“Shaolin’s loss when they let you go, Tina,” someone else in the circle commented.  Tina shook her head, “Oh, no, no, no.  Aaron’s doing very well.  They released several great pictures last year and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t miss me at all.” 

“That’s not what he tells people!” the balding man responded quickly.  “Well, we used to argue a lot!  So I’m sure he doesn’t miss that,” she laughed lightly, and the rest of the group joined her. Tina was taking a sip from her champagne flute when she heard her name called from behind her.

She turned and saw Steve, her former boyfriend Eric’s best friend.  He was approaching her with a big smile and wide-open arms.  Tina saw that he looked considerably trimmer around the waist than when she’d last seen him, and leaner around the face. 

“Steve!” Tina exclaimed.  She turned to the others in the circle, “Will you excuse me, please?  I haven’t seen this guy in almost five years….”

“Go on, go on.  We’ll catch up later,” the balding man responded with a smile.  “Our loss!” someone else said, in mock dismay, holding his hand to his heart as the others chuckled again. 

Tina stepped towards Steve with a big smile of her own.  “Steve!” she said again.  “How are you?”

They exchanged hugs.  She was sincerely glad to see him.  Steve had tried to be a good influence on Eric, and, although he’d always been loyal to Eric, in the end, Tina realized he’d tried to warn her about weaknesses in Eric’s judgment.  She wished that she’d listened to him more closely, and saw now that she could have reached out to him as a friend after the incident in Bette’s gallery.

“I’m great, fantastic,” he answered her, and then blurted as they drew apart, “And you, obviously, look very well.  Actually, wow, you look beautiful, Tina!”

“You were gorgeous before, of course.  But you are just …mmmm now.”  He playfully bit on his finger as he eyed her black spaghetti-strapped silk and velvet gown that featured long slits on both sides.  He continued to check her out brazenly from top-to-bottom, and then sucked a breath in as he spied the rings on her hand.  He pulled her hand up to his eyes playfully as she shook her head at his casual flirting.