“Oh no, I left everything back at my hotel.” He frowned and then met my eyes again. “Would you be willing to do something a little strange for me?”
“What?” I eyed him with reluctance.
“I don’t have anything for you to sign, but I would love it if you would be willing to sign my chest—right above my heart.” He lifted his shirt up to reveal smooth skin.
I took a step back. “Maybe I could just sign the shirt.”
“This shirt is garbage. I just picked it up at a discount store. Please? Just a quick little swipe of the pen, that’s all I’m asking. Then I’ll leave you alone and do nothing but rave about you to everyone I speak to. It would be such an amazing story to tell.”
I couldn’t believe it, but I was actually considering it. What harm could it do? Erik wouldn’t have thought twice about it. So why was I? I uncapped the marker.
“This is permanent, you know. It may take a while to wash off.”
“Oh, I’m counting on it.” He smiled and held up his shirt for me.
It was odd to run the tip of the pen across his skin. It glided easily, but the thought of writing on skin was strange. It was a little bit fun too, like when I would draw on the walls of my room as a kid. I knew then that it wasn’t the best place for art, but that just added to the thrill.
“There you go.” I smiled as he slid his shirt back down.
“Thanks, you’ve really made my day. I’ll be at the next signing.”
“I look forward to seeing you there.” I waved to him and walked the short distance to the container.
Chapter 10
When I unlocked the door to our container room, I found myself happy to be greeted by the cheerful interior. It hadn’t actually taken long for the space—or lack of space—to grow on me. There was a lot to be said for valuing every square inch. It made me think about all of the extra space I’d had in most of the places I’d lived. Maybe I could pull off living in such a tiny place if I opened my mind to it.
I dug through my suitcase for something that would be acceptable at a club. I tugged out a loose knee-length cotton dress. It would be easy to dance in. I lifted it up to look it over, but the hem of it seemed to have caught in the zipper of my suitcase.
I tugged a little to get it free. It didn’t budge. I fiddled with the zipper in an attempt to loosen the material from where it was jammed. It still didn’t move. Annoyed, I pulled harder at the hem. Even if it tore I could always hem it. No matter how hard I pulled, the material would not come free. With another hard pull, the material finally gave.
As the material gave, so did my balance. I stumbled backward with the dress wound around my hands. I couldn’t even reach out to catch myself. I tumbled back against the sink and hit the faucet with my elbow. The cold water began to spray out of the faucet and unto my back.
“Oh that’s cold! Way too cold!”
I jumped away from the faucet and tried to straighten up but my foot caught on the small table and I tilted off to the right. When I landed, it was across the small couch. My chin hit one end and my shins hit the other. I squirmed and gulped back a scream. In the process, I rolled right off the couch and into the small shelf beside it. All of the books on the small shelf tumbled off and piled on top of me.
At least I was now on the floor. At least I couldn’t fall any more. At least, that’s what I thought.
I started to sit up but my hand slid through the puddle that had formed from the water on my shirt and I fell once more.
As I stared up at the ceiling of my tiny temporary home, it occurred to me that it was not designed for anyone but tiny people. I could barely walk two steps without finding something to trip over.
I sighed and closed my eyes. If I couldn’t find a way to remain calm, then I’d have to try to force it.
Deep breaths. Clear mind. Don’t think about the pain in my shins or the ruined blouse on my back. When I was sure that I could handle it, I carefully got to my feet. To my surprise, the dress in my hand was not ruined. It looked just fine. One glance in the mirror, however, revealed that I was not looking fine. My hair was a mess.
I changed into the dress, then took some time to straighten out my hair.
The tiny house was meant to be an experience, not just a place to stay, but it was clear to me that it was not an experience I was really enjoying—just like the unpredictable book signing wasn’t an experience that I wanted to have either. I was more determined then ever to speak to Erik about it.
I did my best to clean up the water that had spilled on the floor, and then headed out. Just outside the door, my cell phone began to ring.
“I’m on my way, Max.”
“I just wanted to make sure that Erik had sent you the address.”
“I honestly have no idea if he did. I haven’t had a chance to check.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Do you want me to come get you?”
“No, I can get there myself.”
“Okay. I’ll text you the address. Get here fast, okay? I think Erik has told me every childhood memory he’s ever had.”
“Aw, poor Max.”
“Yes, yes—very poor.” He sighed.
“I’ll be there soon.” I smiled as I hung up the phone.
Max always had difficulty with talkers. Although he was social, he preferred not to talk unless he had something to talk about.
A moment later my cell phone buzzed with a text from Max with the address of the restaurant.
As I headed toward it I tried not to giggle at Max’s predicament. I hoped that Erik would be serious enough and willing to discuss the plans for the next book signing with me.
Chapter 11
When I reached the restaurant I was impressed by how small it was. The front was decorated with an assortment of stones—all different shapes, sizes, and colors. I could appreciate the artistry that went into creating something like that. It was a beautiful sight.
I opened the door and peeked inside. The interior was dim, which seemed to be something that Erik preferred. Small high round tables were scattered across the restaurant. Max and Erik sat at one of those tables.
Max’s eyes lit up the moment he saw me.
“Sammy, hey—over here!”
I walked over to him and caught the tail end of Erik’s description of a swimming hole he’d enjoyed in the nude.
“Weren’t you cold?” I laughed as I gave Max a kiss on the cheek.
“I don’t think I could ever be described as cold. I’m always moving, so I guess that keeps me warm.”
“It’s admirable that you can move so much. Just getting changed now was quite an exhausting effort for me.” I silently berated myself for even bringing it up in front of Erik.
“Is that why you have a red mark on your chin?” Max touched the mark with a fingertip. “What happened?”
“I’d rather not discuss it.” I grimaced.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have the privilege of seeing it. Each of the containers is equipped with a video camera—for safety.” Erik shrugged.
I stared at him. Were privacy laws different in Amsterdam? I really had no idea. The thought of Erik seeing me wrestle with my dress—and really anything that had happened in our container—horrified me. “You’re not serious?”
“No, I’m not.” He laughed. “Sorry—bad joke, bad joke.” He shook his head.
“Terrible joke.” I pursed my lips and looked across the table at Max. “Can you believe this guy?”
“I am learning quite a bit about him.” Max grinned.
“Alright, that was in poor taste, but the look on your face was absolutely priceless.” Erik smiled and gestured for the waitress to walk over. “It’s my treat tonight, so please order anything you like.”
I looked over the menu, curious to read the selections. There was a wide variety of food. With the clubs looming ahead of me, I thought it might be best to choose something light. I ordered a salad with c
hicken, feeling content with my decision.
“Salad? It’s always a salad with women.” Erik shook his head. “Not like us guys, huh, Max?”
“Oh, I actually ordered a salad too.” Max laughed. “I guess she’s rubbing off on me.”
“I’m getting oysters.” Erik wiggled his eyebrows. “I think I might find the woman of my dreams tonight with Samantha here as my good luck charm.”
“Are you single?” I held back my thoughts about not being shocked that he might be.
“Yes, chronically, I’m afraid. Women just don’t seem to enjoy my unique sense of humor.” He shrugged. “Who knows why?”
“Jokes about hidden cameras might throw up some red flags.” Max elbowed him.
“That it may, that it may.” Erik grinned.
We placed our orders, then I cleared my throat. It was time to talk to Erik about the next book signing. I certainly didn’t want it to go like the last one had. I just wasn’t sure how open he’d be to altering his method of going with the flow.
“Erik, can I talk to you about something?” I met his eyes.
“Sure.”
“Well, I was thinking about the next book signing, and I think it would be nice if we could plan that out a little bit.”
“Oh, I have planned it out.” He rubbed his hands together. “You’re going to love it.”
“Maybe you could give me a hint as to what to expect?”
“That will ruin the surprise.”
“Okay, but I’d really enjoy it if you would maybe give me a little input into the day. You see, I really want to make a good impression with my fans.”
“You just have to trust me, Samantha. It’s all going to be perfect.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that there is so much that goes into a successful book signing. Since you’re doing it all alone, I thought it might be good to be able to go over a few of the details with you before the actual event.”
“I see.” He chuckled. “So, you’re not going to trust me at all?”
“I didn’t say that. I just…” I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them again my food was right in front of me. Erik was already slurping one of his oysters. “I’m going to be honest with you, Erik. I believe in being as honest as possible at any given time. The truth is, I was really uncomfortable with how the last book signing went, and I’d like to be able to prevent that from happening again.”
“Oh, doll.” He leaned forward across the table and lowered his voice. “It’s just because of all those vegetables you eat, you know. If you ease up on those, you probably won’t be so gassy.”
My mouth dropped open.
Max held his hand over his mouth, but I could still hear him laugh.
I threw my napkin at him. “Shut up, Max!”
Max only laughed harder.
“Erik, that is not what I’m talking about!”
“No?” He slurped another oyster. “Fine, fine. If you must have it your way, then I’ll tell you a little about what I have planned. It’s going to be an outside venue. It’s supposed to be beautiful that day, so I think it will be a perfect way to really change things up.”
I waited for all of the reasons why I didn’t like his idea to surface, but none came to mind.
“Actually, I think that’s a really good idea. I could read a section of Becoming Zara that would be fitting for the outdoors. Then we’ll be able to have the kind of impact on my fans that I’m hoping for—inspiration.”
“Like I said, you’re the boss.”
“When did you say that exactly?” I raised an eyebrow.
“You just relax. I’m going to take care of everything. It will be perfect!”
Chapter 12
I did start to relax. I honestly believed that Erik would take care of things as he promised. So he’d made a few mistakes out of the gate; who didn’t have an off day? Here he was, treating me to dinner, taking me out on the town to enjoy Amsterdam—he was clearly making an effort. Maybe if I did relax a bit more, it would turn out to be a fun night.
When I leaned over to take a bite of my salad, I experienced a strange sensation. It was as if I was being watched. I looked up to find Erik staring at me.
I wondered if it was a strange fetish of his to watch a woman eat. Why else would he stare so intently in my direction? I glanced over at Max to see if he’d noticed and found that he was staring at me just as intently. I raised an eyebrow.
“Did I drop something on my dress?” I looked down at my dress to see that half of my chest was exposed. The dress that had seemed undamaged when I’d put it on after my little mishap had apparently torn along the seam of the collar. I grabbed the flap of material and covered myself back up.
“Great.” I sighed. “I guess I’ll have to go change again.”
“Not on my account.” Erik winked.
“Seriously?” Max looked over at him.
“Okay, another bad joke.” Erik laughed. “Don’t worry, I can fix it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a safety pin.
I didn’t want to know why he had a safety pin in his pocket.
He walked over to me and expertly wound the pin through the tear in my dress. It worked just fine to cover up what the tear had exposed.
“Thanks, Erik.”
He patted my shoulder. “You look beautiful.”
When he sat back down again, he punctuated his statement by slurping an oyster into his mouth.
Max looked across the table at me. “Sammy, exactly what happened while you were getting dressed?”
“I’d really rather not talk about it.”
“Hm.” He quirked a brow and finished his food.
“Dessert,” said Erik. “We absolutely have to have some dessert. I personally love chocolate ice cream.”
“I’m okay, actually. I like to keep things light if I’m going dancing.”
“I bet.” Erik grinned. “You’re probably wild on the dance floor, hm? I know your type. All uptight and proper most of the time, but then when you cut loose, you’re just wild.”
“Uh—I don’t think I’m that uptight.”
“Actually you’re wrong there. Samantha is the furthest thing from wild.” Max wiped his mouth. “I think I’ll pass on ice cream too.”
I tried not to show it, but I was a little hurt by Max’s words. Did Max think I was as uptight as Erik did? It was true that I didn’t cut loose very often, but that was because neither of us really did. Max certainly wasn’t a party animal himself.
As I waited for the check to be delivered, I tried not to obsess over what Max had said. Surely, there were plenty of reasons that he’d made the comment. Most likely it was his attempt at defending me in front of Erik. Don’t read too much into it, Sammy.
I cleared my throat and looked across the table at Max again. He smiled at me. But was it a real smile? Was it just what he did to keep me happy? How could he look forward to going out with someone who was never able to cut loose?
As we left the restaurant Max slid his arm around my waist. “He was right, you know.”
“Who?”
“Erik.”
“About what?”
He leaned close and whispered beside my ear. “You do look beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at him. “I hope you’re up for this, because I’m ready to have some real fun. I can’t wait to get on that dance floor with you.”
“Oh really?” He raised his eyebrows. “I wasn’t expecting that. I figured we’d dance a few times and then call it a night.”
“No way. We’re in Amsterdam. I want to see what all the buzz is about.”
“Oh?” Max grinned.
“Poor choice of words.” I shook my head.
“We can stay as long as you want. I just thought you might need to rest.”
I pursed my lips. There he went again, assuming that I was some old fuddy-duddy who couldn’t hang with the cool crowd.
“The only thing I want is you and me
having the time of our lives.”
“Well, that should be pretty simple to arrange.” He stole a kiss while Erik hailed a cab.
“Let’s go, lovebirds!”
“This should be interesting.” Max rolled his eyes.
“It will be.” I had every intention of making sure that it was.
Chapter 13
The pounding music assaulted my ears the moment we opened the door. I cringed at the intensity of it. Maybe in my younger days blaring music gave me a thrill, but now I just wanted to ask someone to turn it down. Max, however, was looking eager to get on the dance floor. He pulled me straight toward it.
As the lights flashed and the music shifted from incessant thumping to something more melodic, I began to relax. Max’s arms around me reminded me that anywhere could be perfect as long as we were together. The more we danced, the more relaxed I became. Time slipped by as if it didn’t exist. The throb and pulse of the music settled my mind.
When I finally tore my eyes away from Max’s for a moment, I noticed how crowded the dance floor was. I hadn’t noticed all of the people gathering around us, but I was suddenly very uneasy. I moved closer to Max.
“I think I need a break. Can we sit down?”
“Sure.” He started to guide me away from the crowd.
The people that surrounded us didn’t seem inclined to move out of the way. In fact, there were a few who seemed to be intentionally standing in our way.
“Excuse me.” I led with my elbow in an attempt to part the crowd.
“It is you! I thought it was you! My friend and I have been arguing about it for the past half hour. You owe me money, Nicole!”
“Alright, fine, you were right.” The woman laughed.
Nicole was a gorgeous brunette who stood at least a foot taller than me.
I smiled at her. “I’d be happy to cover your debt.”
“Oh, no need for that.” She waved her hand. “It’s just a hamburger. He bet me that it was you, I bet that it wasn’t you, and whoever lost had to buy the other a hamburger.”
“So it’s a tasty bet.”
“She’s a bit obsessed with food.” The man beside her leaned closer to me. “Anything she can do to get a free meal, you know?”
Sammy in Holland (Single Wide Female Travels #3) Page 4