Ian waited politely until Bette’s company was gone and then quickly stepped towards her, before someone else could demand her attention.

“Hello, mrs. Porter. I am Ian Hornby, nice to meet you.”
Bette smiled at Ian and than looked at Tina. The short eye contact made Tina dazzle. She felt light in her head and it was as if she was in another world. There was nobody besides her and Bette. Bette seemed to recognise her and sounded happy when she said:

“Tina! How nice to meet you again.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” Tina replied politely. She did mean her words.
“You haven’t called me…” Bette said, not finishing her sentence. Tina didn’t notice the weird look Ian was giving both of them.
“I’m sorry, Bette, I just haven’t found any time. The studio I’m working at is about to produce a new movie and the preparations require much care. It’s an important period.”

She’s not interested, Kennard.

“Oh, so you work at a movies studio? Where, if I may ask?”
“Alphaville.”
“That must be lovely.”
“Yeah, it is. Although it must be just wonderful to have your own gallery if you love art so much.”
“It’s a girl dream of mine. It’s wonderful. Art is my passion.”
“Well, I’m not that into it, to be honest. I enjoy watching it, but that’s pretty much where it ends.”

Great, Tina Kennard. You want her to be interested? Go ahead.

“I must say, it is a relief to meet someone that isn’t that much into art. I like to talk people who don’t have anything to do with it. It broadens the horizon.”

Apparently, Ian felt he was the fifth wheel and he went away with the excuse he ‘had seen someone familiar’.

Bette and Tina kept on talking about everything. Tina didn’t hear the words anymore, answering automatically. She was just staring at Bettes lips, moving as she talked, laughing. She seemed to be glowing and her eyes were just wonderful, glistening like stars.

“Tina?” Tina was confused for a moment and then realized it was Bette who called her name.
“Yes?”
“So, what do you think?”
“Huh?”
Bette smiled and Tina was about to faint of amazement.
“Would you like to see something else? It’s in the back, we could continue to talk there.”
“Oh, I would love to, but you probably have to be very social, talking to everyone.”
“The hell with them,” Bette said. She blushed, the words had clearly escaped her mouth without her permission.