“That will be $40,000.”

“How much would it cost me to get a cut of the diamond business?” I push for an answer.

“Let me think about that one Phoenix. The other items I’ll have to you within a week.”

Ice got up and walked out the door quickly, not looking back in my direction. SAM and I discuss other business related to the warehouse before I announce to SAM that I would be leaving and get up to do just that.

“I’ll see you later,” I say. “I’m going to look at a new business opportunity.”

“Good luck, let me know how it goes.”

“I will,” I smile at SAM.

I walk out to the car and hand Ed the address for ‘Totally Women’. It takes just a short period of time to get there and when we do I take in my surroundings completely. The place was busy, 5 sales associates working the floor and 2 registers opened to handle the crowd.

They did carry a wide range of clothes that caught my eye. I purchased a few unique corsets. One was a red one, the other a black one, and both were handmade causing the clerk to comment that I must be lucky for them to fit as if they were made for me. I knew they were special enough only to be seen by Jodie’s eyes.

I smiled at the clerk and asked politely to speak to the owner of the store. A look of concern crossed the clerk’s face, but I made no effort to ensure her it wasn’t to express distaste in the service or product.

The owner walked out, a very sexy Latino woman, with sandy brown hair.

“I’m Papi, the owner,” Papi said with her hand extended to shake mine. “How can I help you?”

“I’m Marina,” I begin my sales pitch. “I was hoping for the opportunity to help you as well. Can we go back to your office where it’s private so I can explain what I have in mind?”

Although I can see that Papi is skeptical, she allowed me to follow her to her private office. It was simple in nature, small, with a mahogany desk and a small couch against the wall. There was a chair across from the desk that I chose to sit in.