Ivan had to admit that the bigger party idea was a lot simpler if you could work out the details. He and Lucina had a lot more leisure time, and they would make a lot more money than they did with the constant grind of the smaller parties.

“I guess Lucina was right,” Ivan mumbled to himself, grinning. “As long as it works.”

He wasn’t even counting the party with Timbaland and Nelly Furtado yet. He and Lucina hoped to net another twenty grand each from that one.

BACK AT the Hutch & Mitchell Accounting offices, Chip Garrett was dying to get in on Ivan’s action.

“Hey, man, when are you gonna invite me out to meet those hot girls from your parties? You told me you would a month ago now.”

“They’ll both be at my birthday party coming up,” Ivan told him. He wanted to save all of his corporate-level friends and associates for his bigger, better, and more professional event.

Chip argued, “Ivan, on your website I see you’ve already partied with Eve and Busta Rhymes, and now you got Nelly Furtado and Timbaland coming to town. And you’re telling me that neither one of those girls will be there? Do they even still work with you?”

One of the girls was scheduled to be there. Gretchen.

Ivan asked Chip, “Which one do you like the best?”

Chip answered, “That’s easy: the one who likes me the best. I don’t believe in chasing women around who don’t want to be caught.”

Ivan told him, “Well, the one wearing the white hat will be there this weekend. But I don’t know if she’ll like you.”

“Just put in a good word for me,” Chip told him. “And I’ll do the rest on my own.”

Ivan had no idea of Chip’s flow with women. He looked like a cool enough guy, but…Then again, if he made Chip out to be a high roller…

But how would that float with Lucina? he thought. I don’t think she wants me playing matchmaker.

Ivan told him, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Everyone at the office knew Ivan had a lucrative side gig by then, and none of them could do anything about it but wish him luck, attend his functions for themselves, or become envious. In the new year, another eight new clients had signed on for accounting work because of Ivan, including Jeffrey Morefield, Thomas Jones, and the young DJ, Red Face Lion. As far as the bosses were concerned, Ivan was company gold.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing out there, Ivan,” Barry Mitchell told him. He and John planned to attend the big coming-out party themselves and to see Ivan in action. Even Dwayne Bellamy planned to attend.