They got to the gate a couple of hours before their flight. He got his wife and 12 year old son settled and went off to forage for coffee.
Standing in line for coffee he felt the buzz of the crowd. Everyone was excited to be heading south again. The summers are short enough in Canada and the winters seem that much longer as a result. He was looking forward to the break. Working from home for three years was better than commuting but the lack of travel to warm climates over three years was painful. With travel restrictions lifted, and the world getting back to "normal", he was on his way to the Caribbean so enjoy some warm sunshine, beach life and definitely some golf.
As he made his way back to the gate, he noticed another couple arriving. An attractive woman in her 50s, and what he assumed was her husband. She was dressed very stylish yet comfortable in a pair of yoga pants that was hugging her curves and a light zip up hoodie, also hugging. He caught her eye as they passed and she smiled at him.
"Hi," he said to her, in passing.
He handed his wife her tea, and his son his smoothie, and sat down to enjoy his coffee while waiting for boarding.
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"Did you remember to pack your phone charger?"
Annette frowned. "Of course I did, and yours which you left on the nightstand. I know it has been awhile since we have gone anywhere but I am still me, still organized..."
"Sorry, just a bit stressed. Work is-"
"I thought the whole point of this was not to think about work?" she sighed. "You didn't even book it off did you?"
"I couldn't. There is too much going on. The Thompson case and right after is the Petrovich case."
Annette shook her head. It was typical. They had agreed to go away, alone with no work talk and he didn't keep up his side. "It is fine. I get it." She kissed his cheek as they found some seats in the boarding area.
Annette at 52 was not where she thought she would be in life. She had had plans. She had wanted to be a pharmacist. Instead she and Robert had married young with two kids coming right away. She had stayed home with them and then just never went back to her dreams. Robert had worked hard, become a successful lawyer and there was no need for her to work, as he often reminded her. She was the humanitarian side of the couple. She volunteered at numerous places, did fundraisers for local charities, and more. While she enjoyed it, none of what she had done in the last 25 years had really been for her.
The benefit of not working was she had time and the money for a personal trainer. She was lean and looked good for her age. Oh, two kids had softened some areas but she didn't look like she had 50 in her rear-view mirror. Robert on the other hand had become the very definition of older lawyer. The dark hair had turned salt and pepper, though Annette really like that - she found it handsome. His body had softened from too much desk time and not enough time on his feet. She loved him regardless and had been looking forward to this vacation. Her suitcase was full of sexy lingerie and dresses to try and entice him. Their sex life had grown less and less frequent and when they did it was becoming routine.
As they started to settle in she smiled at a handsome man carrying drinks. "Hello." She greeted him as he got closer and she noticed he was going to his family. They were sweet looking. She wondered if they were as happy as she was to be getting away.
"I need to take this." Robert got up and wandered away, phone to his ear.
Annette sat and took a book out of her carry on. Her eyes drifted to the couple and their son, specifically to the man.
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God how Alex loved a good cup of coffee. It was a total bonus to have a kiosk that sold coffee brewed from freshly ground beans - in the airport no less. He sat there savouring it as his wife and son were pressed up against the window watching the planes pull up to, and back away from the nearby gates.
His eyes scanned the waiting area and came to rest upon "that woman". She seemed to be having a mild disagreement with the man. A typical marital spat over nothing, he thought, although they tend to linger once they start. The man pulled out his phone and walked away from her, seemingly to take a call.
"Dude," he thought, "You're on vacation."
And so was he. At 52 he was still in reasonable shape. Not a pro athlete by any means but he could hold his own on the ice with guys younger than him. He ran several times a week, outdoors in the summer and on his treadmill in the home gym, since all the public and private gyms had closed. He quite liked the salt and pepper hair that showed up in the mirror a few years ago, which also found its way to the short and well trimmed facial hair he was currently sporting. Some of his buddies went full-on caveman when Covid struck, but he took more pride is his appearance than most of his friends, sticking with the more tailored look.
Although, he planned on taking in some sun and golf, he had hope to go out and have a few drinks here and there as well. Meet the locals and the other vacationers at the resort but Mrs. Homebody will want to stick to the room most of the time.
"I've sat around the house for almost three years Liz," he argued with his wife just yesterday. "I can't do it all the time in the Caribbean. Buddy boy is old enough to stay in the suite alone for a couple hours while we go have a drink or two and mingle. He has his own room and of course, the internet. He'll probably be exhausted from all the activities to care about us going down to the bar anyway."
"So will I," she countered.
That was so deflating. Here he was hoping for a good time. Two weeks of NO WORK to have some fun, and maybe even some sex. He often wondered why he even got his hopes up for that anymore as it was so rare that it actually materialized.
He focussed on the woman again. He watched her as she took a book out of her carry on. She started to read but after a few moments he saw her lift her head and look in his direction. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other again. He gave her a discreet wave with a wiggle of his fingers. Glancing in the direction of his wife and son, she returned the wave equally discreet, smiling impishly.
"Oh my God that was cute!" he thought, smiling still.
He was struck again by her attractiveness and with that smile, she simply radiated. She was not a super model. She had a somewhat larger framed but man did she wear it well. As his single friend used to say, she was doing those yoga pants a favour by wearing them. He presumed she too must spend some time in the gym.
----
The man seemed to notice, waving his fingers at her as he smiled. She waved back. There was something incredibly fun about..flirting...was it flirting? It likely was...Annette had to admit it was really nice to flirt even so innocently with a good looking stranger.
She tried to read her book, playing with her brown hair. She kept glancing up to see if he was still watching her. Every time her eyes found his face, found him looking she smiled a bit more. She reached up and undid the top of her hoodie. The tank top underneath was a bit lower cut, exposing her cleavage. To ensure he noticed, Annette leaned down to get something from her carry-on, her body facing him.
"Oh my god...I can't believe I am doing this" she thought. She was surprised by how much she suddenly wanted his attention. She could feel that euphoric feeling that crept up one's spine when flirting. It had been a long time since she had done something like this. She was a good wife, a good volunteer. Rarely did she flaunt her form anymore. But oh, when she was younger...
She sighed. So long ago. When her breasts were higher, hips more slender and stomach flatter. She was grateful for her trainer but she realized that she had missed her chance to date and be free. Again, she reminded herself that she loved Robert, but this was exciting regardless.
__________________
His heart leapt a little. Unsure as to why. Were they flirting, or was it just his wishful thinking to have a woman interested in him? God it had been so long. He wondered where she was going. Where they were going. She was after all, accompanied. His mind raced into the fantasies of the two of them staying at the same resort. Accidentally bumping into one and other on several occasions... at the bar, the pool, the gym, the beach...
"Earth to Alex. Earth to Alex. Come in Alex." his wife voice droned through the haze.
"Oh! Sorry honey. Lost in thought there," he replied.
"Apparently!" she said. "How far is the resort from the airport?" she continued. "Tammy said she had a 90 minute bus ride where her and Jim went to St, Thomas three years ago. I am already tired and we haven't even got on the plane yet," she droned on.
He sighed.
"We are renting car, and it's 30 minutes max to the resort." he stated. "Quit worrying."
She folded her arms and sat in silence beside him.
