Bette sighed. She thought she had it figured out. “I hope we can get to the point where we can be friends.”

“And nothing more?” Kit raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know,” Bette said quietly.

Kit reached over and held Bette’s hand. “You know you can talk to me whenever, right?”

She gave a tentative nod, taking a few moments to compose herself. “I should go.”

Arriving back at the university, the dean made her way to her office, missing the grinning James. She sat down at her desk, the surprise at seeing flowers there evident.

“James,” she called out to the man.

“Yes Bette?” he waited on cue.

“When did this get here?” Bette pointed toward the orchids.

“About 10 minutes ago. It came with a card,” he answered slowly.

She threw him a questioning look. Bette trusted James implicitly or else she would not have brought him over to work at the university. Reluctantly, she reached for the white envelope resting against the plant.

“Are you going to read it?” James prodded.

“I will. Close the door on your way out, will you?” Bette smirked.

He caught the hint, hurrying out of the room quickly. “Will do. I’ll let you know when your next appointment shows up.”

Bette had a good idea of who the sender was, but still her breath held as she opened the envelope. She slid the card out of its housing, not surprised to see a plain, white card.

To the start of something great. Only yours, Barbara.

The brunette chuckled, shaking her head as she mulled the message within. She had to give the woman credit for pulling all the moves. For once, she was content to just sit back and let the events unfold.

She swiveled her chair around, trying to find a suitable place to display the gift. Bette moved the picture of her with Angelica to accommodate the orchid, showcasing them side by side.

Satisfied with the arrangements, Bette turned her attention to the ever present pile of paperwork on her desk. Time came to a crawl, the buildup to her meeting with Barbara slowly brewing.