advertised as a cabin but it was more of a lodge, with a huge open living area and a staircase leading up to the bedrooms and bathrooms. All bedrooms had balconies overlooking the lake, and in front of the house was a pool.
"Hey, Ash! Is this what you call roughing it?" Luke called out, raising a bit of a laugh.
Ash and Catherine had been to the lake a year or so earlier and stayed at a guest house not far away. Ash had been the one to suggest the destination for a bit of a getaway.
"Well we're going to catch our own fish aren't we?" Ash shot back. "That's almost like hunting for food. Plus it's a fair way across to the village and that boat hasn't got a motor."
There was a rowboat tied to a small jetty. Keith shook his head. "Fuck that I'm driving to town."
Each of the men were on their own balcony. "No – we all agreed, no cars while we're here,” Ash laughed.” So it's row or walk, buddy!"
"Or there's a take-out menu on the fridge," Luke suggested. "Anything you want delivered in thirty minutes."
Down in the kitchen the women had begun unpacking the food and trashing the missing member of the group.
"That little slut," Barbra was saying. "She wouldn't have been game to let on that she wasn't coming earlier but I'll bet she had this planned all along."
It was the first chance the three women had to talk without any of the men around since they left home early that morning, which was the first they knew about Lola's sudden 'business trip'.
"Although I wouldn't mind a weekend at the Hyatt with Jason Worth," Sarah suggested thoughtfully.
"Oh really?" Barbra enquired. "Fancy a romp with a well-built black man, would you?"
"Umm – yes! Well-built and well endowed, no doubt."
Barbra turned upon Catherine. "What about you, sweetheart, have you ever been with a black man?"
Catherine blushed. "Uh huh. I've been with a few."
Both of the older women stopped what they were doing and turned. "A few?" Barbra pressed. Obviously wanting more information.
"Yes. Four actually," Catherine confessed. "Two at college and the other two more recently …. Oh, and another one when I was younger."
"More recently?" Sarah asked, her mouth hanging open. "How recently exactly?"
Catherine shrugged innocently. "Umm – more recently than my wedding."
"Oh my god. Slut!" Barbra declared, giggling. Sarah was completely gob smacked.
The men were coming down the stairs. "I want to know everything," Barbra said to Catherine. "Later, when we get rid of these guys, you're going to talk!"
****
It had been a long day driving and dinner that night came from the takeout menu on the fridge. That was followed by lots of beers and wine. All three women were well and truly relaxed when they were left alone and finally had a chance to continue their talk. The men had gone down to the lake and were sitting on the jetty chatting.
"So?" Barbra started, confronting Catherine. "You were saying something about two black lovers since getting married?"
"Well, what can I say? It didn't matter to me that they were black. There've been some white men as well of course."
"As well? How many?" Sarah asked, pulling her chair around.
"Oh I don't know. A few."
“Like, who?" Barbra pressed excitedly. "Anyone we know?"
"No. It's usually when we go away. There's no one from where we live now."
"When you go away with Ash?" Sarah asked, whispering a bit and looking back over her shoulder, but the men were well out of earshot. "What – do you leave him sleeping in the hotel and..?"
Catherine giggled. "No! Of course not."
"Well what then? He knows about it?"
"Uh huh. He likes to – well not make me do it – but he certainly encouraged the other men and offered me to them."
"Oh my god. What an asshole!" Barbra declared.
"No he's not," Catherine argued. "I could have said no anytime. But I didn't"
Sarah was fidgeting in her seat. "So, you'd go away together and he'd pick out some guy and invite him back to your room?"
"Yeah – sort of…. One time it