by Judith Keim
While she dressed, I did the dishes and went into the office to check in with the hotel.
Liz stuck her head into my office and blew me a kiss. “See you later, Mom!”
I waved her off and sat thinking of Vaughn. Our wedding in June seemed a long way off. My thoughts turned to Angela. On a whim, I punched in her number, fully expecting to leave a message.
The sound of her “hello” startled me.
“Hi, Angela, it’s me. I’ve been thinking about you.”
The sound of sobbing filled my ears. My heart fell to my feet. “What’s wrong, honey? Tell me.”
“It’s the baby ...”
“Oh no! What happened?”
“Nothing,” said Angela, between sobs. “I don’t care what anybody says, I want this baby.”
“Who is saying you shouldn’t have it? Does Reggie know about it?”
“I don’t want to disappoint my mother by having a baby like this. And, no, Reggie doesn’t know about it. He wants to get together, but I’ve put him off. Once he sees me, he’ll know. And, Ann, I love him, I really do, but I don’t want him to marry me and then regret it.”
I wondered how best to say it, then blurted out, “Don’t you think you owe him the chance to make that decision himself?”
“That will have to wait until I deal with Mom. I’ve put off coming home until after the party because I don’t want to upset her.”
“You might be underestimating her,” I said.
“Ann, you haven’t mentioned it, have you?” The panic in her voice was unmistakable.
“No, but it hasn’t been easy. Rhonda is not only my business partner; she’s my best friend. In so many ways, I owe her the truth. But I realize it’s not my truth, it’s yours.”
“I’ll be home in a few more days, and then it’ll all be out in the open.” Her voice shook. “You’re like a second mom to me, Ann.”
“I feel the same way about you, honey. Don’t worry. No matter what you do, you’ll have a comfortable place here at the hotel.”
“Thanks,” said Angela softly and then I heard the click of the phone.
I hung up, thinking of mothers and daughters and how much we all needed one another. And I couldn’t help wondering what Rhonda’s reaction would be to Angela’s news..
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Vaughn walked toward me, a smile on his face. My heart lifted. The people standing around me in the airport waiting for newly arrived passengers melted away as we continued to stare at one another. My man, my love, was home. I ran to greet him.
He dropped his suitcase and swept me up into his arms.
“It’s so good to have you home,” I said, lifting my face for a kiss.
His lips met mine in a tantalizing combination of taste and feel. In the midst of enjoying his kiss, I suddenly realized people had stopped around us and were staring. I dropped my arms.
“Ignore them,” growled Vaughn, but he too stepped away before clasping my hand in his and leading me away from the small crowd of people who’d recognized him.
“How are things in New York? Did the meeting go well?” In preparation for his return to the television show, he’d met with other members of the cast and the writers of the show.
He grinned. “The mayor of that crummy little town sure is a wily character. Believe it or not, I’m going to enjoy seeing what happens next.”
“Ah, but while you’re here, we’re going to forget you’re a mayor and treat you like any regular guy.”
He grinned. “A regular guy in love with the cutest hotel owner I know?”
I laughed. “A regular guy who is the apple of someone’s eye.”
This friendly banter, the easy way it was between Vaughn and me, was something that was precious to both of us. As hard as it was to think of waiting until June before we married, I knew it was best to hold off until our schedules would allow us to savor the whole celebration.
During the drive to my house, I studied Vaughn out of the corner of my eye. He leaned back against the passenger seat and lifted his face to the sun. I longed to reach out and touch his cheek.
He cracked open an eye and turned to me. “What?”
“Just glad you’re home, that’s all.”
A smile lit his face. “Me too.”
At home, Vaughn easily lifted his suitcase out of the trunk and, hand in hand, we walked to the front of my house. With him beside me, the blue of the sky met my eyes with a brightness that filled me with joy. The fronds of the palm trees rustled in the breeze, whispering their welcome, and a sense of peace filled me. The tension in my shoulders eased as the problems that usually tore at me lost their grip.
We entered my house, and I called out to Liz.
No answer.
Curious, I went into the kitchen to see if she’d left a note in our usual spot. A white piece of paper was tucked under the catch-all bowl holding keys and clips and other junk. I lifted it and read aloud: Have gone on a friend’s boat for the day. Say hi to Vaughn. See you later.
“So we’re alone?” Vaughn’s sexy smile sent a flurry of pin pricks racing up and down my body. Now I could welcome him home my way.
With my head resting on Vaughn’s chest, I could hear the slowing of his heart. I smiled to myself with satisfaction and felt my own body resume a more normal tempo. Making love with Vaughn was such a mixture of sensations, sweet and soft, pounding passion, gentle strokes, and almost rough kisses. I never tired of the various combinations.
“Sorry Nell couldn’t make the party,” said Vaughn, running his fingers through my hair. “I want her to get more comfortable being here at the hotel.”
“I understand why she couldn’t be here. The girls are at an age where their own lives and activities take precedence.”
“Mmmm. Gotta admit I was a little disappointed that Ty and June couldn’t join us. After the holidays, I want you to go to San Francisco with me. Think you can do it?”
“As long as it’s before Rhonda’s baby arrives, I can. She’s hoping for an Easter baby.”
He lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. “Are you sorry we can’t have a baby of our own?”
I hesitated and shook my head. “No, I can’t imagine having a baby at my age. But I’m happy for Rhonda and Will. Are you disappointed I can’t have more children?”
“No, I’m grateful for the ones I have, but I don’t want more. Besides, it gives me more time with you.”
I checked the clock. “Speaking of time ...” I kissed him and reluctantly started to climb out of bed.
He grabbed hold of me and tugged me back against him. Grinning, he said, “I can make this real fast.”
I laughed. “Not going to happen, big boy.”
His eyes filled with mirth. “Later.”
At the hotel, the atmosphere was abuzz with preparation for our Christmas Open House. The aroma of fresh pine lured me into the living room. Fresh greens adorned the mantel. A bar had been set up at one end of the room, and Tim was overseeing the storage of liquor bottles and racks of glasses behind the bar. During the party, he would assist the bartenders by supervising servers who would pass out glasses of champagne and sparkling water.
He noticed me and waved. I returned his greeting and went to check the dining room.
The waitstaff was dressing the tables with white linens and placing centerpieces I’d made of holly branches and white roses on each table. Small, white lights were strung among the beams of the ceiling, their wires spreading like glittering spider webs that seemed magical to me. Napkins and silverware, along with small china plates, were placed at one end of an extra-long buffet table, which sat at the end of the room ready to receive a bounty of food.
In the kitchen, Rhonda, Consuela, Carl Lamond, and Jean-Luc were preparing a variety of appetizers. Their fingers flew as they assembled little sandwiches, added items to toast rounds, and arranged little tastes on platters. Christmas music filtered into the room, adding to the whirring noise of mixers and other kitchen equipm
ent. The aroma of butter, citrus, and chocolate filled my nostrils, a harbinger of the delicious food our guests would enjoy. The smell of turkeys cooking and the unmistakable aroma of a huge, steamship round of beef wafted from the ovens in a delicious mixture. Two whole hams rested on a table.
My stomach growled in anticipation.
Rhonda looked up at me. “Give Vaughn a proper welcome home?”
My cheeks warmed at her suggestive expression, but Rhonda was Rhonda, and I didn’t care if she knew how happy I was to have Vaughn back with me.
I waved at Jean-Luc, Carl, and Consuela, then went into the office.
Dorothy was taping a small candy cane to each of the new spa brochures we intended to hand out. A few reservations had come in already for our “New Mother Spa Packages”.
After helping Dorothy complete the taping on the brochures, I sent her home to get ready for the party. Then I went to check on Ana and the housekeepers. They’d agreed to come back to the hotel in the evening to pass appetizers at the party. I needed to make sure they’d be here in plenty of time. If the party was anything like last year, the crush of people would be nonstop.
Later, when I returned to the kitchen, order was more or less restored. Sheet pans of appetizers filled a rolling pan rack, ready to be placed on serving trays. Jean-Luc and Carl were sitting in Jean-Luc’s cubicle off the kitchen deep in discussion. Rhonda and Consuela were seated at the kitchen table, sipping glasses of water.
I joined them. “Everything looks wonderful. Can I do anything to help?”
Rhonda shook her head. “Everything set up? Housekeepers? Tim? Dorothy?”
“I’ve got everything at that end ready to go. The policemen directing traffic will be here before six. You two better go home and rest a bit before coming back.”
“Yeah,” said Rhonda. “I’ve got to put my feet up for a while. But don’t worry, I’ll be back here way ahead of the party.”
Consuela got to her feet. “I’ll go home and change.”
I checked in with Tim. Satisfied he would be back at the hotel in plenty of time, I left the hotel to get ready.
Liz was at the house talking to Vaughn on the patio.
“Almost time to get ready for the party,” I announced.
Liz gave me a teasing smile. “Rhonda said your dress is really hot.”
“Oh?” said Vaughn, leering at me with exaggeration.
I laughed and went into my bedroom to get ready. Showing off the hotel was of more interest to me than showing off a new dress, especially one Rhonda had picked out for me.
Pulling the red dress out of the closet, I chastised myself for giving in to her. The dress was decidedly more daring than I usually wore.
After freshening up, I slid the silky garment over my head, tugging it this way and that to center the V in the front. The cut in fabric gave more of a peek at my breasts than I normally allowed, and I wished now that I’d bought something a little more conservative. Then my thoughts turned to Robert. He’d have refused to allow me to leave the house in this or in anything he thought inappropriate for the wife of someone in his position. What a crock!
Happier with my choice now, I clasped the pendant Vaughn had given me around my neck and slipped emerald earrings through my earlobes. The effect of the green jewelry with the red dress was a nice touch for the holidays.
Vaughn came into the room and let out a long, low whistle. “If it were only the two of us simply going out to dinner, I’d tell you to take off that dress right now. Guess there’s no chance of that tonight.”
“Not a chance,” I said, pleased by the way his gaze lingered on me with interest. “Better hurry up and get dressed.”
I went to check on Liz. When I knocked on her door, she emerged wearing a sleeveless black sheath that hugged her curves. The deep, dark color of her dress was in contrast to her long, blond hair, which met her shoulders in a simple wave.
“You look lovely, Liz,” I said, hugging her.
Pleased, she said, “I bet Vaughn liked your dress. It’s way cool, Mom. You know, when I was staying at Dad’s, he kept talking about you. I think he really regrets leaving you.”
I held up my hand. “Don’t go there, honey.”
Dressed in slacks and a sport coat, Vaughn walked over to us and offered an arm to each of us. “Ready to go, lovely ladies?”
Liz and I played along, each taking hold of an arm, and we left together.
As I stood with Rhonda at the front entrance of the hotel, I couldn’t help thinking of all the changes of the past year. Our lives had been filled with the whirlwind of getting the hotel off the ground and keeping it going.
I glanced at Rhonda. She wore a look of contentment that had been missing when we’d first met. But with Will’s love, and now, the expected baby, her face glowed with health and happiness. The green dress she wore fell in folds across the belly she could no longer hide. Its color, rich and deep, brought out the sparkle in her dark eyes and highlighted the blond curls that escaped the knot of hair at the back of her head. Her smile came from her heart, which was as big and generous as any I’d known. She was so much more than a business partner to me.
Rhonda elbowed me, tearing me away from my private thoughts. “Guess who’s here?”
I bit back a groan, smiled at a guest entering the hotel and focused on Brock Goodwin who was approaching the hotel with purpose. As he was president of the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association, there was no way we could avoid inviting him to the party. As much as Rhonda and I disliked him, we had to deal with his presence on occasions like this.
He climbed the front stairs of the hotel to us. Grasping Rhonda’s hand, he bent and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Happy Holidays. So glad I could come.”
I stepped away as he turned to face me. He pretended not to notice and moved to my side. Bending down, he kissed me on the cheek. “So your little friend was Valentina Marquis? How naughty of you, Ann, not to let me know. We both wanted to be neighborly.”
A sour taste filled my mouth. He was exactly the kind of man Tina needed to stay away from.
“Everything all right?” Rhonda asked, giving me a worried look as Brock walked away.
“It’s just Brock being Brock,” I grumped and turned to welcome the mayor of Sabal and his wife with a pleasant hello.
Later, after the bulk of the guests had arrived, I circulated in the downstairs rooms, making sure everyone had what they wanted. The happy buzz of conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the sound of silverware on plates was pleasing. People stood in conversational groups in the living room or sat in the dining room at tables with platefuls of food, chatting and eating. Once more I was struck by how well the seaside estate accommodated the workings of a small hotel.
“Penny for your thoughts,” said Vaughn, coming up to me. I accepted his kiss and ignored the fact that female eyes followed his every move.
“It’s nice to see so many people enjoying themselves here. It’s what we work so hard for—happy guests.”
“Liz looks delighted,” he commented.
I searched for Liz in the crowd. Troy and a number of other young men surrounded her, and her laughter rang in the air like a bird’s musical trill.
“She’s lovely. I’ll be proud to be her step-dad.”
My heart filled with gratitude. I turned to him. “I feel the same way about Nell. Ty too, though I don’t really know him.” Thinking of our families as one, our June wedding couldn’t come fast enough.
Rhonda came over to us and grabbed my hand with excitement. “The party’s going well, Annie. A lot of people have spoken to me about our spa. The local women like the idea of getting a discount. Several others told me they’re giving a spa package to their daughters or daughters-in-law as a surprise Christmas gift.” A smile lit her face. “And they’re so happy for Will and me. Can you believe it? Will and I celebrating like this at our age?”
I hugged her. “We’re all are so pleased for you.”
Tears came t
o her eyes. “I wish Angela was here. Thank God, she’s coming home tomorrow.”
I turned as someone called my name.
I was pleased to see Lorraine Grace. She walked over to me.
“Ann, I think we might have a problem. The Hassels are concerned about the lack of privacy here at the hotel. They’d been promised their wedding would be discreet, but they’ve learned about the incident with Valentina Marquis, and they don’t like it.”
“Don’t worry,” I said, choking back the taste of acid in my mouth, “I’ll write a letter to them addressing the situation.” We couldn’t lose the wedding now.
“Thanks. That would be wonderful.” Lorraine beamed at me. “Now I’m going to taste some of that delicious food of yours.”
I watched her enter the crowd, wishing that just once things would go smoothly. Then I saw Terri.
She waved and rushed over to me. “So glad I could make it. This party always works so well for me. I’ve set up a special interview with the mayor.”
“You won’t say anything about the wedding, will you? If you do, it might ruin your chances of exclusive, privileged information when it happens.”
Her eyes rounded. “Oh no! I won’t say a word. At least, not directly.”
She hurried away before I could stop her with another word of warning.
After the last guest had left and the hotel was almost back to normal, Rhonda and I plopped down on one of the couches in the living room and faced one another.
Rhonda gave me a high-five. “We did it again, Annie! Another great party.”
I sighed with pleasure as I flipped off my strappy heels. “I’m glad it’s over, but it went well. We’ve got a lot of interest in the spa now. Having Troy give tours of it was his idea, and it worked.”
Rhonda laughed. “Every woman under eighty can’t wait for him to get his hands on her.”
I joined in her laughter. Troy was charming. Even Liz seemed taken with him.
“What’s going on?” Will asked, approaching us.