* * * * *

Tina entered the restaurant and asked if Bette Potter had already come in. Apparently, she had, and now Tina was being led to the table they booked.

Just as she and the waiter walked into the room, Tina noticed how well designed it was, and the next thing she saw was Bette sitting at one of the tables and waiving at her. Tina smiled to herself and nearly rushed to the table, feeling a certain need to be as close to this woman as possible.

Bette stood up, a smile never leaving her face, and as Tina approached her, she planted her the sweetest kiss on the cheek. Tina startled a little, surprised by this warm greeting, but then told herself she shouldn’t go all humble and blush just because of one innocent kiss, which, of course, did not mean anything.

As they sat down, Bette said how glad she was to see Tina and how much she appreciated the fact that Tina found time to see her. Tina noticed how confident Bette behaved. “Well, maybe ‘confident’ isn’t the right word here, she just feels comfortable, she doesn’t feel shy like I do and doesn’t make a big deal out of this.”

Tina was audibly nervous, but Bette’s sincere openness and charm made her feel more and more relaxed with every minute. By the end of their conversation she even almost forgot how afraid she was that Bette was going to act all pushy and would be trying to make obvious hints at their chemistry and the evening would be ruined when Tina would have to tell her that she’s not into women.

But Bette is so strikingly beautiful.

“Well, how is Eric doing?” Bette finally asked as they were waiting for their desserts to be served.

“Oh, Eric,” Tina took a moment to remember of his existence, “he’s doing well. I talked to him today.”

“I think he’s a great guy, smart, art seems to be one of his main hobbies and I highly value that.”

“Yes, he’s an aficionado,” Tina said and blushed for the umpteenth time in the course of the hour that they spent together.

Bette kept talking about her gallery and said that Eric made an awesome contribution to it by being her client. Tina listened to her and found herself to be the happiest she’d been in a while. Maybe she actually mistook Bette’s interest; perhaps, it was just a step to be friends with her? Either way, Bette said not a single word about the small kiss they shared at her gallery and Tina gladly assumed that it just happened accidentally and Bette might have as well forgotten about it.