Fiction - As Yet Untitled Romance Series - Part 3

While I waited for my boyfriend Simon to join me and Talia at the restaurant, I spotted one of the very last people I ever wanted to see.

“Oh no,” I groaned, ducking my head. “It’s Vincent Malone!”

“Who?” Talia whirling around.

“For god sakes, Tal, don’t look.”

“Sorry!”

“It’s my dad’s business partner. I can’t stand him. He’s so condescending. And lecherous. He likes to tell you why you’re wrong about pretty much everything while staring straight at your boobs.”

“Oh, yuck. Just ignore him.”

“I’m trying!”

I disliked talking to Vincent Malone at the best of times. But now, half way buzzed and starving, I might lose my mind and tell him what I actually thought of him, which of course wasn’t anything nice.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom!” I staged whispered to Talia. “Come and get me when he’s gone.”

She grabbed my wrist.

“Wait, he’s sitting down. What if he’s here all evening?”

“Then bring me some breadsticks!”

Thankfully Simon’s hulking form emerged from around the corner. He sank down in the seat in front of me, completely blocking me from view of the rest of the restaurant.

The food eventually arrived. It was absolutely to die for - honey roasted lamb with baked apples and fennel. I ate more than my fair share to try to mop up some of the alcohol.

“Just one more drink!” Talia said when we finished eating and I made to get the check.

“Oh no. I’ve had more than enough tonight.” Besides, I wanted to get a good night’s sleep so I’d be prepared for my meeting with Trenton tomorrow. For some reason I didn’t want to say anything about it in front of Simon.

I was so distracted by thoughts of Trenton) that I had completely forgotten about slimy Vincent Malone. When I went to get our coats, he caught me by the elbow and I actually shrieked in surprise.

“Pleasure to see you here, Cara.”

He had a manner of saying things in a way that made you think he’d rather say something much, much dirtier. Like, “pleasure to see you here, Cara, I think about you naked all the time”.

“Hi Vincent,” I said flatly. I hoped the coat check attendant would be quick. “How are you?”

“I’m well. I was thinking about you today, actually.”

I shuddered imperceptibly.

“Your father tells me you’re starting a business. I would like to discuss it with you. It would be a shame for you to make the same mistakes as so many other recent graduates.”

Whatever goodwill I’d felt toward my dad earlier in the day for getting me in contact with Trenton melted away. The last thing I wanted to do was have a heart to heart with Vincent about why I was too stupid to run my own business.

“Sure,” I lied. “I’d like that. Let me call you and we’ll set something up.”

I didn’t have his phone number, of course. Before he could offer it, I grabbed my coat and, with a cursory smile, bolted out the door.

When Simon and I got back to my place the day began to catch up with me. I was exhausted.

Tomorrow, I told myself for the umpteenth time. I`ll break it off with him tomorrow.

As we lay on the couch with poor Simon dutifully rubbing my feet, I tried to mentally prepare myself for my meeting with Trenton. Maybe he would be interested in being a full partner. Maybe we could work together in a cozy office downtown, just the two of us. As a tenured professor, he’d probably be too busy for that. Unless there was something I could do to convince him…