I kind of needed that.”
He chuckled. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t get something out of it, so I should be thanking you, too. Should we…” He paused. “I can give you my number? As a friend? Oh, wait. I’m getting a new number.”
Marley sighed. She sat back on the bed. “So… I told you I was going through some shit. It’s not the greatest time for me to make new relationships. Even friendships.” Maybe someday, but there was no way she could be friends with himnow. What if he texted her to ask how she was while she was drugged out and in pain? What if he wanted to hang out?
He didn’t look surprised that she rejected him, though. Or upset. His expression was unreadable. “Yeah. And I’m incredibly busy, too,” he said. “It’s probably best. I had fun, though.”
It was kind of heartbreaking that he wasn’t upset. That it was easy for him to walk away from the chemistry that was so strong last night. Because Marley was finding this very hard.
But they had a deal… friends with abenefit. One night only.
“Me too,” she said. She reached into her bag and pulled out a Reid’s business card. It didn’t have her phone number on it, but it did have her work email. “You can email me… maybe after your movie finishes filming.” He took the card, nodding.
“Okay… bye.” She stood. She wasn’t sure a hug or a kiss was in order. Probably best to keep things professional-ish again.
“Bye, Marley!” he said. Clearly, he was finding this a teeny bit awkward, too. With one last look at that superhero chest, Marley waved and left the hotel room.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Marley
At around six that evening, Marley was finishing up with a client when she got a message that Jacqueline wanted to see her in her office. Marley couldn’t think why. Maybe she wanted to tell her she’d done a good job at the press junket yesterday. Marley headed straight to Jacqueline’s second-floor office.
Heart racing, she knocked on Jacqueline’s door. Jacqueline’s assistant, Kate, let Marley in. Like the personal shopping suite, this space was also luxuriously appointed with a sleek glass desk and a modern light fixture. Jacqueline was sitting at her desk, wearing a pristine suit with a Gucci scarf around her neck. Her perfect black bob was shining under the bright white recessed lights, and her lips, with their perfect nude lipstick, were smiling.
Jacqueline rarely smiled. Maybe excelling with her first personal shopping client meant Marley could get whatever she wanted out of Jacqueline now.
“Marley,delightedto see you,” Jacqueline said. “And I see you’re in our new Celine blouse? Wonderful. You always look so put together when you wear pieces from the store. Have a seat. Kate, can you get Marley a sencha tea?”
Marley sat on the leather chair across from Jacqueline’s desk.
“I’ll get straight to the point. I had the most interesting phone call today. Apparently, the film studio you have been working with issmittenwith you. They said they’d never seen anyone please that client more.”
Marley did her best not to chuckle. After last night, she’d say that Nikhil was the one whoexcelledat pleasing. “I enjoyed working with him.”
“Well, clearly it paid off, because I’m thrilled to tell you that they have contracted with Reid’s for a minimum of six months as the exclusive stylist for Nik Sharma. The client said he cannot lose you. You will build his wardrobe for all events and public appearances, and you will be expected to travel with him as needed. Compensation is your average daily commission when you are working with him, plus the actual commission on whatever they purchase. Plus a generous per diem for travel.”
Marley blinked. They wanted her to work with Nikhil long-term? “But—”
Jacqueline waved her hand, stopping Marley from speaking. “If this goes well, we can talk about keeping you in personal shopping permanently. The executive team has been toying with the idea of launching a TV-and-film service for our shopping suite. This could be the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the studio.”
“But I’m having surgery in two days! My medical leave—”
Jacqueline frowned. “Oh yes, I forgot about that. You’ll be off for a few weeks, right?”
“Six.”
Jacqueline shook her head. “Well, that can be canceled. This isn’t the right time for elective surgery. The studio said the crunch time is the next four weeks before the movie startsfilming. You’ll have to go to LA with him for some talk shows, and there will be a photo shoot. Talk to the women’s lead about working around your schedule on the selling floor.” She paused. “You can have your surgery in a month, once filming starts.”
Surgery wasTuesday. Putting it off a month wasn’t possible… not with a surgeon as busy as Dr. Abernathy. After waiting so long, she couldn’t be at the end of the queue again. “I won’t be able to reschedule. This surgeon has a long waiting list.”
Jacqueline scowled. “So, find another surgeon! This isn’t an opportunity that comes often, Marley. There are other sales consultants in the store who will take the client if you won’t.” The subtext was clear—Marley needed to take this assignment, or she’d never move into personal shopping. But if she canceled her surgery, it could be months or longer before she could get another date.
She could get sick during that time. She looked down at her ticking-time-bomb body.
Jacqueline waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, clearly telling Marley she was done with this conversation. “Let me know your decision in the morning.”
Marley walked out of Jacqueline’s office in a daze. What the hell was she supposed to do now? How could she keep her job and have her surgery? But she had no choice but to push her decision aside for now because she still had an hour left of her shift. Marley put on her practiced shopgirl smile and let her customers berate her, abuse her, and nag her while she was screaming inside. She needed to get the hell off the selling floor.
