"How about formal evening attire?"
"This sounds interesting. You have my attention. The pressure’s on.”
I chuckled. "No pressure. I'm confident I will deliver.”
"Did I mention confidence is sexy?”
I grinned. “I’ll see you this evening.”
“I look forward to it.”
I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my pocket. I still didn't want to believe what the feds had said about her.
Dr. Tillman’s assistant called for Jack.
He stood up from the couch and said, “Wish me luck.”
Jack followed her back to the treatment area, and I contemplated calling Isabella. She could dig into Catalina’s background. But there was a part of me that didn't want to know. Blissful ignorance.
37
Ipulled out all the stops.
A private chef. A full staff. The finest cuisine. The most expensive wine.
Jack had cleared out to give me the boat to myself for the evening. He was still renting his bungalow to Travis, but there was a spare room for him to crash in. I didn't really know how long the date would last, but I was optimistic.
The moon glowed overhead, and the stars twinkled. Obsidian waves lapped against the hull, and a gentle breeze blew across the deck.
Giovanni Vanetti was arguably the best violin player in the world. He could express a world of emotions through his fingertips. He bowed the strings, and the violin sang magical notes. A roller coaster of sweet melodies and sorrowful moans—each note filled with passion and dedication. A lifetime in the pursuit of perfection.
And he played table side for us as we dined.
Candles flickered on the table, and we enjoyed a center-cut filet, topped with lobster and served with all the fixings.
Catalina beamed with joy. The food, the wine, the music, the company. It was a different thrill than skydiving, but I hoped it would live up to it.
She watched the master tickle the fiddle with awe and wonder. Catalina reached across the table, took my hand, and squeezed tight. "This is wonderful. I’ve idolized this man's talent since I was a child. Thank you for making my dream come true."
I gave a modest shrug. "It was the best I could do on short notice."
Catalina grinned.
We ate the food, drank the wine, and enjoyed the sublime melodies. We topped off the meal with a sinful key lime pie, then devoted our full attention to the virtuoso.
Notes like honey drifted across the marina. Several neighbors gathered on their decks to take in the free show. It was quite the opposite of the usual music that spilled from the boat at night.
Giovanni played his heart out until 10:00 PM.
We clapped and cheered, and he took a moment to speak with Catalina afterward. Despite his no pictures policy, he agreed to a selfie with her and signed an autograph. In his mid-60s now, he’d been threatening for some time to end touring.
I thanked him for accommodating the special request, then escorted him off the boat. His handlers took over and escorted him to the parking lot. They all climbed into a black Cadillac SUV and drove off into the night.
I returned to the aft deck and rejoined Catalina. She had a grin that just couldn't be contained.
We made our way up to the sky deck for another glass of wine. I dismissed the staff, and we enjoyed the glow of the soft moonlight. We leaned against the gunwale, looking out over the marina.
"So, how'd I do?”
