Living Large in the Wine Country

There were quite a few sunbathers in lounge chairs even though it was still early – only about 10:30 a.m.  I swam a few leisurely laps and then went through the water passageway to the outdoor pool.  I played in the pool for a while and then found the last lounge chair and plopped down for a little sunbathing myself.  Now as you can imagine, someone who is 100% Irish is not a tanner by nature, but I like to think that I can go from pasty to a light beige with a little effort.  Little is the key word here because I hate to be out in the sun for long.  I can’t stand getting all hot and sweaty.  I had been laying on my stomach with my head pillowed on my arms for about 20 minutes when a shadow fell across my body and I squinted up to see Elyse dripping wet and grinning with tall drinks in each hand. 

I said, “Tell me it’s either vodka or gin,” I said. 

She laughed. “Guess.”  And handed me one.  It was Tangueray and tonic. 

“Hey, this is one of my favorite drinks.  How did you know?” 

“I didn’t.  I like them too, so it was just a lucky guess.  I spotted you from my hotel window down here and decided to join you.  You don’t mind do you?  My business associate, Harold is napping after his strenuous morning!” 

I enjoyed the sarcasm in her voice.  It matched mine when I said, “Oh yes, my brother is sleeping it off too!  Those poor men!  Kieran never gets any exercise and then shows off and runs the whole thing and now has to recover.  Me, I may not be in perfect shape, but I have more stamina.  I’m used to walking and biking, so even though I didn’t jog it, my recovery time is so much faster.”  

We laughed together and then she stole the lounge chair next to mine and asked me what we were doing in Sedona.  I told her about our uncle leaving us some money so neither one of us has to work for a while and we’re just taking a few days off to fool around.  I mentioned that I had left my husband and three kids behind.  She said she left her husband behind also, but didn’t elaborate and I didn’t want to start drilling her without first taking a few sips of my drink.  It was perfect with a huge lime wedge floating on the top that I squeezed into the drink.  I caught her looking me and said, “I like tart things.” 

She laughed and said, “I do too,” and squeezed hers into her glass. “I like you.  We just seemed to click today.” 

I told her the feeling was mutual and that I heard we were going to be dinner companions tonight.  She was surprised to hear that and I explained that Kieran and Harold had met too at the run today and had set it all up then. 

She shook her head and said, “That Harold!  I just love him!”  

I couldn’t read that remark.  Was it just a co-worker talking or was she being literal? 

I finished my drink, stood up and extended my hand for her glass and took them up to the outdoor bar to be replenished.  The bartender had “surfer boy” blond good looks and a killer body.  He was, of course, wearing only a Speedo and while I normally (you guessed it!) hate a man in a Speedo, even I can make an exception every now and then.  He was either quite well endowed or using some kind of prosthetic device, but I didn’t really care.  I gave him an enormous tip because he called me “young lady” which set me off into a fit of giggles I could not control to save my life.  He was 22 if he was a day – yet I was “young lady”.  I fleetingly wondered if he was a gigolo for hire. 

I was still giggling when I returned to Elyse who said, “Thank you, young lady!’’  Then we both erupted into gales of laughter.  We drank these second drinks too fast and raced each other to the bar for another refill.  The Adonis must have been either off duty or taking a break then, because there was an older man behind the counter in a Speedo - but not doing it the same justice.  He glanced up at us and said,  “Well what will it be young ladies?