Hendrik grins, takes my hand, we say our goodbyes and then slowly leave Noah and his date in the distance. I look up the route home on my phone and Hendrik suggests we do the walk as it’s only forty-five minutes. I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from ridiculing his use of ‘only’ and nod along, channelling the fitness queen I want him to think I am.
Amsterdam’s so different by night, the calming dew of the daytime replaced with bright lights and buzzing people. The streets are louder and colder, with people packed into bars and rowdy party boats that yell at us as they sail through the water. We walk across the bridge hand in hand, stop at the market for stroopwafels and I marvel at how different they taste when warm and fresh. He shakes his head and insists it’s the only way to have them, and I agree, promising to never have them any other way again. By the time we reach the hotel, I’m a sweet treat down and my thighs feel a little bit less like jelly. The bar is low,though – practically on the floor. A place I also may end up if I walk anywhere but upstairs to my bed.
‘I had fun tonight,’ he says, awkwardly hovering outside the entrance.
‘Me, too,’ I say, smiling up at him.
I don’t know the etiquette here... It’s too soon to invite him in, and, honestly, I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to. He’d take one look at the twin room I’m sharing with Noah and immediately run for the hills. I suppose I could ask to go back to his, but I don’t really think we’re there yet. We haven’t even kissed. Are we going to kiss? Is he planning to kiss me? I haven’t kissed anyone sober since my last relationship. God, this is all so terrifying.
‘How long are you here?’ he asks.
‘Until Friday,’ I say again.
‘Do you have plans tomorrow? I’d like to see you again.’
He’s very direct. It makes him more attractive.
‘Yeah, tomorrow sounds good.’
‘You could come to the gym. I could coach you through a session!’
I feel queasy at the thought.
‘Actually, I think the pedals might have done something to my ankle... It feels a little messed up,’ I lie quickly, subtly shifting to one foot. ‘How about something stationary?’
He frowns ever so slightly. ‘I can only do lunch. Does that work for you?’
I nod back. He whips out his phone, I assume committing it to his diary.
‘Cool, see you tomorrow.’ He grins.
And then he walks away, leaving me outside my hotel without even a hug.
I freeze there for a moment, processing the abrupt exit before shaking it off and walking inside. Maybe he’s just a hyper-gentleman. I’m sure they must exist somewhere. Who’s to say Hendrik isn’t the pinnacle of well-mannered men?
I shower as quickly as I can, throw on my pyjamas and nestle into my bed where I immediately feel my limbs grow heavy. I can’t. I promised Noah a post-date debrief tonight and I am a woman of my word. So, I reach for the one thing with any chance of stimulating me enough to keep me awake and start typing.
Date 3 – The Pedal-Boat Prince
Turns out I may have been a bit premature in my total abandonment of dating apps. Last night, I learnt that the online dating pond might not just be laden with frogs after all...
. . .a small salad
I failed miserably at waiting up for Noah. By the time he got back, he found me drooling on my keyboard. He swooped in to help, saving my doc and clearing my laptop away. That is, of course, after he finished collecting photographic evidence.
‘You should post this. Show your readers that you’re literally eating, sleeping and breathing this column.’
He flashes the photo at me and I take in the mess of curls and limp, dangling arms. My spine forms a C-shape as it bends over my keyboard, topped by my disgustingly hunched shoulders. I grab his phone and look him dead in the eye as my thumb grazes over the delete button. But he smiles on, even as the photo disappears. He’s always in high spirits, but this morning exceptionally so.
‘Why so smiley?’ I ask. ‘I suspect it has something to do with a certain brunette on a boat?’
He shrugs. ‘She was lovely, but I can’t see it going anywhere.’
I stare, gobsmacked. ‘How could you not? You two literally couldn’t stop laughing.’
I had Hendrik by my side and yet Istillfelt like I was third-wheeling in their presence. They had the light, bubbly aura of a honeymoon couple. I really thought they stood a chance at something at least.
‘You’re right – we could not stop laughing.’ He smiles, casting his mind back. ‘Beautiful girl, amazing chemistry. Surface-level conversation, though. I tried to push deeper – especially once we got to the coffee shop, but we just didn’t have much in common.’
