The hot muggy days of August were rolling into Washington, DC, and triple-digit days were increasingly becoming the norm of summertime in the capital city.

“Whew… climate change, huh?” Mike laughed, as he pulled a chair to join Bette and Tina.  The women looked up from the menus they were studying to smile at him.

“Hi Mike,” Bette greeted him.

He bent to kiss Bette on the cheek before taking a seat, then straightened up, and unexpectedly walked over to Tina’s side to give her a quick peck on the cheek as well.  Both Tina and Bette raised their eyebrows but continued to smile warmly at him.

“I’m Mike,” he said, as he straightened up, laughing a little at stating the obvious.  He told Tina, “I’m sorry to seem so forward, but I feel like I know you well already.”

“Well, I don’t mind, Mike,” Tina responded warmly, tapping him lightly on his forearm.

“I understand from Bette that you have a lot to do with bringing us together this week, anyway, so before anything else I wanted to thank you on behalf of both of us,” she continued.  She looked at Bette, who nodded in support, and smiled again at Mike.

Mike returned her smile, looking at both of them, shook his head, and sat.

“What?” Bette asked, as she noticed Mike was beginning to blush all of a sudden.

Her smile changed to a look of concern. “Heat getting to you?” she asked as she picked up the glass of ice water in front of her, moved the coaster to near his right hand, and carefully laid the glass down on top of it.

“I haven’t drank from it, Mike.  Go on, maybe you should have some water?”

He shook his head quickly from side to side, laughing a bit.

“No… no..no, it’s not the heat at all.  Or well, it might be, actually,” he chuckled.  He looked at both women. The broiling summer temp wasn’t the problem:  Bette and Tina made a dazzling pair, that was the problem.  Bette wore a light mauve spaghetti-strapped top that complemented her toned arms, and a choker comprised of multiple strands of pearls, long-lashes that dramatized her large brown eyes, and coral lipstick.  Elegant, beautiful, sexy.  Tina wore a filmy celadon quarter-sleeve top with small floral prints that complemented her hazel eyes and blonde hair, creamy skin, flawless make-up. Stunning, breath-taking.