“Okay then, it’s settled. I have your approval to place all of these orders.”
But Bette did not reply. She wasn’t even looking at her companion instead her eyes seemed trained on the doorway into the room. When Tina followed the financier’s gaze, she noticed a woman who had just entered the room and as she spotted Bette gave a little wave and proceeded towards their table.
“Candace.” Bette whispered under her breath.
“Candace?”
Bette shrugged and smiled broadly at Tina.
“I thought we’d be finished by now but…. Since you are both here, would you like me to introduce you to her? You would really hit it off… professionally that is.”
“Is she an interior decorator?”
“No, not at all! She is a carpenter. A good contact for you, I imagine. She is very …talented.”
Bette stood up as Candace got to their table and Tina felt herself rise out of her seat in imitation to the brunette. Before she knew it she was shaking the young woman’s hand, engaged into some polite conversation while the new arrival delighted herself in the knowledge that Tina was an interior decorator.
“We would make the perfect partnership,” Candace exclaimed, “And you must be a cut above the rest if Bette has chosen to place her trust in you.”
“Tina was out of work, so I gave her a little helping hand.” Bette confessed humbly darting a knowing look towards Tina. It was all the blonde could do to swallow back the swear words which threatened to pass her lips.
“Oh what did you do before that?” Candace asked, “You seem too young to have been raising a little family.”
“She didn’t do…” Bette started.
“I was travelling!” Tina interrupted cutting the polite chit chat short, “But right now if you’ll excuse me, there is somewhere I have to be.”
Bette tried to get her to stay, claiming that the night was young and that her and Candace would have plenty to discuss and talk about but all Tina wanted to do was throttle the financier where she was standing. Instead she lifted her chin defiantly before gathering her files.
“No, as I told Bette earlier on, I have another appointment tonight.” Tina turned to Candace to shake her hand.
“Enjoy your evening!”
Tina turned on her heels and made for the exit without once turning her back to look behind her. If only she had really been meeting with Henry. She felt a momentary pang of regret for the poor man because tonight she really felt like playing with fire.
She shook that thought out of her head as she hailed a taxi. Bette had invaded her thoughts to such an extent that attempting to forget the brunette by embarking in relationships with no future let alone a tomorrow, would be totally futile.
*****
The next morning, Tina awoke in a daze after a mostly sleepless night. Now that the colour scheme had been approved and the orders put in, she had even less reason to go to Bette’s house. A visit every other day would now be sufficient to make sure her instructions were followed. Bette would also have even less call to go to the site.
Tina was therefore not at all surprised when she got there that morning, to find that the financier was not there. She strolled from one empty room to the next, unable to really concentrate.
All she could picture was Bette in her new living space with a faceless woman who even though her features were unclear, she knew would be stunning, a high flyer, highly intelligent and both of them would be engrossed into total domestic bliss …children running around their feet, laughter and love filling every space she had created.
This proved to be once again, one torturous thought too many. She grabbed her mobile phone and dialled Henry, organising to meet him that same evening for a date.
“We could go for dinner,” she suggested, “And then come back to mine for coffee. My father is out of town and I…”
Tina suddenly stopped talking, taking in a deep breath as she stared at the green space outside the window.
“..I need to talk to someone. Someone impartial.”
“I see, you need a friend.” Henry’s gentle voice came back to her on the phone.
“Yes.”
“Ok. I understand. Anyway, I had already decided that you were way too ugly for me,” he mocked, “I’ll be at yours around 7pm and you can tell me all about her.”
“Her?”
“The woman who has broken your heart.” Henry laughed. “I have three sisters. When a girl wants to talk, it is usually because someone has broken their heart. I know who this person is, in your case.”
*****
If only Cupid had had a little more foresight, Tina thought a few hours later, he would have made her fall in love with Henry. That would have avoided her current morose state at the table they were currently sharing in that quaint little Italian restaurant.
She had just spent the best part of the last hour, dissecting her heartache, promising every other sad confession that she would be more cheerful for their next encounter.
“All she is doing, is trying to make you jealous.” Henry made his final observation.
“I know.” Tina sighed loudly. “She wants me head over heels for her just so she can make a bigger show of rejecting me!”
It was after ten when their taxi pulled in front of Tina’s family mansion. She had perked up a little, partly due to the fact that she had had someone to talk to but partly also due to the half bottle of Pinot Griggio she had consumed during their meal.
Not bothering with turning on the lights in the foyer as they entered, Tina laced her fingers with Henry’s and guided him towards the living room, feeling her way as they went.
The three glasses she had consumed definitely made her head spin a little, and Bette’s image popped uninvited into her mind. Why had she pushed the beautiful brunette away the other night? She should have taken advantage of the situation when the powerful brunette had her pinned against the wall and her lips were devouring hers. To hell with her scruples. At least she would have had a pleasant memory of their encounters instead of the days of suffering she had endured ever since.
Leaning heavily against Henry she managed to find the light switch and a partial soft light suddenly bathed the richly decorated room.
“I’m really happy that you are here Henry,” Tina susurrated, “Would you like some coffee? Then we can decide on what comes next…”
Tina lifted her gaze towards the young man who seemed suddenly rigid. He had paled considerably and was fixated on something above her shoulder behind her.
The decorator turned around and before she could see the form sitting in a darker corner of the room, Bette’s voice reached her ears.
“What comes next Tina? Please, carry on as if I wasn’t here.”
The brunette’s voice was ice cold and it immediately had a sobering effect on Tina.
Tina’s head swung back to look at Henry who seemed no more eager to confront the storm which was menacingly brewing.
“I’m gonna go now.” He whispered in a shaky voice.
“No!” Tina cried before stepping towards Bette. After all this was her house, well her father’s house and she had every right to demand an explanation. She stood her ground, arms crossed against her chest.
“What are you doing here?”
“Maybe your boyfriend should leave before we have this discussion.” Bette demanded before uncrossing her long legs.
“Go!” she ordered loudly.
Henry flinched.
“I have nothing to hide from him,” Tina declared, “He can stay.”
But Bette ignored Tina’s protestation and kept her gaze firmly on the now nervous young man.
“I’m waiting,” Bette continued motioning to stand.
Henry glanced at Tina asking if she was going to be alright.
“She has nothing to worry about!” Bette interrupted.
“You shouldn’t believe her. I told you, she lies constantly.” Tina implored.
“Oh so you have been talking about me?” Bette was now standing and was slowly walking towards them.
Tina let out a long sigh of resignation.
“Go home, Henry. I’ll be ok.” She sounded defeated.
“Very wise.” Bette was now very close.
Tina turned to face the brunette, noticing now that her face was lit up, that her face was showing signs of both nervous tension and anger. Something she seemed to be struggling to contain.
“I’m warning you Henry, you have now 10 seconds to make your exit…”