He glanced at his watch. “It’s only ten.”
I sent a text back.
You never sent me an address. Where are you?
I tried to keep my temper in check. A few deep calming breaths did a little to help, but my nerves crackled.
Erik’s next text to me contained the address—no explanation, no other direction—just the address.
I sighed and shook my head. “I guess we’ll have to go meet him. I have no idea when my book signing is supposed to be.”
“It’s alright. We can go to the museum later.” Max rubbed my shoulders. “Try not to let it get under your skin.”
I relaxed. A little. After entering the address in my map app, we headed in the direction of the restaurant. It wasn’t too far. I pointed out a few things to Max as I passed them by.
“Oh look, just what we talked about on the plane.” He smiled and pointed to a very festive sign.
“Don’t even think about it.” I rolled my eyes. “The last thing I need is more reason to trip over things.”
“Maybe so, but it could be fun—if you wanted to give it a try, I mean.”
“You first.” I smirked at him.
“Nah, I’m a bit old for that.” He looked into my eyes. “Besides, I’m already high on life. How could I not be—with you in it?”
“Aw.” I kissed his cheek. “So you’re comparing our relationship to being half-baked?”
“Uh. That’s not exactly what I meant.” He laughed.
“Here it is.” I pointed to the restaurant across the street. We waited for a few bicycle riders to pass, then crossed.
On the other side I noticed an assortment of flowers at a stand. “Aren’t they beautiful? Look how many different colors there are.”
“Just like the buildings around here.”
“Yes, I do like how creative and colorful everything feels. I might just have to do some writing tonight.”
“That’s great. I know you didn’t have much time to write in Venice.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure what Erik’s plans are for our visit here yet. I do hope we’ll have at least a little free time.”
Chapter 4
As I opened the door to the restaurant, I realized that I had no idea what Erik looked like. I surveyed the people seated at tables. Most were not alone. Had Erik brought someone with him? It was possible. The only person I saw sitting alone was far too young to be Erik. He looked like he was barely twenty. Surely, that wouldn’t be the person in charge of the book signing.
“Let’s get a table.” I slid my hand into Max’s.
As the waitress approached, the young man stood up and waved to me.
“Samantha?” He smiled.
My heart sank. I looked over at Max. He raised an eyebrow at me. With reluctance I walked over to the table, Max trailing behind me.
“Erik?” I paused beside the table.
“Yes, it’s me.” He grinned. “I’m so glad that you’re here. Please, sit.”
Max pulled out a chair for me.
I sat down, with my gaze still locked onto Erik. Maybe he just looked young. Maybe he was much older.
“It’s good to meet you, Erik.”
Max sat down beside me.
“I’ve been looking forward to hearing about what you might have in store for me.”
“Well, there’s the signing tonight.”
“Tonight?” My eyes widened. “When?”
“At five.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Didn’t you get my e-mail?”
“No, Erik, I didn’t get an e-mail from you.” I frowned. “I had no idea that you’d planned a signing for tonight.”
“Oh, well, it’ll be fine. Just a meet and greet sorta thing.”
“No reading?”
“I guess if you want to do one.” He shrugged.
I sat back in my chair and looked over at Max.
Max grimaced and lifted one shoulder.
When I looked back at Erik his attention remained on the straw in his glass of soda.
“So how are you enjoying Amsterdam so far?”
“Erik, what about the plan for while I’m in Amsterdam?”
“Oh, right. Uh, so there’s the one tonight. Then tomorrow you have the day free. Then the next day I’ve set up something special for you.”
“What?” I smiled a little.
“You’ll see.” He winked at me.
“Is it a signing?”
“Sort of.” He fiddled with his straw.
Every little motion he made set my nerves more and more on edge. It seemed to me that his intention was to keep me guessing.
“Erik, I appreciate the effort to surprise me, but I really don’t feel comfortable not knowing what is going to happen next. I’m sure that you can appreciate that.”
“I can—but it is a little shocking.” He met my eyes across the table.
“Why?” My eyes widened.
The waitress interrupted to take our orders. Once she’d finished, I looked back at Erik again.
“What could be surprising about wanting to have an idea about our plans?”
“It’s just that every person I’ve spoken to has claimed that you’re so easy to work with. I thought you would be more mellow, I guess.”
The legs of Max’s chair scraped across the floor as he changed position. I glanced over at him to see that his jaw was clenched.
“I don’t mean to be difficult. It’s just that without some idea of what we’re doing, I’m a little anxious about what might come next. I’d rather have an idea so that Max and I can make some plans too.”
“Okay, okay. Calm down.” He sighed.
“What? I am calm.” I narrowed my eyes. “Why would you say that I’m not calm?”
Max set a hand on my shoulder. Only then did I realize that my heart was racing. Was Erik right? Was I being too demanding?
“The signing tonight will just be an intimate group of your biggest fans. Then tomorrow you’ll be free to enjoy yourself. I would highly suggest that you imbibe of some local customs—if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“No, thank you. I’m not really interested in that.”
“I can tell.” He laughed a little and nodded at Max, as if Max would agree with him.
Max didn’t say a word.
“Actually, we were interested in seeing the Stedelijk museum, but we got a little turned around today.” I frowned. I tried to keep my voice casual, but the more I tried the more uptight I felt. “And maybe a bicycle tour.”
“Oh yes, you have to do that.” Erik nodded. “They’re great.”
“I was thinking about one of the walking tours.” Max cleared his throat.
“Oh no, you don’t want to do that—so slow and boring. Trust me, you’ll be wanting to jump into one of the canals before you’re halfway through the tour.”
“See?” I smiled at Max. “A bicycle tour will be a lot more fun.”
Max nodded.
“The nightlife here is really fantastic. After the signing tonight, I’m going to take the two of you out.” He held his hand up in the air before I could speak. “I’m not taking no for an answer. Put on something sexy, and don’t expect to be home before four.”
“Four?” I raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s a bit late for us.”
“Trust me, I’ll show you a good time.” He glanced at his watch. “So, there’s a few hours before the signing. I should probably show you where you’ll be staying.”
“I think we’ll be fine where we are. We don’t need to move to someplace else. The hotel is quite nice.”
“Nonsense! I arranged for you to have an experience, not just a place to stay. You’re going to love it.”
Think positive, Sammy. Don’t anticipate the worst. It could be great. I smiled as I attempted to convince myself.
Chapter 5
When we left the restaurant, Erik walked a few blocks with us to a strange section of housing.
“Here we are.” He gestured to a grou
nd floor section of the building that was long and narrow.
“It looks like a shipping container.” Max raised an eyebrow.
“It is.” Erik grinned. “Isn’t it great? I knew you’d love it. They’re all the rage right now—less electricity, less of a footprint, yet you still get all the things you need.”
“Oh.” I looked at the tiny door and the narrow walls. “So we each get one?”
“Don’t be silly. A husband and wife shouldn’t stay apart. Here, let me show you inside.” He unlocked the door. “Single file please.”
As if we had any other choice.
The interior was occupied on one side by a couch and a bed and on the other by a small sink and table, which left only a few feet of space to walk through.
“It’s quaint.” I swallowed hard.
“It’s unique.” Max looked over at me.
“It’s self sustaining.”
“Is there a bathroom?” I looked around but didn’t see any other door.
“Ah, bathrooms can be a bit tricky. So there is a public restroom available a few feet away from the building. I’m sure you’ll find it’s very convenient. There’s also a shower.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work.” Max crossed his arms. “We’ll just stay at the hotel.”
“Oh really? That’s a shame. I thought for sure you’d like this.” Erik turned around to face me. “I guess you’re used to the luxuries of life.”
My eyes widened at his words. “I wouldn’t say that. But I think a bathroom would be nice.”
“You’d be surprised how liberating it is to find comfort in such a small space.”
I hesitated. It would be a new experience. New experiences were always something that I liked to try. It could lead to an interesting blog post.
“Why don’t we try it, Max? It can’t be that bad.”
“Did you hear what he said about the bathroom?” Max cringed.
“I did, but I think it’s worth a try. It’ll certainly give us some togetherness time. Hm?” I grinned.
“I can’t complain about that, I guess.” Max smiled at me.
“Okay, I’ll arrange for someone to bring your things over here.” Erik began to tap on the screen of his cell phone.
“And put them where?” Max laughed.
“Oh, here’s the closet.” Erik opened the small cabinet under the sink. “Plenty of room in there for a few things.”
“Very few.” Max stretched his arms above his head. Thunks filled the small space as his knuckles hit the ceiling. “Ouch.”
“Aw, poor thing.” I grabbed his hands and kissed his knuckles. “We’ll give it a shot, and if it doesn’t work out, we can always go back to the hotel.”
“But first let’s hit one of my favorite places,” said Erik.
“Somewhere we can stretch out?” Max winked at me.
“Oh yes, a great place to expand your consciousness.” Erik winked at me.
I knew why Max had winked at me; I wasn’t quite sure what Erik’s wink meant.
I didn’t have long to wonder before he ferried us to a nearby coffee shop.
“Great, I could really use some coffee.”
Erik laughed as he opened the door. “Yes, right—coffee. That’s it.”
I looked over at Max with a raised eyebrow.
Max only shrugged. “I have a feeling this is his ride and we’re just along for it.”
The interior of the coffee shop was rather dim with some glowing lights scattered throughout. I thought maybe it was one of those coffee shops where people read poetry.
At the coffee bar Erik leaned forward and smiled at the woman behind the counter. “Could I have a menu, please?’
“Coming right up.” She reached behind the bar and pulled out a long glossy menu.
As I looked around the coffee shop I noticed that there were quite a few people seated at the tables. Little clouds of smoke were puffing into the air all around them. As the scent met my nostrils it dawned on me that this coffee shop wasn’t just for drinking coffee.
I grabbed Max’s arm. “Max, this is not a normal coffee shop.”
“Not at all.” Max sniffed the air. “Do you want to leave?”
“I don’t want to be rude.”
“I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
I sighed and turned back to face Erik. When I did, I stared straight at three joints he held up in front of me.
“One for each of us—a welcome present.” He held one out to me.
I had flashbacks of a friend’s basement and the absolute worst music I’d ever listened to. There may have also been a strobe light involved.
“No, thank you.” I stepped back some.
“No?” He laughed. “I thought you would be excited. This is what most people enjoy about Amsterdam.”
“She’s not interested.” Max eyed him for a moment.
“You must be, though.” Erik held out one of the joints to him.
“No, I’d rather not.” Max smiled a little. “It’s just not my thing.”
“Okay.” He shrugged. “More for me I suppose. What about an edible?” He gestured to an assortment of pastries, cookies, and brownies on display.
“Oh, that brownie looks good.” I reached for it, but Max caught my hand.
“I thought we were eating healthier in Amsterdam?” He met my eyes.
“It’s one brownie.”
“It’s one special brownie.” Max quirked an eyebrow.
“Oh.” My eyes widened. “I didn’t realize that.”
“Just about everything in here is designed to mellow you out. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that neither of you would enjoy that. We can go.”
“No, it’s fine. You should be able to enjoy yourself. You stay, we’ll go.” I smiled at him. “I don’t want to be a buzz kill.”
“I’ll meet you at the book signing just before five.” He handed me a piece of paper. “Here’s a map with the location. It’s only a few blocks from where you’re staying.” He sent a wink in my direction. “After the reading, I can introduce you to Amsterdam after dark. That, I know you’re going to like.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I likely might not, in fact, like his version of Amsterdam after dark. I didn’t want to ruin all of his fun.
“We’ll be there.” I hooked my arm through Max’s and we left the coffee shop.
Chapter 6
“Well, that was interesting.” Max grinned. “I think we might now know why Erik is a little forgetful.”
“Yeah. I guess I should give him some credit for trying so hard to show us a good time. If we get through the book signing and survive tonight, it sounds like we’ll have all of tomorrow free. I’m thinking a bike tour, the museum…maybe hit a market for some fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Max nodded as he looked at me. “Sounds good. Are you ready for the book signing?”
“It’s actually a little liberating that I get to decide the flow of it. I didn’t expect that, but I am looking forward to it.” I smiled. “The important thing is that we find a way to enjoy ourselves—no matter what.”
“I like that positive attitude. I hope that it’s still around in the middle of the night when you have to pee.”
I cringed at the thought. “Okay, so no drinks after ten.” I laughed.
“That just might work.” Max grinned.
The tiny space of our temporary home didn’t provide a lot of options when it came to needing a little space to move around.
“Max, I have to get changed.”
“Okay.” He sat down on the couch. “Do you want me to help you pick something out?”
“No. I just—” I cleared my throat and shifted from one foot to the other. “There’s just not a lot of room.”
“There’s enough room for you to change.”
“I know. You’re right.” I looked over at him.
He looked back at me.
In his defense there weren’t many other places for him to l
ook.
Max didn’t ever do anything but compliment me. He’d shown me time and time again how much he adored my body, but in that moment, I couldn’t deny the flutter in my stomach and the heat in my cheeks. I didn’t want to change in front of him. It wasn’t as if I’d never done so before. But something about the close quarters and my ever-changing body made me want to hide myself from him.
In an effort to be modest, I tried to change my bra under my shirt. As I wriggled around inside of my shirt I was too distracted to think about the tight space. My hip hit the table, and my knee hit the edge of the bed. I lost my balance with my arms still tangled inside my shirt. I let out a muffled cry as I started to fall, landing right in Max’s lap.
He tried to hide his laughter but I could feel his whole body tremble with the force of it.
“It’s not funny!”
“You should see it from out here. It’s very funny.” Max laughed out loud as he helped me untangle the shirt from my arms.
When I emerged from my cotton prison he looked into my eyes with such affection that I couldn’t be mad at him for laughing.
“Thanks for the help.”
“How did you manage to get so tied up?” He rubbed my arm where the rolled-up shirt had left a red mark.
“I guess I was trying to be a little modest.”
“Modest?” He tightened his lashes. “With me?”
“I know that I’ve gained a bit of weight and—”
“Seriously?” He grabbed my hips before I could climb out of his lap. “Wait a minute—no running off. It’s not like there’s anywhere you can go.”
“Max, I know it’s silly. I’m sorry. It just feels strange in this tiny place, like I might as well be giving you a lap dance.”
“Is that an offer?” He kissed my cheek.
“Stop it. I have a book signing to get to.” I stood up from his lap, but almost wobbled right back down into it.
Max caught my back and gave me a gentle push to keep me on my feet.
“I know you do, but I don’t like that you’re nervous about changing in front of me. We’re way past that, right?”
“It really isn’t you as much as it is this place. I feel like I’m on display, like I’m the biggest thing in the room.”
“Would it make you more comfortable if I went outside?”
“Maybe.” I cringed.
“Okay. I need to hunt down the bathroom anyway.”
Sammy in Holland (Single Wide Female Travels #3) Page 2