He smiled and responded without pause. “I’m good.”
“I’m a bit sore,” she said.
Scott laughed. “You should be.”
“I think I need to go to my office this morning–to clean up.”
“Perhaps.” Scott paused. “Have another coffee first.”
There was a three-hundred-pound elephant in the room neither wanted to talk about. Actually, there were two elephants, but Ingrid only knew about one.
Scott poured two more coffees and then pulled another chair next to Ingrid. They sat, their thighs touching.
“How was Stavanger?” she asked.
“Cold and damp,” he smiled, “And I would like to eat some beef again.”
She smiled. “Too much fish?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll have steak tonight.”
“You said you had a new mistress and she wasn’t very nice?”
“Oh, the drilling platform. Yes, she’s a cranky old bitch. I think I can keep her running until they pump that oil field dry. But it is going to cost me more trips to Stavanger, and it is going to make me a lot of money.”
“Is that all? Just money?”
He smiled. “You know me too well.”
There was silence and after a sip of coffee she said, “And?”
“Hmm. Yes. You were a naughty girl yesterday . . .”
“I was,” she interrupted.
“But so was I,” he continued.
“Yesterday?”
“No. Last week, while I was in Stavanger.”
“I see,” she said. “Anything . . . no, I mean anyone . . . you want to tell me about?”
“Absolutely. You know I always do, just as you always tell me. But we were busy last night.”
“Yes, we were. And I loved it.”
“I did to. But I need to tell you about Juliette.”
“Juliette?”
“She’s an accountant . . . for the owner of the platform. She lives in Stavanger.
“Married?”
“Not successfully.”
“I see.” She waited in silence for more.
“She thinks he is gay.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“Perhaps not in a roommate,” Scott said. “But Juliette finds him deficient as a lover.”
“Not surprising. I have counseled couples like that. Usually, they must learn to separate love from sex. Not always an easy thing to do.” Ingrid had a habit of analyzing Scott’s extra-marital lovers.
“I’ve got an idea,” Scott said. “Let’s delay this conversation for a couple of days. Can you clear your calendar for Thursday and Friday?”
“Probably. I don’t think the Halversteens will be back for their regular Friday session.”
Scott laughed.
“Good. Clear the time and we can take a long weekend at my cousin Arne’s cabin in Sonoma. Then I’ll tell you all about Juliette and anything else you want to hear.”
“Is there more?”
“Just a lot of detail about a tired old drilling platform. Like I said, she’s a cranky old bitch. you will find Juliette much more interesting.”
Ingrid laughed. “I’m sure I will.”
They sat in silence drinking their coffee
“That sounds lovely,” Ingrid said. I’d love to hear about a cranky old drilling platform . . . and perhaps a horny young Norwegian accountant.”
“Actually, she’s Swedish,” Scott said.
“Oh, they’re the worst kind. Swedish women are very horny.”
“I know,” he said.
Ingrid leaned over and kissed him. “I love you,” she said.
“And I love you.”
She gulped the last of her coffee, which was too cool now, and rose to her feet. “I’ve got to go cleanup my office now. I need to get some billings out too.”
Scott looked up at her with a smirk, “Are you going to bill Snake and Brenda for yesterday?”
She laughed. “Sure, why not?”