Bette shook Eric’s hand and led him back to her office. They’d just spent the morning discussing their plans for the CAC and telling one another what they thought would look best at the show. Since they’d gotten all of that sorted, it would just be a case of decided what work they wanted to show.

Once they were back in her office, Bette took a seat at her desk and invited Eric to sit on one of her couches. While he fluttered around the room examining pieces of art, Bette opened up her laptop and signed on. There were no new appointments added to her calendar, James had a habit of just adding them without informing her beforehand.

“I really like this one…” Eric said to Bette whilst pointing at a painting hanging above her desk.

Bette spun her chair around and leant back so she could get a clearer visual. Ah yes, that one. Bette loved that painting. It was a gift from a past lover. A past lover that had used her to get into the art industry. She’d been against the idea of hanging it in her office but eventually she came around to the idea and grew to love it. It was a painting of a naked woman, her skin bright from the moonlight.

“Can I just talk to you about something? It has nothing to do with art.”

Eric gingerly sat on the edge of the desk and waited for Bette to turn back around. She leant against her desk and asked him to go on. She was really coming around to Eric he was a nice guy, well she thought so anyway.

“I just want to apologise-”

Before he could continue, Bette held up her palm requesting him to be silent. She didn’t want to hear any apologies. She didn’t care. As long as he didn’t bang on the door at dawn and clean up after himself, she was fine with it. It was his business after all.

“Don’t bother apologising Eric. I don’t mind you staying out all night, clubbing, whatever you do and I am very happy that you managed to clean up after yourself. But in my honest opinion,” As she said this, Bette placed her hand against her chest, “I think you should be apologising to Tina. Your first night here and you go out clubbing? Leaving Tina in some strangers house?”