“Yes, it’s reasonable. Give me a sec.” I paused. “I imagine that Friday and Saturday are busy nights for the business.”

“Actually, it’s Thursday and Friday. By Saturday morning, everyone’s packing to leave for wifey and home.”

“Okay, then let me come Saturday night through Monday night. Same amount of time, but that way I can be home most weekends. And I can be with you when you’re not so busy.”

“That actually works better. I just thought you’d want to be with your kids Monday morning to send them off to school.”

“I can work around two days a month.”

His smile was pure white as he took the cream off my face. “That was easy, right? We can communicate, right?” His smile had turned hungry. “I’ll be very excited to see you whenever you do get here. We’re gonna have lots of fun.” He started applying foundation to my face.

“Who are we meeting tonight?”

“Yeah, I guess we should go over that. Mike Badger and George Denofrio. Mike is loud and obnoxious, but he has the money. George is the exact opposite. Quiet, but his mind is always moving. They’re both married, but this isn’t George’s thing. He’s here for Mike. George is the financial adviser, tells Mike how to spend the money. They both have been coming here for maybe six, seven years.”

“And who are the women they are with?”

“Good question.” He put down the makeup and picked up his phone. Made a call and got the answer. “Brie Tenerac and Kirstin Ellison.”

“What do they look like?”

“Gorgeous, of course. That’s why I get big bucks.” He picked up blush and a big brush. Swiped the light pink powder and blew the excess off the bristles.

“What do they look like specifically? The women.”

“Long blond hair. Big blue eyes. Great tits and firm, round asses. These guys are meat-and-potatoes men and I give them meat-and-potatoes girls. Nothing exotic. I think Brie is twenty-three. Kirstin is a little older. Maybe twenty-seven or twenty-eight.”

“Fabulous.” I shook my head.

“Don’t move.”

“You’d better introduce me as Dr. McLaughlin. I need some sort of competitive edge.”

He smiled. “True, the women are young and gorgeous.” He applied blush to my cheekbones. “But you’ll be the one wearing the ring.”

“Why go through this again, Chris?” I asked him. “We can just be together … like now.”

“No, no, no.” He took out a tube of mascara. “I want it official.”

“But why?”

“Who can explain obsession?”

“You never seemed obsessed with me in high school.”

“Of course I was obsessed with you.” He stopped working. “Terry, I lived with Joey and Donna for four years. I spoke Italian fluently. Do you really think I needed tutoring in French?”

I had never thought about that. “What about math?”