15. STARTUP
STARTUP
KARSON
Gus pulled the Range Rover into the garage as I watched from the doorway. The back door flew open and Dyson leaped out.
“Bring it in, man.” I chuckled as Dyson bounded up the stairs. “It’s been too long,” I told him as he ruffled my hair and I drew him in for a hug. “Bro, it’s great to see you, but why the sudden visit?”
“Well, I had to come back, didn’t I?” He wore the same mischievous grin as always. “I knew you’d be missing me. And how else was I gonna get the details about your little mystery flight, seeing as you left me hanging?”
“Yeah, about that… we’ll talk later. Let’s eat first. Come out onto the deck. Gus organized a feast for us. He had a new caterer he wanted to try, so they prepared all this for us.”
“Nice one, Gus. I think it’s time you came and worked for me,” Dyson said.
“Hands off. Gus is staying with me,” I said before we all laughed.
“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from this one. Besides, someone’s got to keep him in line,” Gus added as he walked away.
Dyson and I stepped outside onto the sun-drenched deck, breathing in the salt-infused air, soaking up the panoramic view as Dyson eyeballed the spread on the table.
“I see you’ve spotted the bagels,” I said with a smirk. “The caterers made them for you. You damn near lived on them at school. We’d better look after you now that you’re a big shot in San Francisco.”
“Aww, bro, you do love me! You know I’m obsessed with those things.” With a broad grin, he slapped me on the back and turned toward the beach. “It feels good to smell that salt air again, let me tell you. I could really use a swim. We should hit the beach.”
“Let’s do it,” I agreed, realizing I hadn’t been to the beach once since moving into this house months ago. No matter what was going on, Dyson always made time for fun. “Work hard, play hard” was the mantra he lived by.
“First things first. Food. This looks fantastic.” He waved his hand over the spread. “Gus is a true legend.” As he sat, his eyes fixed on the cake in the center of the table, which looked like it belonged in a gallery.
I glanced over the almond croissants and Danish pastries before reaching for a muffin and helping myself to some strawberries.
Dyson poured himself juice from the dispenser and grabbed a bagel. As we demolished the spread, he filled me in on his trip.
One of the flight attendants had slipped him her Insta. In true Dyson style, while most of the other passengers slept, they rendezvoused in the business-class bathroom.
With one eyebrow raised, I shook my head. “How many times are you going to join the mile-high club? You’ll be qualifying for a frequent-flyer card soon.” I grinned.
“Come on, bro.” He chuckled. “It’s only twice.”
He led the conversation to his visit to Alcatraz Island, where he met a bunch of people he ended up partying with before they’d done a weekend trip to Vegas.
“And the walk from Pier 39 to the Golden Gate Bridge is cool. You should come over for a visit. I’ll show you the sights,” he offered, looking a little tired.
It was clear he’d been working long hours since moving to San Francisco; his startup had been posting daily about recent developments, all driven by Dyson from start to finish.
The idea of visiting him in San Francisco was a good one, I wondered when I might make it happen. I’d seen little of the city except when I visited years ago.
Back then, I’d been there with my parents they’d been there for some business event.
I remembered my mother dressing up for some charity gala. I’d spent most of the time in a hotel suite. Alone.
It was the same on most trips. Nothing ever really changed. I’d been glad when the trip was over and I went back to school… where I wasn’t invisible.
Not long after, I started kickboxing. It quickly became my outlet for the anger toward my parents that lingered inside me.
Without kickboxing, I hated to think how that anger would have manifested.
***
“So, come on. Spill. What’s so important that you flew halfway around the world to talk to me?” I asked with curiosity. “Was it something crazy, something very Dyson? Like, you met a showgirl on your weekend away and got married in Vegas?”
“You know, I think I could make that work. Some dance lessons wouldn’t actually go astray. Anyway, I could’ve just told you about that in a DM.” He crammed in another mouthful of food.
“Didn’t they feed you on the plane, mate? You were probably in the bathroom when they served dinner, huh?”
A grin spread over his face.
“Seriously though, what brings you here? Wait, you bought that nightclub you’ve been raving about, so you can party twenty-four-seven. Is that it?”
“No, smart-ass,” he said, looking very proud of himself. “But now that you mention it, that’s actually not a terrible idea. Maybe I will.”
“Glad to be of assistance. Maybe I could come work in your hypothetical club and get away from my father.” I shifted my gaze to a surfer waiting for the wave to peak.
“Maybe, but jokes aside, I have an offer for you, Karson.” He leaned closer.
With a tilt of my head, I eyed him curiously.
“You know I’m always dabbling in new business ventures, right?
Well, there’s this one I’m working on—BioBuild—and it’s special.
It’s the one, Karson. And luckily for you, it requires a little more capital, which means I can offer you the chance to become an investor. ” He was beaming. “You’re welcome.”
“Good work, bruh. I’m sure it’ll be a winner, what with you being a virtual genius and all. But hey, I’m a little short on cash right now—”
“Look,” he cut in, “a lot of investors want in on this. But seeing as you’re like a brother to me, an annoying brother, obviously, I’m giving you the chance to get in from the ground up.”
He drained his Voss bottle. “This water is fire. Man, remind me to get to Norway soon. Anyway, if BioBuild goes the way I think it will, this will set you up, man.”
“Norway, hey? Nice. And yeah, thanks, I’m keen on your offer. But, shit, a lot has gone down since I last saw you, and I’m not in a good position.” I tapped my fingers on the table.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
I leaned closer, lowering my voice. “When we got off the boat the day we arrived in Sydney, father dearest summoned me to his office. He told me not to see Ivy again. Ever. I told him to go fuck himself, but then he threatened to hurt her and her dad. My access to all funds has been cut off.” A vein in my neck twitched.
“I’ve been playing ball with the asshole ever since. ”
Dyson’s smirk evaporated, “What the hell? Poor Ivy, that’s…” He looked toward the sky, searching for the right word. “Insane.”
“Correct. Someone lock him up and throw away the key.”
“Damn, bro, you should have told me earlier. I could’ve helped.”
“I’ve been struggling, trying to figure out my next move. Long story short, that’s why I have no real money at this point. But I have a plan—” I turned to check we were still alone. “I think I have a buyer for The Canoe. The registration is in my name, so yeah, it’s got to go.”
“That’s too bad. I know you love that beast.” Dyson’s shoulders slumped. “Smart decision though. Sheesh, it’s hard to wrap my head around it all. Karlos has gone full psycho. Sorry, man. What a bastard.”
“Thanks, that’s an understatement. But I have been wondering how to invest the money when the boat sells. So, tell me more about this startup. Why the confidence in this one? You always do well, but what makes it different?”
He gave me a crash course on the latest developments in biotech, the advanced scientific techniques driving the industry, rising stocks, and solid business connections he’d made in San Francisco.
That, combined with BioBuild’s pioneering mindset and innovative problem-solving in the diagnosis and prevention of disease, had led to an ideal opportunity to fill a gap in the market.
“It is an amazing opportunity,” he said in a low voice, stretching his arms out. “But hey, I get it if you want to take some time to think it over. No pressure, all right?”
“None needed. I’m all in! Thanks man, I owe you. This is exactly the opportunity I’ve been searching for. It’s the perfect way for me to generate some assets of my own, ones that have nothing to do with my father.”
Dyson held his chin high; that mischievous glint was back in his eyes. “Done. And once we make some serious money, we can start that nightclub you mentioned earlier.” He smirked happily.
“You wish.” I nudged him. “But remember, the sale has to go through first. And if this startup goes belly up, I’ll hunt you down, so you had better be right,” I said with a glare.
“Oh, I’m right, baby, don’t you worry about that. But hurry with the money. The market won’t wait for you. And it’s moving fast.”
“Got it.” I nodded. “You’ll get it as soon as I get it.”
“I can’t believe your asshole father cut you off,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Does that have something to do with my booking you those covert flights to the Gold Coast?”
“Yeah, it has everything to do with it, man. I need to repay you for the flights too.”
“Please,” he scoffed, “this lunch is payment enough.”
“I’m glad you’re here. There’s more to tell you… that was only the tip of the iceberg.”
I told him about the eradication of my college offers, except for the University of Sydney, about being a virtual captive in this house, being set up with Bella (he groaned loudly), and all about the paparazzi incident (more groaning), before filling him in on my covert visit to fix things with Ivy.
“I have no words…” Dyson said looking aghast.
I gave a single nod.
“He’s lost his shit. I mean, I knew he was a handful, but that—that’s just next level.”
“Tell me about it,” I replied. “It’s been a nightmare.” I felt a slight sense of renewed hope after venting to Dyson.
“We’ll figure it out. We just need some time. Karlos won’t win. Not this time,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Now, come on! Let’s get you down to that stunning beach. Have you even been for a swim since you moved in here?”
“You got me. But in fairness to me, I have been a little distracted.”
“Fun is not optional, my friend. Have you learned nothing from me? Grab your stuff. We’ve got waves to surf, and I have women to meet. Not in that order, obviously.”
I chuckled at his eternal optimism.
We each grabbed a boogie board and sprinted across the road to the beach, the hot sand scalding our feet before we leaped into the water.
After paddling out, we floated over the rolling waves and waited for the next clean break.