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"You didn't have a marketing team when you invested in my business five years ago."
"No, back then I went with my gut." I smile at my friend. "I knew you were going to be successful."
"Thank you." He redirects the conversation. "So, if it isn't business, what's got you so distracted? You can't have relationship troubles. You never have relationships."
I consider telling him about the beauty I met at the club but decided against it. There is nothing to tell. She rejected me. No woman has ever done that, and it stung my ego. I'm not about to share that failure with anyone, not even my best friend.
"No, it's not a relationship." I wave my hand, dismissing the idea. "Just family shit I don't want to get into."
"I get it." He takes a final sip of his beer. "Why don't you come to Martha's Vineyard with Cassidy and me? We're heading there this weekend and plan to stay for a week. A little getaway. We would love to have you."
My ears perk up at the name, but then I remember Cassidy is Antonio's nerdy daughter whom I've never met. Last I remember, she was in a boarding school in Connecticut.
"I don't know. I'm not sure if that's a good idea."
"Why not? It will be fun. I haven't seen you in ages, and it would be great to catch up, and you can meet Cassidy."
My mind races as I attempt to come up with an excuse not to spend a week hanging out with a teenage girl and her father, but Antonio is already making plans. If I want to hang out with kids, I’ll visit my brothers and their children.
"You can meet us or come over on the ferry with us." He smiles broadly. "It's a beautiful beach house, and you’ll have plenty of room. Have you ever been to Martha's Vineyard?"
"No, I haven't." I take a deep breath. "All right, let me think about it. I'll get back to you on that."
Antonio smiles and nods in agreement.
The front door opens, and I hear footsteps approach the living room.
"Dad, I've been thinking about my apartment and..."
The words die on her lips when she sees me. My heart hammers in my chest.
Antonio stands. "Perfect timing." He walks over to the woman. "Cassidy, you finally get to meet Ivan." He gestures to me. "Ivan, this is Cassidy."
I rise to my feet and attempt to wipe the look of shock off my face. Cassidy is not a pimply-faced teenager carrying Harry Potter books. She is the beauty I met at the club. The woman whose face I pictured when I jerked off last night.
Her auburn hair falls down her back, and long eyelashes frame her big brown eyes. Freckles dot her cheeks, and she's wearing a white tank top tucked into dark blue skin-tight jeans. I've never seen someone so beautiful with that unique hair color.
Her jaw tightens, and she stiffly shakes my hand. "Nice to meet you."
I clear my throat. "Likewise."
My mind races as I attempt to make sense of this situation. We exchange a glance that speaks volumes, and I can feel my heart pounding. The look on her face tells me she is not interested in picking up where we left off.
A wide grin spreads across my face. "You know what, Antonio? On second thought, I’d love to join you on vacation. Thanks for the invitation."
Her eyes widen.
"Great! It’s all settled then!" He says in his usual jovial tone. “Ivan will join us for vacation. We are going to have an amazing time. Cassidy loves the island and can show you around better than a local."
I look at her and feel a wave of desire roll through me. "I would love a tour."
"It'll be my pleasure," she replies, tight-lipped.
This is going to be an exciting week.
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A Bad Solution
