Bernd sat back, slack-jawed, turning to Tina, “Wow!”

Tina nodded, mouthing to him,“That’s right.  My wife…,” pointing at herself as he shook his head.

Bette watched their exchange with amusement, “I’m serious Bernd… you’ll want to attract art aficionados to this resort.  It already has so much natural beauty; has so much to offer.  I’m willing to bet that there are hundreds of thousands of millionaires within a four-to-six hour flight from this place…people used to beautiful things, beautiful places.”

Bernd was shaking his head.

“Can I hire you?”

Bette almost choked on the sandwich she just took a bite out off as Tina coughed into her drink.

“What?!,” they asked in unison as they recovered.

Bette cleared her throat, “Ummm….I am not one of those hundreds of thousands who live within a four-to-six hour flight from here.”

“Yes,” Tina added quickly, frowning at him now, “we live not only across the Indian Ocean, but over the
Middle East, then past Europe, then past the Atlantic Ocean. So really, really, really not a good commute.” Where is this guy coming from?  First he hits on me, then he apologizes, then he offers Bette a job.  In the freaking Maldives!

“What will it take?,” Bernd was asking, persistent.

Bette was shaking her head.  “It won’t take anything, Bernd. You don’t understand…Tina and I have just built a wonderful home, we have a beautiful daughter, and we just got married, as you can see…and we are basically starting what we hope to be a long and happy life together.”

“All of which you can still have,” he responded quickly.

“No,” Tina started, “no..no…no..no…no!”

“Let me explain,” Bernd cut in, turning to Tina now, figuring out quickly that she had as much to say about this as Bette.

“Not happening,” Tina said firmly, looking at Bette, who smiled back at her.

“Just give me a chance to…,” Bernd tried again with the blonde.

“You don’t understand, Bernd.  This doesn’t have a ghost of a chance,” Tina repeated, her cheeks beginning to turn pink.

“…explain,” Bernd said, as if he hadn’t been interrupted, “that Bette doesn’t need to be involved in anything day-to-day.  She can continue to do whatever she’s doing right now, from wherever you both live, and where you’ve built your wonderful home.”