Previously (from Chapter 4, already posted…)

”You shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” Bette replied. ”There’s a difference between reputation and reality.”

”The reality has been a pleasant surprise,” Tina said.

Their conversation continued, and they ended up altering their Saturday plans as a result. Tina would arrive at Bette’s an hour early and they’d share a drink before leaving to make their 7:30 reservation.

Some quiet time seemed like a good idea considering how much they always seemed to have to say to each other. And how little time they’d had to say it.

Chapter 5

Tina parked in front of Bette’s house as it approached 6 p.m. on Saturday evening. She climbed the porch stairs only to have Bette open the door before she had a chance to knock.

”I have an idea,” Bette started. ”It might be a little crazy.”

Tina tilted her head in invitation for Bette to continue. She stepped inside and Bette closed the door behind her.

”If I kiss you goodnight now, we won’t have to concern ourselves with what comes up in conversation tonight,” Bette explained. ”Anything we want to talk about…is what we’ll talk about.”

”You’re going to kiss me goodnight, the moment I arrive for the start of our date?”

”Doesn’t mean we can’t kiss goodnight later, too,” Bette reached to run her fingertip down the side of Tina’s face as they stood by her front door. ”But the other night…”

”Let’s not talk about the other night,” Tina replied. ”I know the dynamic changed when we started talking about…why there isn’t much to know about my personal life.”

Tina didn’t want to reference Nicole by name. That would start the evening off in the wrong direction. She was trying to move on. As heart-wrenching as this step was, she had to move on.

Bette was playing with the fingers of Tina’s hand as they talked by her front door. A simple, affectionate touch. Tina had missed this kind of contact. She’d had countless hugs from friends and family over the last 18 months. Even Bette had offered a couple of hugs the other night. But this was different. As innocent as it seemed, the tender touch being offered to her fingertips was anything but. Charged. Arousing. And yet Bette continued talking as if nothing else was going on. As if they weren’t touching. As if she hadn’t just informed Tina of her intention.