“I tried to beg off at first,” Pia continued, “but Mariel was adamant about the invitation, and she was an absolute bear all day, like she’s never been with me. It was as if I had screwed up some experiment, which I haven’t. She reminded me at least ten times not to forget about tonight. She was very curious about you as well. ‘Is your friend enjoying his stay?’ ‘Does he like your apartment?’ ‘Don’t forget that Mr. Berman wants to meet him. . . .’”

“And you don’t know why he wants me to be here? I feel a little nervous.”

“No, George, I have no idea why he wants us here. But I tell you, I’m glad you are with me. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t come within a mile of this place.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I didn’t mention it because I was afraid you’d get upset, but there was a bit of a come-on between us before Berman left on his most recent trip. It happened after a perfectly innocent dinner. Let me put it this way: Berman and I shared a few meals that were all business. Then it suddenly changed, and not from anything I did. I resolved I never was going to be alone with him again, pure and simple. I mean I still respect him for the visionary entrepreneur he is and what he’s accomplished in nanotechnology, but I didn’t come out to Boulder for a relationship with anyone, and certainly not with a married man.”

George nodded. He’d expected there had been something between Pia and Berman, what with the car and Mariel’s strange comments. He appreciated Pia’s candor but couldn’t help but wonder if she was telling him the whole truth.

“So,” Pia continued, “I’m glad you are here because I’ve wanted to see this place. I’ve heard about it around the proverbial watercooler, but never imagined I’d get to see it. I might not want a relationship with the guy, but he does interest me. He’s unique, and a major contributor to medical science, like Rothman was, just not in the same way.”

George smiled inwardly. Pia saying she was glad he was there was more than justification for his trip to Colorado. Maybe it had actually been a good idea. Earlier that morning, when Pia left the apartment without a word, he had despaired that it hadn’t been, especially when she reappeared late that afternoon without apology or even a word of explanation.

“Come on!” Pia said suddenly. “Let’s get out of the car. He knows we’re here, he let us in the gate ten minutes ago. Just try and relax and enjoy yourself. You’re good at small talk, which I’m not. And you’ve been saying you wanted to go out for dinner.”

Pia climbed out of the VW and George followed, clutching the bottle of wine he had brought as a gift. George had spent ten minutes looking at the reds at the nearest liquor store before dropping almost $100 on a bottle of Sonoma Syrah, money he could little afford.