The woman turned to Tina upon being addressed, and gracefully extended her hand as she introduced herself, “Gia,” in an exotic accent that Tina couldn’t place.   Tina felt sure her own hand was slightly clammy when she shook Gia’s slim, elegant one.

Meanwhile, Steve was still clearly flummoxed as he stammered to say something to Bette.  “How about you and I have lunch sometime, Steve?” Tina smiled, she tapped his hand to prompt him to let go of Bette.  Bette encircled her arm again around Tina, wearing a bemused smile, once Steve let go of her hand.

Steve scratched the back of his head nervously, and hooked his thumb on the back of his pants, all his bravado earlier had evaporated.

“Not next week,” Tina smiled. “But if you’re free sometime the week after?”

“Yeah, sounds good,” Steve nodded absently.  He turned to Gia and introduced himself.  Gia shook his hand with a smile. 

He turned back to Bette, finally figuring out what to say, “Tina is positively glowing, and I can see why,” he said.  “You are a beautiful, beautiful woman.”

“Always has been,” Gia purred, then took a sip from the champagne flute she was holding. Tina narrowed her eyes as she looked at the auburn stunner.

“Well, I will go join my friends,” Steve turning from the women to look, desperately, for his friends.  He swung back to the women, and saw Tina and Gia eyeing each other, with Bette in the middle still smiling his way, surprising him with a frisson of sex appeal.  He bent to kiss Tina’s cheek then turned to Bette, grinning slightly.  He could see she was unaware of the brewing cat fight happening on either side of her.  Steve spoke in clipped sentences as he took more steps backward, babbling the first thoughts that bubbled up in his head.  “I told Tina the rings you gave her are beautiful, Bette.  Tina is a lucky girl.  And I hope to see you …um…both again!”  He gave them a quick salute, and turned away, still scratching the back of his head.

Tina smiled at him as stepped back and, as he turned away, she then swung back to look at Gia.  The blonde was about to ask her something when Bette cut in, “Gia is a spokesperson of one of the charities for which this party is being held, T.  Hers is the one advocating for greater awareness and research into heart diseases in women, advocating for women all over the world to live healthier lifestyles, to avoid obesity, etc.”