“Thus 'history',” she offers into that awkward stand-off, curiosity more piqued than it really should be by Ivan's reaction to Hal - the danger she was conscious of already underscored by this unfamiliar response on his part, and that's...interesting, and she really shouldn't keep nudging at it when she can feel how much Ivan would rather she were somewhere else right now.

It's only a conversation, though; how terrible can a conversation be?

(Hal is presumably familiar with Ivan's own history with women-- 'stability and good judgement' just don't seem to be things that draw him in.)

After a beat, “Like Mitchell?”

Except Ivan never clamps his hand on her shoulder like that around Mitchell.