Christmas Vacation

Chapter 5-When one door closes....

The next morning Sam decided to wake up early to walk on the beach barefoot in a plain navy T-shirt and khaki shorts. As usual, Elaine was right already feeling himself unwinding slowly far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Sam looked up towards Kate's house hearing a commotion.

"I can't believe you, Eric!" Kate bellowed from her deck, walking out. "I want you out of here."

"Kate, she didn't mean anything to me seriously," Eric said. "We were working late and it just happened."

Sam could see he looked like a typical surfer guy. Lean and muscular with beach blonde hair.

"Sleeping with other women doesn't just happen."

"Kate, I'm sorry," he said, hunching his shoulders.

"Just go," she said, pointing her finger up. "I don't want to talk to you now."

Eric turned walking down the back stairs heading to the front of the house. Sam made It back up to his deck seeing her standing outside still with a look of fuming.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear," he said.

"What?" she said, turning. "Oh that."

"Relationship troubles?"

"You have no idea."

"I think I do."

"Really? Have you eaten yet?"

"Actually no."

"You like pancakes? Why am I asking? Everyone loves pancakes. Come on over."

Sam walked up her stairs and followed her seeing a breakfast nook with a medium-sized kitchen. She started pouring more batter onto her griddle.

"I spent a whole year with him and come to find out he's been sleeping with someone from his office."

"I can do better," he said. "Try walking in on your girlfriend in the middle of having sex with your personal trainer."

"Ouch!" Kate said, scrunching her face. "Okay, you have me beat."

She laid out a platter of freshly made pancakes with a tray of butter and a cup of warm maple syrup.

"What the irony?" she said, adding pancakes to her plate and Sam's. "A prolific romance writer who loses out in the love department."

"Yep, isn't life funny?"

"Did she ever give a reason as to why?"

"Just that I am a workaholic. I am married to my work," Sam said, between bites.

"You know what your whole problem is. You need to loosen up. Live a little. I mean it's the holidays. What do you normally do?"

"I write and try to make it to my parents home every year but I also have deadlines to meet."

"Dear God, have you ever been on vacation before?"

"This is the first real one I have been on."

"Fortunately I just happen to be newly single."

"Misery loves company?" Sam questioned smiling.

"Haha, you got that right," she said, clinking her juice glass with Sam's.

Sam sat there continuing to eat thinking why in the world would someone cheat on somebody as attractive as Kate. He really wasn't looking to jump into starting to see somebody new for fear of getting burned again but making a new friend wouldn't hurt.