Catherine was a whiner, beggar, wheeler-dealer, or whatever else it took to get her way. She had worked her magic all throughout college as a business management major. And she was always in the middle of things.

Before she could get another word out, her conversation with Ivan was interrupted again.

“Hey, Ivan David. What’s going on, man?”

Ivan turned to his right and looked up. He’d recognize the Spanish-American accent with the rapid-fire tongue anywhere. It was Emilio Alvarez, an excitable rookie shortstop for the San Diego Padres.

“Hey, what’s going on, E.A.?” Ivan addressed him with an outstretched hand.

They had met a few months ago at the accounting firm offices. Emilio was a new Hutch & Mitchell client of Dominican descent from Texas. He was as brown as Catherine, with jet-black wavy hair. A happy-faced date stood attached to his right arm. She was as light as Ivan, with straight brown hair, and was Mexican.

“Hey, you tell me, I.D.,” Emilio responded. He had to pull his date loose to shake Ivan’s hand with his right.

Ivan joked, “You’re out here just walking around with no bodyguards? You could get mobbed.”

Emilio frowned. “Mobbed? Man, I’m just a young rookie trying to make a good name for myself. Nobody really knows me yet.”

As soon as he said it, the Hooters waitresses began to smile all around him.

“We know who you are, E.A.,” Claudia teased him. She spotted the rookie baseball player as soon as he walked in. She returned to the table with Catherine’s mug of beer and set it down in front of her.

Once Claudia spoke to Emilio, a few of the other waitresses breezed by.

“Yeah, rookies are still impressionable,” a bold blonde flirted, and laughed.

Emilio’s date didn’t look too pleased about that statement. But at least the blonde didn’t stick around long.

Emilio laughed it all off. He said, “Hey, Ivan, you know we have a big party down here tonight. You guys should come hang out with us. Big Deke is throwing it. So we’re gonna grab something to eat on Fifth Ave., then I can get you guys in VIP as my guests.”

Catherine listened as she sipped from her mug of beer. She immediately shook her head before Ivan could respond to him.

Ivan caught her response to the invitation and agreed to turn it down.

“Maybe another night, man. We’re just old friends over here catching up. But thanks for inviting us.”

“Oh, no problem. Anytime,” Emilio told him.

“Make sure you give me and my girls a few autographs before you leave,” Claudia commented to the rookie.

Emilio looked confused. “Ahhh…okay.”

His date said nothing the whole time, but her face said everything. She was just getting to know Emilio and had no idea how to respond to anything around them yet.