INEED TO FIND the best business plan and proposal writers in San Diego,” Ivan told Thomas Jones over lunch at a small Mexican restaurant. They had met up in the Chula Vista area of the far southeast to look at the wide-open property available for new home and commercial development.

Thomas said, “You know Henry was a business major. He can write business plans and proposals.”

Ivan raised a tortilla to his mouth and asked him, “Is he any good at it?” He started munching down his food and mumbled, “I need the best.”

Thomas scooped up some Spanish rice from his plate and said, “I don’t know about all that. But you can’t write a business plan?”

“Yeah, I can write ’em,” Ivan mumbled, still chomping down his food. “But I don’t feel like spending that much time doing it. And I can’t shortcut it, with bigger money at stake. So what I want to do is form a small team that does nothing but write my business plans and proposals, and let them hammer out my ideas with the numbers, then I’ll go back over it to make sure it’s right before I present it.”

Thomas nodded. “That’s what the big dogs do. They’re not sitting around slaving over paperwork. But the paperwork still has to be done.”

When they finished their food and walked out to their cars in the parking lot, Thomas looked over at Ivan’s black Altima. He joked, “Haven’t you made enough money to buy a new car yet, Ivan? Or you need a business plan and proposal for that, too?”

Ivan laughed. “Yeah, I’m working on it.”

Even Thomas had a luxurious silver Infiniti Q45 model.

As they opened their separate car doors to climb in, a woman yelled out Ivan’s name with urgency.

“Ivan! Ivan!”

He turned and looked behind him, spotting Carolyn Padilla, one of Lucina’s gorgeous Mexican girls. She had all the right curves in her black jeans and tight, colorful shirt, with good height to boot. She looked overwhelmed to see him there in her neighborhood.

“What are you doing in my turf?” she asked him. She pushed her thick dark hair out of her face and eyes with both hands.

Damn! Ivan thought to himself of her smile and presentation in the bright sunlight. He had been around Carolyn plenty of times, but she always looked more reserved in the party settings.

“I’m out here checking out new properties,” he told her.

“Oh, you’re gonna buy a new house here?”

Ivan teased her and said, “Yeah, then you can come see me and cook breakfast for us in the morning.”