THURSDAY AFTERNOON, Ivan Pavnick walked through the door of the gym, looking for Mike.
        “He’ll be back in a sec,” the skinny girl who ran the juice bar called out over the hum of the Nautilus machines.
        While Ivan waited for Mike, he looked around and thought to himself that this must be the Weight Watchers time slot. Down one wall of the gym were seven overweight lovelies exhibiting their doughy buns on the tiny seats of the stationary bikes, hiking the flesh from side to side, staring intently at their speedometers. Who let the dogs out. Who let the dogs out, thumped in the background as seven pairs of knees pumped up and down. Ivan turned away and looked to the back of the gym. Chicks in their sports bras and shorts were doing their reps, working the free weights. A chick had just come from the tanning bed, a serious barbecue case. Ivan shook his head. Discipline, he thought. He had to focus.
        Everyone noticed when Mike walked into the gym. Mike was a big guy, not fat, just huge and bulky. With a brilliant, flashing grin that exposed the diamond embedded between his two front teeth, he walked the length of the gym and stopped in front of Ivan. “How’s the Chairman of the Board today? Decided to check in with your message service?”
        As Mike held out a piece of paper, he cast a worried glance over the barbecue case. His eyes widened and he made a mental note to check the tanning bed timer as soon as he got rid of Ivan.
        “Come off it, Mike. Give me a break,” Ivan replied as he tapped his various pockets looking for a smoke. “A lady called at nine this morning. And whatever your offer was, I don’t think she’ll refuse.”
        “So, what did she say?”
        “Nothing. But she left you her number.”
        “Thanks,” Ivan said taking the phone number. He made for the door, then