The question halts me; we’re twenty-five minutes into this meeting and this is the first question he’s asked that didn’t directly lead into a fun little anecdote about him. I resolve to give him the benefit of the doubt; maybe he’s just the chatty kind of nervous. Maybe we can turn this thing around.
“I founded the company. We’re in the prelaunch stage right now but have some exciting expansion plans coming up soon. It’s a great time to get in on the ground floor.” I fiddle with the stem of my glass.
“Mmmm,” he replies insightfully. “I like to dabble in crypto.”
He tells me about his cyber wallet and how he was one ofthe few people in his office who “didn’t fall” for the NFT fad because he only bought “one or two.”
“That’s great. My company is more in the FemTech space,” I say, my leg bouncing harder under the table as I prepare to present my case.
He scrunches his face as though I’ve just told him I don’t think male stand-up comedians are funny. “What’s FemTech?”
My lips creep into a smile. “It’s shorthand for technology addressing mainly women.”
His shoulders lower. “Oh right, yeah, like periods and shit.”
I swallow my indignation. “FemTechdoesencompass menstrual health, yes. But Wyst, my company, is a platform for women to talk to therapists, counselors, and doctors for free about all sorts of women’s issues.”
“Right.” He nods his head like he’s interested, but I can see his eyes starting to glaze over. Maybe it’s the wine. “So how is that meant to make any money?”
“Advertisers, and we rigorously vet every advertising partner. Branded content. Usually sanitary products, fitness brands, health and wellness products.” I nod, feeling my defenses rising up like tide dams. “With the aim to move to a tiered premium subscription model later down the line.” He doesn’t ask a follow-up question, but I push on while the microphone is on my side of the table. “Which is why I reached out to you, to chat about potential investment opportunities.”
“Right.” He sighs. “I just want to be straight with you.”
“Okay...” I lock in, ready for some unsolicited business advice I’ve likely heard already from a mean man’s mouth before, sometimes with asweetheartthrown in for good measure.
He shakes his head. “I’m not really interested in the ‘career woman’ type.”
My hand freezes against my glass. “Excuse me?”
He laughs. “I know that’s not like progressive or whatever, but I’m really looking for someone who is more of a homebody, who is happy formeto be the breadwinner.”
I study him, a long deep line between my brows.
He sighs, like he assumed I wouldn’t understand. “I just don’t think a relationship can work if both parties are working all the time. Who’s going to make meals and keep the house in shape? Look after the children?”
“What?” Seemingly I have lost the ability to speak in full sentences.
“I get having your own life and hobbies, but I just don’t think this would work.”
I blink at him in silence, flabbergasted, until finally my brain reboots to ask, “Do you think this is a date?”
He furrows his brow, looking at me like I’m insane. “What else would this be?”
I scrape my chair across the floor, moving out from the table. “A meeting, to discuss you investing in my company.”
“Oh.” He huffs a laugh, clearing his glass. “You were serious about that? I thought you were just shy.”
My mouth hangs open. “We connected on LinkedIn?”
One corner of his lip snarls up. “I know, right? Dating apps are so crap these days, too many weirdos and time wasters. I was on Ignite for a while, but it never ends well for the nice guys. It’s so hard dating in the city.”
“This isnota date,” I clarify one last time to get it into his skull.
He lowers his eyes and grins. “Come on, you don’t need to be coy just because we aren’t compatible from a relationship standpoint. I still think you’re a good-looking girl. We could just, ya know, keep it casual?”
I can’t help the way my mouth twists into a disgusted scowl, but then my mind starts second-guessing everything I’ve said and done up to this point. The messages I sent, my leg brushing against his as I sat down, maybe I should have worn a suit instead of a dress. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but this isn’t a date. I’m not dating or ‘keeping it casual’ with anyone right now.”
And even if I did have the emotional or mental capacity to date someone, it certainly wouldn’t be this guy.
