“Isn’t getting involved in too many business ideas a risk to the client?” Jeffrey asked him. “I’ve heard about plenty of guys who nearly lost it all by being advised to do too much.”

Ivan looked the man in his eyes in silence at the table. It was an easy question to answer. But his patience made Lucina nervous. Everyone else was awaiting his answer.

Ivan said, “Jeffrey, every time you step onto the football field, there’s a risk that somebody’s gonna try and knock your head off. But you get your heart up and you tell yourself, ‘I can play this game. And win.’ Otherwise, you may as well stay on the sidelines with the equipment managers.”

There was a pregnant pause at the table before Perry and Zee-Dog looked at each other and broke out in laughter.

Perry said, “Shit, brother, that’s the truth right there. Everything’s a damn risk. Every time Jeffrey catches a pass across the middle, my ass is on the sidelines praying for him.”

Zee-Dog said, “Every time I’m one-on-one down the field, it’s a risk that I might get burned for a touchdown. But I go after them interceptions anyway.”

Perry said, “Football is the riskiest sport there is. Either you got the heart for it or you don’t.” He looked at his cautious teammate and said, “You gotta admit that, Jeffrey. That’s going all the way back to Pop Warner days. He’s right.”

Ivan jumped back in to simplify things. He added, “Basically, we’re just talking about one party here, Jeffrey. We’re not talking about a car dealership or a pyramid scheme. Just one birthday party.”

Finally, Jeffrey looked across the table at Lucina and gave in. Then he nodded and grinned to Ivan. This guy represents himself well, he admitted. So let’s do this one party with him and see how it goes.

AT CLOSE TO TWO O’CLOCK in the morning, Ivan sat across from Lucina in a downtown bar that was still open.

Lucina cradled her drink in her right hand and told him, “You did good. But at first…I was very nervous. I did not know where you were going,” she told him. She said, “I was thin-king, ‘Oh, my God! What have I done, to invite him here and mess up my business?’ But then…you did all right.”

Ivan took a sip of his drink and chuckled. “That guy Jeffrey was gonna break the deal. That’s why I concentrated on him. I know that quiet type. You know how I know?”

Lucina looked at him and asked, “How?”