Catherine answered, “Yeah, I land at eleven in the morning. I wanted to make sure I had enough time to get in and get settled. I got my outfit and shoes ready and everything.”

Ivan said, “Yeah, well, you know I won’t have time to pick you up or anything—”

Catherine cut him off. “Ivan, please, I know that. I have a rental car set up. I mean, it’s not as if I’m unfamiliar with San Diego. I know how to get around. Old Town is right off the damn highway.”

She was biting his head off with her assertiveness already. He could just imagine the amount of his time she would want to consume at the event. So he hated the idea of her being there.

I’m just gonna have to be frank with her, then, he told himself. Any attempt to beat around the bush with Catherine would be in vain. The woman didn’t respond well to hints.

Ivan said, “Well, I’ma let you know right now, when I’m doing this party, I won’t have time to be locked up in a corner somewhere. I need to be able to meet and greet with people.”

Catherine paused for a second. “So, what are you trying to say, Ivan, that I’m gonna be all over you or something? Because it’s not even like that. I just want to see you pull this thing off as a friend. But if you don’t want me to come, then just let me know.”

Ivan was already shaking his head and breathing deeply to compose himself. He said, “Catherine, I’m just letting you know beforehand that my attention is all on this business right now, and I don’t want you getting your feelings hurt or being offended by me not paying enough attention to you.”

“Ivan, what did I tell you inside the hotel room when you left me to go to that party?”

He remembered it like it was yesterday. “You told me you were a grown fucking woman.”

“And that’s what I meant,” she told him again.

Ivan nodded with his cell phone in hand. “All right.”

WHEN THAT THURSDAY ARRIVED, Chip Garrett was more than curious to know why Ivan was dressed so nicely and why he was rushing around the office to leave an hour early.

“What you got going on tonight, Ivan? You’re obviously dressed and ready to do something.”