Lucina chuckled. She said, “I told them to call me when they were done hanging out with you at the mall. I already know that you’re an early bird on weeknights, so I let them know that you probably wouldn’t keep them out too late.”

“That’s not what they told me,” Ivan insinuated.

Lucina paused and ignored his comment. “Well, they both said they had a great time with you. They said you were very interesting. What did you think about them?”

Ivan paused. Honesty was the best policy. “You’re not gonna tell them what I say, are you?” He wanted to make sure before he said anything.

“Ivan…come on. What is my number-one rule? I never tell.”

“But you force them to tell you everything, right?” he assumed.

She said, “Most times, I don’t even ask. Why do you think I’m calling you so quickly? Once they told me that they left you, I asked them what they thought of you, and they both told me what I already know. Then I hung up with them to call you and get the rest.”

“Oh, and now I’m supposed to tell?”

“You said that you would when I asked you earlier,” she reminded him.

Ivan grinned. She was right, he did agree to it. A deal was a deal.

“Okay, well, let me just get it over with, then,” he commented. “The first girl, Audrey, told me she was a military brat. And she’s over-the-top and a little impatient. She’s an all-in-your-face girl, but she’s still likable for guys who like that type. In fact, I already promised Emilio Alvarez from the Padres that she would be at the next big event, to get him out there. We bumped into him at the mall, and he already had his nose open for her.”

Lucina said, “I see. And you said this right in front of her?”

Ivan laughed and said, “Yeah, she’s the show-and-prove type. And she wouldn’t move away from us. She stood right there. She knew he liked her.”

“And what about Christina? How was she?”

“Oh, now, Christina, in my humble opinion, is more seasoned. She knows how to play a better game,” he assessed. “She didn’t press as hard. And she won’t overdo it.”

He continued, “Maybe it’s her Japanese influence, but she’s very understated. And she reads things well. So I like her a lot more. But that’s just my personal preference. Some guys like the flashy type, like Audrey, more.”

“Hmm,” Lucina responded. “It sounds like you read things pretty well yourself.”

“Well, of course. I’m learning it from the best,” he flattered her.