Tina stood in Eric’s living room. Her dress shimmering in the low light. She sipped on a glass of red wine while she waited for Eric to get ready. He was the only man she knew that took longer to get dressed to go out than she did. There was the picking out of the right suit, the right tie, it all had to come together. In a way this is what attracted him to her. He knew how to take care of himself. He didn’t need her to look after him. This was a good thing in Tina’s mind. Her career was taking off and she didn’t want to be held back by her commitment to a man, no matter how much she might care about him.

She walked over to the dining table to look at the invitation again. A Collection of Twentieth Century Art presented by The Bette Porter Gallery, August to October 1997. Tina wasn’t even sure how Eric had managed to get this invitation to the dinner before the opening but knew that it meant a great deal to him. Eric was a great art lover, something that Tina also appreciated. She loved the idea that she was with a man who thought about culture and art, as opposed to…well anything really. She liked the fact that while she was strictly pop culture Eric could talk about the great artists at length.

As Tina listened to Eric cleaning his teeth she wondered about this Bette Porter. Eric always spoke in glowing terms about her. In fact Tina strongly suspected that Eric had a tiny crush on her. Tina smiled to herself. How many times had she, in high school and beyond, fallen for the unobtainable man? Too many to mention and now Eric slowly pined for a woman that he could never have. She continued to smile as she remembered the day that Eric had revealed that his new gallery owner friend was a lesbian. He tried to hide his true feelings but Tina knew that he was disappointed but they put it behind them and now they were stronger than ever.

Her thoughts moved on to how serious things were becoming between her and Eric. They were certainly moving at a pace where Tina felt that Eric was on the verge of asking her to move in with him. Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn’t. She knew that she cared but she didn’t know if she was in love with him. She didn’t know if she’d ever been in love but had always promised herself that if she were to live with someone that it would be for love, nothing less.

As Eric appeared from the bathroom Tina looked up. They smiled at each other as Eric got closer and closer. Tina could smell the aftershave that Eric always used when he was taking her somewhere special. She took in the aroma as he took her in his arms. She felt his hands on her back, touching the skin, her low cut dress being no barrier. Her hands cradled his face as she moved her lips to his. Lips parted and their tongues touched, so familiar and yet so exhilarating. Maybe Eric really was the man for her. Her mother certainly thought so. In fact she kept telling Tina not to let him get away. How finding love was more important than finding the next rung on the career ladder. Tina always laughed at how old fashioned that seemed but now, right now, being in Eric’s arms, she could see the attraction.

“You look incredible.” said Eric, pulling back slightly to take in the vision before him.

“Thank you and you don’t look so bad yourself.” smiled Tina, slightly blushing at Eric’s compliment.

“I aim to please.”

“Right now, your aim’s true.” laughed Tina, loving the banter between them.

Eric walked back to the dining table and pick up the invitation. Tina watched him run his thumb over the embossed writing, how he smiled at the privilege of being invited to the dinner. She wanted Eric to be happy but couldn’t help the voice in the back of her mind that told her that she wasn’t the one to make that happen. There was just something that wasn’t quite right and she just couldn’t figure out what that was.

“You look deep in thought over there.” said Eric, looking back at Tina.

“Just trying to get work out of my mind.” said Tina, feeling bad about lying but also knowing that this wasn’t the right time to voice her fears.

“Don’t think about work tonight. Let’s just have a good time, meet some interesting people and maybe we can get that Catherine Opie print that we wanted.”

“Sorry, it’s just that I have a lot on at the moment. Hopefully I should be getting a big project the green light in the next few days.”

“That’s great Tina, I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks. I do appreciate your support. You know that don’t you?”

“Yeah I know, and it means a lot that you’re there for me too.”

“We should leave, we don’t want to be late.”

Eric walked purposely towards the front door, getting there before Tina so that he could open the door for her. As he held the door Tina leant over to kiss him on the cheek, provoking a smile that resonated deep within Eric’s eyes. As they walked towards Eric’s car he took Tina’s hand, enclosing it in his. Wanting her to feel like this was something special. When they reached the car he opened the door for Tina. The little touches were something that meant a lot to Tina. They spoke volumes about the way that Eric felt about her. He had yet to tell her that he was in love with her but she knew that it was coming, she just didn’t know when.

On the way to the gallery they talked more about what they had done during the day. They talked about mutual friends from the industry that they both worked in. Catching up on the gossip was one of their favourite pastimes. They laughed at the rumours that floated around both their offices about the famous and the nearly famous. It was easy and carefree. Tina didn’t feel any pressure when she was in Eric’s company. She couldn’t decide whether that was a good thing or not. Maybe a little pressure, a little tension might be better. Maybe that was what was lacking, the demand to make a commitment.

“How are you feeling?” asked Eric as they got out of the car.

“A little nervous, but other than that OK.”

“You have nothing to worry about. You look stunning and I know you’ll find people that you like here.”

“I hope so.” replied Tina, smiling at the way that Eric tried to calm her nerves.

As they enter the gallery Tina took in the scenery before her. Important looking people taking in important pieces of artwork. For a brief moment Tina could feel herself beginning to panic. This isn’t where she belonged. She belonged in a back of a movie theatre eating popcorn, getting wrapped up in the Hollywood dream. She felt Eric’s hand on her back edging her gently further into the room. He looked so confident, completely in his element. Tina couldn’t help but think that maybe her mother was right, he really was husband material.

“Would you like to look around or maybe meet some people?”