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with a nervous laugh, and they settled on the couch.
    He took a swallow of his Johnnie Walker Black and exhaled. “How long have you been in the U.S.?” His eyes fell on the outline of Katya’s breasts beneath her blouse, and he forced them away, not wanting to be caught staring.
    â€œAbout two years.”
    â€œYour English is very good.” He glanced again.
    â€œThank you. I started learning when I worked for U.S. company in Russia.”
    â€œWhere did you grow up?”
    â€œA town called Kharkiv, which is in Ukraine.”
    â€œWhat was that like?”
    â€œKharkiv is a farming town. I have a friend who lives in Fresno and it is a little like that. Just take away movie theaters, shops, and most of the things that make life bearable . . . then add some more crime.”
    â€œI don’t even like our version of Fresno. Is that why you came to the U.S.?”
    â€œPartly. I also want to go into business for myself some day. Run a restaurant. In Russia, that is not possible. To start a business over there, you must deal with avtoritet .”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œIt is organized crime, but very out in the open. It’s hard enough for a man to start a legitimate business in Russia today, but it is almost impossible for a woman. A woman does not get the necessary respect. And if you don’t get respect, you can’t buy the produce and supplies to run a restaurant. You can’t even hire dishwashers.” Katya took a long sip of her martini.
    â€œThat must not be easy, picking up and moving to the U.S.”
    â€œNo, not easy. I was working as office manager for a U.S. oil company. They agreed to hire me for their San Francisco office if I paid my own travel expenses. It took two years, but I saved the money and got my visa.”
    â€œHow did you end up at the securities firm?”
    â€œI left the oil company for an office manager job at an Internet company called CatsPajamas.com .”
    â€œWhat did they sell?”
    â€œWhat else? Pajamas for the cats.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œNo, not really.” She giggled. “They sold women’s clothing. The company went bankrupt after about six months when the bubble burst, and I ended up at Equilon. Familiar story, eh?”
    â€œThe last part is certainly familiar. But it looks like you landed on your feet.”
    â€œYes, I landed on my feet,” she said, appreciating the American expression. “No place else to land.”
    â€œYou’d never go back to Russia?”
    â€œIt is my home, but no, I think I will never go back.”
    â€œSo how did you wind up working at a securities firm?”
    â€œThings were hard for me after CPJ went out of business. My stock options were worthless. Too many people looking for work in the city. Very scary. I was afraid I was going to get evicted from my apartment, not have money for groceries. I called everyone I knew from Russia who was over here. Finally, I found out that my second cousin Irina was living in Brighton Beach. Irina knew someone in San Francisco who knew this guy Yuri. Yuri helped me get the receptionist job at Equilon. Being a receptionist is a step down from my last job, but it is only temporary.”
    Will sipped his drink, searching for something encouraging to say about her job search that didn’t sound patronizing.
    â€œSo now you know everything about me and I know nothing about you,” Katya said. “What about you? What do you do?”
    â€œI’m an attorney,” Will said, somewhat reluctantly. Will knew from experience that things could take a turn for the worse at this point.
    â€œI knew it,” she said, pleased with herself.
    â€œIt was the suit, right?”
    â€œNo, it was the way you talk,” she said. “Like someone who is used to having people pay attention. If I were on jury, you’d get my vote.”
    â€œThanks, but I’m not that kind of attorney. I