Tina spent the rest of that day seething. Bette’s carry on with Kelly couldn’t have been clearer: even if Kelly, by all account, did not fit the ideal of soulmate for Bette, the kiss she had witnessed earlier on only prove to show that Bette and Kelly very obviously were sleeping together.
As the thoughts of their entwined bodies swirled in Tina’s head, eliciting a wave of nausea in the pit of her stomach, Tina could not help but brush two fingers along her bottom lip as she vividly remembered how gentle and soft the caress of Bette lips were on her own.
She sighed heavily wishing her own images of her time with the brunette to disappear but the more she tried the more the haunting intensified. It was a veritable torture.

******
Tina took in her reflection in the mirror. Yes, she was certain her attire was the best and most definitely wisest choice. Elegant, yet restrained and most certainly professional.
She’d show a thing or two to the sultry Kelly tonight. No doubt the towering blonde would be minimally dressed, bordering on spilling over, made up outrageously and comfortable in her vulgarity as she no doubt would drape herself around Bette.
Tina was dressed simply, in a pair of grey pin stripes trousers, powder blue V-neck cashmere sweater and a pair of black stiletto heels to give her a little height advantage and increase her confidence.
Her hair was combed back in a simple plait, any loose or shorter tendrils of golden blond hair made secure by a tortoise shell comb.
She was there tonight on business and she would remain decidedly business like. Dressed as such she would effortlessly ignore a giggling Kelly and if Bette proved herself to be as obnoxious as she had that very same morning, the decorator was firmly intent on knocking her out with the large black briefcase she was bringing along with her.
She got to the club a little after seven. She was greeted by and followed an impeccably dressed Maître D’ along a long corridor, decorated with the finest classical Masters, her careful steps muffled by luxurious Persian carpets. When she reached Bette’s table and thanked the Maître D’ who had begun a bowed backward retreat, she was surprised to find Bette alone.
Seeing her enquiring look, Bette was quick to speak.
“Best keep it between you and I. No need to involve anyone else at this stage of the project.”
Her tone was detached and as usually perfectly comfortable. The brunette gestured for the waiter to move forward with the wine she had already ordered.
“So you have changed your mind then?” Tina asked as she reclined in the seat which had been pulled for her by one of the discreet staff in the select club.” She smiled at the young man as a thank you. “I have brought the swatches for you so you can make your final choice.”
“I don’t want to do this now.” Bette stated watching the sommelier poor their wine.
“It may be wise to do it before Kelly arrives. You wouldn’t want her to coax into changing your mind.”
“She won’t come.”
“Oh… why is that?”
Tina suddenly felt a weight lift off her chest at Bette’s revelations. Had she got rid of the effervescent woman?
“A woman who wants to decorate a bedroom in red and black is simply not meant for me.” Bette explained.
“But you looked so happy together. She looked so in love.” Tina feigned empathy at the news. “She must have been so disappointed.”
“Yes. She was. But I painted such an unflattering picture of my life that she is now a lot less disappointed.”
“Oh …what did you say to her?”
“That I was a commitment-phobe.” The brunette confessed as she lifted her glass to drain it in one go not without throwing a pointed glance in Tina’s direction.
“Well…” Tina offered matter-of-factly unwilling to let herself be drawn in the conversation and trying to ignore Bette’s stare. “Plenty more fish in the sea…”
“If you wouldn’t mind,” The blonde continued eyeing the way Bette seemed to relax all of a sudden, sinking as she was in her seat, “But time is off the essence…”
Bette visibly clenched her teeth as her companion’s hurry.
“Of course,” Bette looked somewhat irritated at her watch, “I also have somewhere I have to be. Let’s start.”
It only took 30 minutes or so for the two of them to finalise the colour scheme for the entire house. Bette’s thoughts were clearly elsewhere as the usual stubborn and dictating financier made no attempts to argue, contradict nor disagree with any of Tina’s suggestion. It was obvious now, Bette wanted the project finished and she also wanted rid of the decorator.