Too soon, Tina was checking her watch and making apologetic noises about having to be up early the next morning. Bette realized, too, that it was getting late.

“You’ll have to come by The Planet in the daytime,” Alice was saying. “We all hang out here. It’s a lot more fun than Starbucks.”

“I’ll drop by soon,” Tina promised. “It was nice meeting you both.”

“I’ll walk out with you,” Bette said. She leaned over and gave Alice, who was rosy-cheeked from champagne and in a much mellower mood a hug, then gave Dana an awkward side hug over the table. Tina was standing up, pulling her purse over her shoulder. “Ready?” Bette asked.

“You two have fun now,” Alice said loudly, making Bette instantly regret that hug. She should have known Alice wouldn’t behave herself too much.

Bette and Tina wound their way through the exit and she tried to think of a way to gloss over Alice’s clumsy implication.

“So.”

Tina gave her a knowing smile. “So.”

“I had a good time tonight,” Bette said. “You pretty much saved the night for me.”

“If I did, consider it a favor returned,” Tina replied. “You saved my night too. I had a great time. Your friends seem…” Tina paused, hunting for the right word.

“Interesting, right?”

“I was going to say fun, but interesting works, too. They’re a lot more interesting than a lot of the people that I’ve met in L.A. so far.”

“They’re all very different, but a good group of girls. I love them… even if they drive me crazy sometimes.”

They were outside now, ambling away from The Planet and the revelry within. A quiet enveloped them, and Bette considered her next move.

Impulsively, Bette kissed Tina on the cheek, then laughed at the look on Tina’s face. “Sorry, that was lame.”

“No! I think it was sweet.”

“Yeah, sweet.” Bette was embarrassed now. “So… I’ll see you around, I guess. You’ll be back sometime, right?”

“I told Dana I would be,” Tina said. “I can’t wait to see you again. You and, um the other girls.” It was Tina’s turn to look embarrassed.

“Well. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

They parted, walking in different directions. Bette turned back to look at Tina once, and headed to her car with a little smile on her face that stayed there until she pulled into her driveway.

Bette entered her home and went into her bedroom with a completely different attitude than she had just a few hours before. She took a shower, changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed, all the while, her mind played over the events of the night and she found herself smiling again.

She looked at the phone on her nightstand and at the clock. It wasn’t too terribly late. She could text Tina. Something cute and witty. Or would that be too desperate? Bette debated internally and decided that she didn’t care if it was. She picked up the phone and saw with some surprise that she had an unread text waiting. It must have come while she was in the shower. It was from Tina. It was short, but made Bette smile all the wider.

Glad we met. See you soon.

Bette turned off the bedside light and laid down with her phone still clutched in her hand. She closed her eyes to fleeting images to Tina’s smile and their improbable meeting. It was all so unexpected, but Bette supposed that was what made it special. Things like this didn’t happen to her. Especially not on Valentine’s Day, which was a holiday Bette had never enjoyed. Until now.

Ultimately, Kit had been right. Bette had finally met someone she wanted to see again. No matter how it worked out with Tina, at least she had taken that first step. She’d put herself out there.

In the dark, Bette replied to Tina’s text with a short message of her own.

Tomorrow.

Whatever happened next, that promise was enough for now.

THE END