Before mounting my bike, I checked for messages. I clicked on Dana's as soon as I saw it.
Dear My Man:
Thinking of you a LOT. Looking forward to try on that lingerie set at L'Agent Provocateur and to share our experiences. I've had a few exciting moments.
YOUR Woman.
I wrote back excitedly:
MY Woman:
Can't wait to "drink a case of you". See you soon in Copenhagen. Lots to tell too!
YOUR Man
As I hit send, a gust of wind shot through the trees. The flag started flapping wildly above me. It was blowing in the right direction. Then I saw the black clouds in the distance.
With the wind at my back, the eight-hour ride to a small town north of Aarhus became just seven. The rain had made it miserable though. I didn't know whether it was the cobble stones or rain that had me shaking when I turned on to the walking mall. It was probably both. Fortunately, I could see the white façade of the vintage hotel just 300 hundred yards ahead.
I quickly locked my bike and hurried up to the main entrance with my bags. The rain was coming down on an angle, in sheets, driven by the wind. A lady in a brightly coloured raincoat was bent over struggling to remove suitcases from the trunk of her car. I put my bags down.
"Let me help you with those" I said in a raised voice to be heard above the wind.
I startled her. She nearly hit her head on the trunk lid.
"Oh! Ah...thank you!"
I lifted the two bags out and walked with them toward the front door. She rushed ahead of me to open it. I placed the bags just inside and stepped back so she could get in out of the rain.
"There you go."
We looked at one another for the first time. Oh my! She was stunning -- dark skin, thick red lips, and sky blue eyes. I must have looked like a drowned rat.
"Thank you." She smiled and was about to say more.
I just wanted to get in where it was warm. I nodded and quickly went back outside for my bags. We met again at the reception. I stood, waiting in line behind her, dripping on the carpet. I started to shiver.
"Are you OK?" She had a concerned look on her face.
"Yyyyyes...I jjjust need a hot shshshower."
"Here. You go ahead." She stepped back and motioned me up to the counter.
The shower felt good! As I dried myself, I noticed my reflection in the mirror. I stopped toweling my legs and stood straight. I was in pretty good shape! I didn't have a six pack, but my stomach was the flattest it had ever been. I turned to face the mirror directly. My waist was narrower. My shoulders seemed broader. This biking was really paying off. I saw a weigh scale underneath the sink. Geez! I'd lost seven pounds.
I pulled on my skinny jeans and put on a tapered light blue linen shirt with long sleeves. As I headed down to the dining room, I was looking forward to something hot. The waitress was placing a bowl of clear soup in front of me when the woman I'd met earlier entered the dining room. I judged her to be about my age -- in her mid fifties. A younger woman who was Dana's height followed behind. I guessed her to be in her early thirties. She was also dark skinned. Must be mother and daughter, I assumed.
They were expensively dressed. The mother wore a long black dress with a low-cut Queen Anne's collar. It framed a cleavage that was just cause for any man to do a double take. I thought of how I enjoyed dressing Dana when in Toronto - showing off her curves and cleavage. It was exciting to watch men lust after her.
The daughter wore capris and a black silk blouse with a low -- very low -- loose draped collar. You couldn't help but notice the jewellery they both wore. The mother had three wide gold armbands on her left arm and large, gold, thin loop earrings. The daughter wore silver earrings -- similar in style but even larger and thicker than her mother's.
The mother stopped at my table. She nodded at my soup. "Just what you needed!" Turning to her daughter, she pointed at me. "This is the man who helped me with our suitcases."
I placed my serviette on the table and rose from my chair to greet them. The younger woman boldly examined me from head to toe. Her brazen attention made me feel shy. My cheeks warmed. As she extended her arm to shake hands, her semi-transparent blouse revealed the silhouette of a firm, bare breast. An erect nipple was tenting the sheer fabric.
"That was so nice of you. Thank you!" She smiled and looked back at her mother whose eyes were rising up from my waist.
"Thank you for letting me check in first. I couldn't get to that warm shower fast enough!"
"Glad you're feeling better. Enjoy your soup." They walked to the other side of the room where they sat down by the window.
Was there something wrong? I checked my zipper before sitting down. As I placed the serviette back on my lap, I looked over at them. The daughter leaned into the centre of the table and gestured with her head toward me. The mother did a quick look and turned back to her daughter. She said a few words. The daughter nodded and smiled.
I was just starting my second bowl of soup when I saw the mother reach for her phone. She talked for about a minute. Suddenly, she glanced over at me with a quizzical look. I smiled and nodded. She turned back to face her daughter. The mother had an amused look on her face. The daughter appeared curious. She leaned into the table with her head turned to one side. She was trying to hear what was being said on the phone. The mother must have been on the phone for at least five more minutes.
When she hung up, they had an animated discussion. I heard them giggling but they also looked serious now and again. I didn't notice the daughter stealing glimpses of me every so often. Eventually, they made up their minds about something. The mother nodded at the daughter's phone that lay on the table. The daughter reached for her phone and spoke only for a short time. She put her phone back down, looked at her mother and shrugged.
After my meal, I went to the bar. It was just off the lobby. The wood panelled room had a low ceiling. It was a bit like an English lounge with plush dark brown leather chairs and sofas - rather cozy. I ordered a double scotch, no ice. I deserved it. Besides, it would warm me up. I'd just finished reading my emails and was looking at tomorrow's weather forecast when I heard a voice.
"Can I get you another?"
I looked up. "Pardon?"
The mother pointed to my glass and raised her dark eyebrows in a questioning look. "Do you have time for another?"
Her black wavy hair spilled down over her shoulders. She was wearing light blue eye shadow and bright red lipstick. Her blue eyes were hypnotic. I didn't answer fast enough.
"What are you drinking?" She sounded impatient.
I sat upright in the plush leather sofa. "Oh...I'm having a Glenlivet."
"Be right back" She turned and walked to the bar.
I judged her to be several inches taller than Dana. She was Rubenesque. Her loose fitting dress accentuated enticing curves.
She returned with a couple of drinks. "A little thank you for helping me with our luggage."
I reached for the drink she was offering. "Oh, it was nothing.". I noticed it was the same size as the one I'd ordered, a double. "Thank you very much."
"Mind if I sit down?"
I slid my body to one end of the sofa. "Not at all!"
She sat and took a sip of her drink before placing it on the table in front of us. "So, were you biking all day in that rain?"
"For at least the last three hours. It wasn't pleasant."
"Where did you come in from?"
"From the west coast...near Fjerritslev."
"Oh my!" she smiled. "So, you must be the person my friend told me about." She took another sip.
At that moment, a large noisy group entered the lobby. It became hard to hear each other. We leaned closer.
"I was talking with a friend of mine. She told me about a man she met who was biking from Skagen to Copenhagen."
"It's a small world! Who's your friend?"
"Abbie. I'm Leila." She extended her hand.
"I'm Paul."
The group in the lobby was getting bigger and noisier. It was increasingly hard to hear one another. We were both becoming frustrated not being able to hear one another talk.
She looked around. "Should we find somewhere quieter?"
I nodded. We took our drinks and walked around looking for a quieter place to sit. They were cleaning up in the dining room. We walked back through the lobby. The crowd was getting bigger and even noisier there. People were spilling into another smaller adjoining room just past the front counter.
She turned to me looking a bit frustrated. "How about our room?"
I didn't expect her to invite me to her room. She hardly knew me.
She didn't wait for an answer. "I'll call Daria to let her know we're on our way up."
She must feel comfortable with her daughter in the room I thought. Maybe they have a suite?
"Hi Daria. Would you mind if Paul and I came up?" There was a pause. "The man on the bike." Another pause. "Oh, sure. We'll be up in a few minutes."
Leila put her phone back in her purse and turned toward me.
"Daria would like me to bring a bottle of wine." She pointed to my hand. "Would you like another scotch?"
A few minutes later, we were in the hallway knocking on the door to their room. Leila had a bottle of Herring Bone Sauvignon Blanc in her hand and two glasses. I had a glass of scotch in each. I still hadn't finished the first she'd given me. Leila's daughter opened the door wearing a big smile.
"That didn't take long!" The daughter stepped to the side and held the door open as we entered the sitting area of their suite.
The daughter spoke to Leila first. She sounded happy almost giddy. "They called back. Everything's good."
"That's great!" Leila sounded relieved.
The door closed loudly behind me. I stood with two drinks in my hand, not knowing where to sit, feeling awkward. Leila set the wine bottle and glasses down on the coffee table.
"Excuse me! I'll let you introduce yourselves. I have to go to the bathroom."
"I'm Daria" she said extending her arm. "I'm a colleague of Leila's. We work at the same hospital."
"I'm Paul."
We shook hands. Wait! Did she say colleague?
"Oh! I thought you were...".
"I know...mother and daughter. A lot of people think that" she said rolling her eyes. "You're not the first."
Daria gestured to the sofa on the other side of the coffee table. "Please. Sit down."
She sat in the armchair at the end of the table. She twisted the cap off the wine bottle and poured two glasses.
"So, you're the man Abbie and Renee met?" She took a sip of her wine.
