She looked at Tina, “I myself have been involved in selling a painting I owned to someone else, in exchange for another painting he wanted to unload.  I did so because, aside from being an amazing piece, I believed it would just explode in value over the next 10 years. I didn’t let on that I thought so, of course, and I’m sure he was getting advice from gallerists he regularly dealt with.  So, to make it seem I was more reluctant than I really was, I negotiated for him to add a crate of collectible wine to the deal.  And all it involved, in the end, in terms of the assets exchanged between us, was moving the paintings and the wine from one storage room in the freeport to another storage room.  No money changed hands.”

Rachel looked at Tina, “Wow, you sure won the powerball with this one, huh?  Beautiful, smart, sexy …. knows her way around stuff and money.”

Tina smiled.  “Uh huh… definitely one of a kind.”  She leaned over to give her wife another kiss.  Wow, I guess we have a lot to talk about on this topic.  She realized while they were in the Maldives Bette had tried to explain what she was up to in the example she’d just mentioned to her and Rachel.  But they were just about to go snorkeling, and Tina had been nervous about confronting the deep blue sea that lay just ahead of them, and where they would have to swim in to go the length of the magnificent coral reef Bette was eager to show her.  So the blonde hadn’t been able to focus on what Bette was saying.  Pretty soon, they’d both forgotten about the topic once they’d emerged from their swim, excited about what they had seen together in the coral reef.

Rachel blew out a breath, “Call me crazy, Tina, but don’t you think we should bring Bette in to give us advice on this part of the script?”

Bette coughed into her drink, while Tina eyed Rachel.  “I can see why you’re thinking that way.  But I suggest we keep that idea between us, ok Rachel?”

Rachel looked at the two exchange quick, knowing glances.  “I’m sorry … you two must have some rule or something?  Keep out of each other’s business?”