Lucina paused for a spell. She said, “Ivan, I hear so many people say that time is money in America. But in Brazil, we learn that time is only wasted when you do nothing at all. So as long as you are busy having a good time with your life, then you are not wasting time.”

Ivan had no comment. He thought, This girl has an answer for everything. And since he was almost back at home with Ida, he wanted to end their phone call.

“Well, anyway, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Are you in for the night?” he asked her.

“Are you?”

Ivan paused. She had to know that he was attracted to her. But he had spent enough time just trying to figure out Ida. Lucina was another long-term project. Nevertheless, he asked her, “Should I be?”

She chuckled. “You have a good night, Ivan. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

When they hung up, Ivan wished that he had never asked her. Now she was on his mind again, and in more ways than just business.

When he reached the parking lot of his apartment complex and climbed out of his car to walk up with Ida, he saw Julio step back inside his house. It was nearing three o’clock in the morning.

I wonder if he was out here smoking weed again. But I can’t smell it, Ivan thought.

Ida wondered the same thing. She smiled and asked, “Does your neighbor always smoke weed out here at night?”

Ivan laughed as they climbed the stairs together. “I was just wondering that myself. But I don’t really know. I don’t see him every night.”

Then he thought about Julio’s connection to super music producers Dr. Dre and Scott Storch through his cousin Mike Elizondo.

Shit, I wonder if Julio could get me in touch with any of those guys for a party. I could have one of them show up to be a special guest DJ or something.

His wheels were still turning late at night. He made a note to ask his neighbor more questions about his connected cousin whenever he bumped into him again.

As soon as Ivan walked into his apartment with Ida, she asked him, “So, Ivan, what do you think about all of these girls Lucina has around her?”

Ivan hadn’t given it much thought. They were all pretty girls, but he was more focused on making money with the queen bee.

“I mean, they like her. She takes care of them,” he answered blandly.

He walked into the kitchen, pulled out two glasses from his cabinet, and got out a large container of cold springwater from the refrigerator. He then began to pour them each a glass.

Ida walked over to him and stated, “That’s what I mean. She takes care of them how?”