by Judith Keim
Baby steps, Sheena thought. It took baby steps to make a good working relationship. But the four of them were coming together nicely for Ventura Village, LLC.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
DARCY
Vive la Paris! Darcy lifted her wine glass in a salute to Austin. Sitting inside a small, neighborhood bistro not too far from their hotel, Darcy thought Paris was every bit as wonderful as she’d hoped. After spending a couple of days sight-seeing, she was ready to have a quiet evening with a simple meal.
“What was your favorite thing today?” Austin asked her. His pleasure from her excitement was touching to see.
“Well, Le Louvre was as spectacular as I expected. But I couldn’t believe how small the painting of Mona Lisa was. And I swear, when I moved around the room, her gaze followed me.”
Austin chuckled. “Lots of people say that.”
“All those famous works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rodin, things like the Venus de Milo and all the rest. I couldn’t believe it was me seeing it for real. Do you have any idea what a special gift you’ve given me?”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “And your gift to me? Priceless.”’
“Sometimes I have to pinch myself to know this is all real—you, the trip, everything. If I die and go to heaven, I want to fill my little piece of it with the wine, bread, and cheese from France, and the artwork I’ve seen here.”
Austin grinned. “We should enjoy every day and night we have here.”
His brown-eyed gaze reached deep inside her to where she’d begun to store these precious times.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
REGAN
“Another postcard,” said Regan, holding it up for Sheena to see. “Rome this time.”
Sheena smiled. “I’m so glad she’s having a fabulous time. Think of all the interesting things she’s seen that she can put into her novels.”
“I know. All of it within two weeks’ time. One more week and she’ll be home. Just in time to clean up after our wedding weekend. How’d your meeting go with Nicole and the wedding planner?” Regan asked. In just five days, the first wedding at the hotel would take place, and she was as nervous about it as Sheena.
Since the meeting they’d had a couple of weeks ago, Tony and Brian’s crews had done their part, and the suites were ready for carpeting. Now it was left to her to see the rest would be done on time. Placement of furniture would follow, along with hanging pictures and adding other decorative touches.
The weather reports indicated rain during the week, but clear days on the weekend. Regan prayed they were right. Everything for the wedding was centered around the outdoors.
“Looks like some rain headed our way,” said Sheena. “It’s just as well. We’ll get that out of the way.”
Sheena turned to the woman they’d recently been training for the office. A retired schoolteacher who lived in Rosa and Paul’s neighborhood, Jeanne Nance was a perfect fit. A heavy-set, jovial woman who’d taught kindergarten for years, Jeanne was a source of positive energy as she bustled around the office and greeted guests with a cheerfulness that was contagious. Teaching her the computer programs was another issue, but one they were slowly straightening out.
“Okay, if we leave you for a while, Jeanne?” said Regan. “I want to review the status of preparations for our outdoor wedding.”
Jeanne gave them both a smile. “I’ll be all right here. You two go tend to your duties elsewhere.”
Regan exchanged an amused glance with Sheena.
Outside, they walked to the gazebo. The wedding planner had suggested stringing white silk flowers and mini-lights through the lattice work at the bottom of the gazebo. They’d paid Meaghan and two of her friends to do the tedious job.
The three-section trellis, covered with colorful bougainvillea, was mounted in the ground and would be the perfect backdrop for the bride and her small party.
The dock was finished, and though paddle boards had been ordered, they wouldn’t arrive for another two days. The kayaks, however, were stored in the newly built racks.
Regan and Sheena stood and looked back at the hotel for a full view of the property. Plantings surrounded the buildings and were strategically placed to create color, shade, and interest. The buildings sparkled from the attention they’d received. The addition of the Bohio Bar, as it was now called, and Gavin’s restaurant added an upscale look to the property.
“Wow! It sure looks a lot different from the place we first saw,” said Regan.
“I sometimes wonder what Gavin would think of it. He had his own ideas about what he wanted, but I believe we’ve surpassed even those. It really looks nice. Refined and pleasant.”
“I agree,” said Regan. “It’s perfect. Like our tagline says ... it’s a quiet treasure.”
“C’mon, girl,” said Sheena taking her arm. “Let’s go see what’s happening at Gracie’s. I heard Bebe is trying out a new design for the wedding cake. You know what that means!”
Regan smiled. “Cake!”
###
In the quiet that followed the closing of Gracie’s, staff members normally relaxed inside the restaurant. Today, when Regan and Sheena joined them, they were sitting at tables eating the remains of the cake with which Bebe had been experimenting.
A short while later, Rocky hurried inside. “Hey, everybody! Looks like a bad storm heading our way. I need help stowing the pool and patio furniture.”
Regan was surprised when Sam, a quiet man, spoke up. “Aw, Rocky, relax. We ain’t supposed to get any serious rain until tomorrow.”
“Well, this one’s looking bad. And I can feel it in my bones.”
Regan trusted Rocky’s instincts on something like this. Rocky had spent a couple of years sailing with Gavin looking for gold, and though he resembled a pirate with his gold earring and dark curls, he was a sensible man.
Regan and Sheena quickly followed the others outside.
Dark clouds had gathered in the sky to the west. In a matter of moments, a strong wind kicked up, turning the clouds into a boiling mass. Then, like a finger pointing from the clouds, a rotating column of wind raced toward shore.
“Waterspout!” cried Rocky. “Get back inside.”
As fascinating as it was to watch this phenomenon, Regan was quick to act. Rocky’s voice held more than a warning; it was full of fear.
Back inside the restaurant, Rocky ordered, “Stay away from the windows. Go into the hallway.”
“My God! This is like the tornadoes back home,” said Maggie, holding Clyde’s hand. He was whimpering softly.
“I was caught at the edge of one of these out on the water,” said Rocky. “They usually stay at sea, but, even so, when it comes this close to shore, it can be dangerous stuff.”
Flashes of lightning, the roll of thunder, and the pounding of rain on the roof kept them huddled inside. At one point, the whole building shook while it sounded as if a freight train was roaring by at high speed.
Then, as quickly as it had come, the storm lessened.
Sheena gave Regan a worried look as they followed Rocky outside.
Regan’s jaw dropped at the sight of their landscaping. Hibiscus blossoms hung in shredded clumps. Palm fronds dotted the ground. The thatched roofing on the Bohio Bar now had gaping holes. A number of shingles from the roof of the main building lay on the ground like drowned seagulls.
“What a mess!” said Sheena to Regan. “We’d better check on the guests and the entire property. You start the tour, and I’ll go to the office.”
At the pool, several chairs had blown into the pool, chaise lounges were scattered, and two of the umbrellas had blown inside out. All else seemed okay. The flowering bushes around Gavin’s were in bad shape.
As she approached the waterfront, Regan’s heart stopped at the sight of the trellis. It looked like a giant creature had trampled on it, breaking it into small pieces and destroying the flowering vines that used to cover it.
The gazebo had withstood the wind and rain,
but the bushes at the base of it would have to be replaced before the wedding.
Petey, the peacock, walked toward her looking as bedraggled as the plantings.
“Hey, Petey,” said Regan. “You get rained on too?” He usually perched in one of the higher branches of the trees.
She didn’t wait for a reply but hurried back to the office.
“How are things?” Sheena asked.
“It could’ve been worse. But, we’ll have to put in a call to the landscapers. Ours isn’t the only property hit around here, and they’ll get busy.”
“Okay,” said Sheena. “And I’ll call Tony to see if he can check on the roof for us. We don’t want to have any leaks ruining the apartments for Gavin’s people.”
“We’d better check the Egret Building. We’ll ask Bernice to have her cleaning crew go around to straighten and dry off furniture and check on the rooms. It appears the Sandpiper Suites Building and Gavin’s restaurant are unscathed. I’ll get a crew of Gavin’s people over to the pool to help there.”
Sheena took out her phone. “I’m calling Tony now.”
###
After placing her calls, Regan helped Jeanne handle requests from hotel guests. Most were easy to handle—things like replacing broken patio furniture. Fortunately, none of the sliding glass doors had been damaged.
By the time she was free to go back outside, Tony had arrived. He stood beside Sheena and Rocky staring up at the roof.
“I’ll get the ladder and go up to look at it,” Tony said. “It may be as simple as replacing a few shingles. Once the high tourist season is over, we can reroof the entire building without interrupting guests.”
“Okay,” said Sheena. “Sounds like a good plan.” She turned to Regan. “How did you do?”
“Jeanne and I started a list of rooms that need patio furniture replaced. Bernice is having four people on her staff survey all the rooms. They’ll wipe down and clean off patios and sliding doors where needed.”
“That’s a lot of overtime pay, but it’ll be worth it. What about the landscaping company?”
Regan shook her head. “I couldn’t get through. Like you said, they’re probably swamped with calls.”
“I’ll try them again. We have to get things back to normal, or as close to it as possible, by the time the wedding party arrives.”
Regan and Sheena stared at each other with dismay. “I guess I should never have said how perfect everything was earlier.”
“This is just one of those things that can happen. Not your fault.”
Regan watched Sheena hurry away, thankful her big sister was around. When she’d seen all the damage, she’d wanted to break down and cry.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
SHEENA
Sheena hung up the phone with a sigh. She hated confrontation, but she’d learned in business a squeaky wheel got attention. And with their first wedding party due to arrive in a matter of days, she was more than willing to “squeak” louder than normal. As a result, the landscapers agreed to appear tomorrow to do an assessment and to replant what was needed by the end of the next business day.
She opened the door to the office to head over to the main building when she noticed a crowd of people surrounding someone lying on the ground. A ladder had fallen onto the walkway behind the building.
Tony! Sheena’s heart raced to keep up with her legs, which had found a sudden spurt of adrenaline.
Regan saw her and called out, “We’ve already called 911. He fell from the roof, but he says he’s going to be all right.”
Heart still pounding furiously, Sheena knelt beside Tony. “Where are you hurt? Tell me.”
“I can’t seem to get my breath, and my side hurts,” he said, his words coming out in pain-filled puffs. “Damn ladder slid out from under me.”
Memories from Sheena’s high-school AP courses in nursing kicked in. Broken ribs? Punctured lungs?
“Just lie still until the EMTs arrive,” Sheena said in a calm voice she didn’t feel.
“We knew not to move him,” Rocky said, standing aside.
“Thanks. That could have made things worse,” said Sheena. She squeezed Tony’s hand for encouragement.
It seemed hours, not minutes before the emergency crew arrived. After checking his vitals, the man who appeared to be in charge turned to her. “It doesn’t seem to be life threatening. Of course, we’ll take him on into the hospital and have him checked over there. I suspect bruises, scrapes, and a couple of broken ribs. And they’ll need to make sure those ribs didn’t puncture his lungs.”
“Okay, let me get my car. I’ll follow you to the hospital.”
“I’ll take you, Sheena,” said Regan, putting an arm around her. “It’s too stressful for you to drive.”
“Thanks,” Sheena said. She’d started to shake with cold fear and couldn’t seem to stop.
###
Much later, Sheena sat in the backseat of Regan’s Jeep with Tony beside her. X-rays had confirmed he had a couple of broken ribs, but Tony’s lungs were in the clear. They’d given Tony something for the pain, advised him to be quiet for a couple of days, and told him to keep the deep scrapes on his right side clean.
“I’ll drop you off at your house,” said Regan.
“Thanks, that would be great,” Sheena replied. “We can pick up our vehicles at the hotel later. It’s been quite a day.”
“The roof can be patched temporarily,” Tony said, his voice slurring a bit from the medication. “Then we’ll completely redo it sometime in May when your business slows down.”
“Sounds good,” said Regan. “I called Brian and told him what happened. He said for you, Tony, to take it easy and not worry about anything at work.”
“Awww, I’ll be fine,” said Tony, stirring in his seat.
“Just relax,” Sheena said. “You’re not going back to work for a day or two.”
Tony swore softly and leaned back against the seat.
Sheena stared out the window wondering what she would’ve done if Tony had been seriously hurt. The plumbing business didn’t have the dangers of construction work. But then, she reminded herself, anyone could be hurt any time. Brian had been badly injured in a motorcycle accident, not at work.
###
Three days later, Sheena stood with Regan in the office waiting for the first of the wedding guests to show up. Everyone had worked together to get the property presentable again. The trellis by the waterfront had been completely rebuilt; minor repairs had been made to the gazebo, and the roof on the main building repaired temporarily. Sadly, though plantings had been replaced, the new landscaping looked just like that—new. In an effort to add color and softness to the trellis, silk flowers had been added to the vines and flowers that twined up its slats.
“Let’s pray Lea Webster’s grandparents understand how much damage a storm can do,” commented Regan. “They’ve called twice to check on our progress.”
“I’ve tried to reassure them,’ said Sheena, “but they’re nervous about every little detail. I hope Lea knows how much her grandparents love her.”
“It was a good idea to put them into one of the Sandpiper Suites. With Lea having the Bridal Suite in the Egret Building and sharing it with her maid of honor, eliminating two of the now three overbooked rooms, we’re in better shape.”
“Yes, one less room to worry about. If necessary, we’ll ask Lea’s parents to share their suite with Mary Lou and Bill and give them a discount.”
Regan’s eyes gleamed. “Who knew we’d ever be in the position of overbooking? The other suites should be finished in another week, and then we can rent those rooms out too.”
Sheena returned Regan’s smile, but she couldn’t pretend her fingers weren’t cold with apprehension. This, their first wedding, was a super-big deal. One of the editors of the social magazine was going to be a part of the photographer’s team they’d arranged for Lea. The wedding would also be a test of Nicole’s ability to handle these events for the hotel. Nicole was
a hard worker, but along with marketing, could she handle bridezillas and their wedding parties?”
Before Sheena could worry any longer, Mary Lou and Bill Webster entered the office.
“Welcome,” Sheena said, smiling. “This is going to be a great weekend for you and your granddaughter.”
“I hope so,” said Mary Lou, giving them a worried look. “We had our hearts set on coming here, but then her mother wanted us to book a bigger hotel on the east coast of Florida. But Lea decided she liked the idea of the Salty Key Inn better.”
“She’s a bit of a rebel,” said Bill, smiling with affection, “but we both want her to have the wedding of her dreams.”
“She’s marrying a young man from a prominent, political family, which has her mother in a tizzy. But I understand. He and his family deserve a nice wedding too,” Mary Lou asserted.
“Believe me, we’ll do our best to accommodate you in every way we can,” Sheena quickly assured them.
“You can call on Sheena, or me, or our wedding coordinator, Nicole Coleman, anytime,” said Regan. “We’ve assigned you to a brand-new suite at no extra cost.”
Mary Lou’s eyes lit with pleasure. “Oh, lovely! Lea and her friend Caro are sharing the Bridal Suite. Right?”
“Oh, yes,” said Sheena. “That’s all arranged.”
Nicole arrived as Mary Lou and Bill were ready to leave the office. Sheena made the introductions.
Nicole offered her hand and smiled warmly at them. “After talking to you so often on the phone, it’s nice finally to meet you.” She looked at Sheena and Regan. “I’ll be glad to accompany them to their room.”
Regan held up the keys to the suite. “They’ll be staying in Sandpiper Suite 101. I’ll join you there.”
After Nicole left with the Websters, Regan turned to her. “Oh, oh. Sounds as if this is going to be a very demanding wedding. I’ll skip ahead and check to make sure the cookies and nuts we ordered are in the room, along with the small bottle of champagne and cheese tray.”