Page 73 of Company Ink

Blake's head snaps towards me. "How do you know that?" he asks, his voice laced with irritation.

"I heard it around the office." No point in lying.

Blake scoffs. "Do people have nothing better to do than talk about my personal life? Absurd." Guilt captures my gut. I shouldn't have hassled Kitty for information.

"Excuse us, can you please move a little?" An older man asks, gesturing to the bar. "I'd like to get a drink."

"Right, sorry!" I say. Blake and I walk off to the side near an empty table. "Do you want to sit?"

"Do I have a choice?" Blake asks dryly. Mr. Attitude has decided to make an appearance.

"No," I state sharply. "Sit." Blake begrudgingly takes a seat and I join him. "So... Amelia? Bad break up or something?"

Blake grunts, running a hand through his hair. "You're not going to let this go, are you?" he asks. I shake my head. "Thought so."

"Well?" I probe in a gentle tone.

Defeated, Blake reclines in his chair, closing his eyes. "Mia and I dated for five years."

"Wow...that's a long time." My relationships last on average five months. "What happened?"

"I proposed," Blake sighs, opening his eyes. "She saidno."

"Oh," I hum, his somber gaze meeting mine.

"She told me that she wasn't ready," he continues on his own volition, surprising me. "That she wasn't sure if she was the marrying kind." He lets out a distraught laugh. "But apparently she is."

Shit."Do you know her uh—new husband? You seemed familiar with the name."

Blake nods. "Alexander Antonov is an old client, my father's, not mine, but—"

Oof."That sucks, I'm sorry."

Blake tilts his head, a ghost of a smile on his face. "Yes, it doessuck."

I nibble on my bottom lip. "Can I be honest for a second?"

Blake sighs. "Go ahead."

I pause, gathering my thoughts. "Truthfully... I didn't really peg you as the type of guy who'dwantto get married. You seem so...independent."

Blake's eyebrows quirk up. "Independence and solitude are not exclusive, Cassandra. Just because people are comfortablebeing leftalone doesn't mean they likebeingalone."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I nod in understanding, my heart clenching just a smidgen. "I think what your ex did was super shady but... maybe you should try and let it go. There's an Italian proverb that goes something like 'anger is an expensive luxury',basically I think it means that holding onto anger costs a lot, it drains you mentally and physically." I pause, meeting Blake's confused gaze. How can I put this in a way that he'll get it? "Think of it as a bad return on investment."

"That...actually makes sense. I was a little lost earlier." Blake's eyes soften. "But ROI, I get that."

"Thought I'd put it in Blake terms," I smile, holding out my hand. "So, instead of sitting here and being all grumpy, why don't we go dance? Hmm?"

Blake eyes my hand warily. "I don't really dance."

I roll my eyes. "Then just stand there and I'll dance around you."

"You're very bossy, Miss Carrington," he grins, taking my hand.

I roll my eyes and lead him to the edge of the dance floor. Blake stands still, like an old oak tree with its roots dug deep into the soil, as I twirl myself around him, holding onto his index finger. The smooth jazz vibrates through my body.

"Come on!" I whine. "Move a little!"

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