by Judith Keim
When I walked into the living room, Vaughn was sitting on the floor making appropriate noises with Robbie as they pushed plastic trucks around. I pulled out my iPhone from my purse and quickly snapped a photo of them.
Vaughn’s eyes sparkled as he turned to me. The dark, silky curls I loved to twine my fingers through hung in a clump before his brow. “Wonder what my fans would think of me now.”
I smiled. “They’d love you, like always. But not as much as me.” He had no idea how handsome he was, how he’d touched my heart with his gentle playtime with Robbie.
Vaughn got to his feet and swung Robbie up in his arms. “Okay, fella. Time to turn you over to Liz.” He gave him a kiss on the cheek and handed him over to Liz. “Here you go. You and Elena are in charge. Your mother and I will return tomorrow morning in time for breakfast. I’ve got a mid-morning flight.”
I gave Robbie and Liz kisses and allowed Vaughn to tug me out of the room, pleased by his eagerness.
After we got settled in the car, I turned to him. “Where are we going?”
“The Palm Island Club. Remember our first visit?”
I smiled. In many respects, our relationship had begun after dining there. After dinner that night, we’d returned to my house for a walk on the beach. In the moonlight, with the movement of the water whispering to us, we’d promised each other to see where our relationship would take us. The Palm Island Club would always be special to me.
Vaughn parked his car in the small parking lot at the end of a cul de sac. At the nearby dock, a motor launch awaited guests. The Club sat on a small spit of land most easily reached by a short boat ride, which made a visit there even more fun.
We got out of the car, grabbed our bags, and walked onto the dock. A member of the club staff greeted us. “Welcome, Mr. Sanders. Good evening, Ms. Rutherford. May I help you into the boat?”
“Yes, thank you,” I said, trying to ignore the gasps of pleasure from the people seated in the boat at the sight of Vaughn. I’d never get used to it, but this kind of attention didn’t seem to faze him.
I found a place to sit alongside the port side of the boat, and Vaughn joined me. The boat’s engine revved, and we pulled away from the dock. Vaughn held my hand as the boat sliced through the water, leaving a small wake behind. A number of seagulls followed us, no doubt hoping our disturbing the water might produce food for them. I watched them lift up into the air and swoop down again like pieces of popping corn, their noisy cries muffled by the roar of the boat’s engines.
Vaughn squeezed my hand and smiled at me, absently rubbing my engagement ring.
As I did so often, I wondered at all the changes he had produced in my life. Meeting Vaughn and falling in love with him was one of the most surprising and best things that had ever happened to me.
After the short ride, we approached the club’s dock. After being helped onto it. I waited for Vaughn to join me. Before he could leave the boat, he was quickly surrounded by admirers. He managed to step onto the dock and paused long enough to sign a few autographs.
A staff member took our suitcases, and we headed up a path to the rustic main building.
“Mr. Sanders, wait!” came a cry behind us.
A middle-aged woman hurried toward us, waving a piece of paper. “Will you please sign an autograph for my friend?”
Vaughn stopped. “Sure. Should I make it out to anyone special?”
The woman clasped her hands. “Just say it’s for Linda.”
Vaughn scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it back to her.
“Oh my! Thank you!”
“Aunt Linda, are you coming?” called one of the younger guests.
As she hurried away, Vaughn and I looked at each other and laughed. Lots of people apparently had so-called “friends” like hers.
“Well, Mr. Sanders,” I said, taking hold of his hand. “It seems as if you have all kinds of fans here tonight. How are we ever going to have a peaceful dinner?”
“Ah, I’ve taken care of that. Come with me.”
We bypassed the main building and walked down a path leading to a number of cabins tucked in among Australian pines, coconut palms, sea grapes, and other greenery.
“I’ve arranged for us to have a private meal in our cabin,” Vaughn said.
“Nice,” I said, relieved to have him to myself. Sharing Vaughn wasn’t always easy, and on this, our last evening together for a while, I dreaded the thought of him leaving.
With their weathered-gray clapboard exteriors, the cabins presented a rustic image. But I knew from a previous tour of the property that they were anything but rustic inside.
We followed the bellman to the front door of the cabin closest to the beach. With a flourish, the bellman unlocked the door and held it open while we entered.
We walked into a main living area that held a couch, three over-stuffed chairs and accompanying tables and lighting. By the window looking to the beach, a marble-topped table was set for dinner for two. Orchids formed a floral centerpiece. Crystal wine glasses sparkled beside water goblets. Heavy silverware defined the settings placed atop plush, floral placemats.
“May I show you to your bedroom?” asked the bellman, exchanging a look with Vaughn that caught my attention.
Vaughn and I walked to the bedroom door and looked inside. Touched by the scene in front of me, I turned to Vaughn with tears. Red rose petals were sprinkled atop the lightweight blanket and on the fluffy pillows. The lights in the bedroom had been dimmed. Soft, soothing music flowed from the special wireless speaker on the bureau. A number of lit candles sat on tables, flickering an invitation for us to come inside.
“You arranged this?”
He nodded, sheepishly.
As the young bellman arranged our suitcases on racks, I gave Vaughn a quick kiss. “Thank you. It’s wonderful.”
The bellman tipped his head. “Dinner will be served anytime you call, Mr. Sanders.”
Vaughn slipped him some money, and after the door closed behind him, Vaughn turned to me. “I want this to be special for us—away from your worries at the hotel and our duties as new parents.”
“Then let’s make it special,” I said, giving him a saucy grin.
He grinned, took my hand, and we went into the bedroom together.
###
Following the first course of lightly seared baby scallops tossed in a sweetened-lime dressing, the entrée was a mustard-and-crumb-crusted rack of lamb served with mint jelly and accompanied by a mélange of vegetables and oven-roasted potatoes. Though Vaughn was normally careful with his diet, it was fun to see him dig into a meal like this with enthusiasm. A crisp, green salad, to cleanse our palates, came next. A light, lemon sorbet with a raspberry sauce ended the meal.
After the servers had gone, taking all the remains from the meal with them, Vaughn turned to me. “Shall we go for a walk along the beach. There’s enough moonlight to allow us to see.”
“Yes, I need to move around after a meal like this.” I got to my feet, eager to get outside. I went into the bedroom to get my sweater and sat down on the bed, still rumpled from our lovemaking.
“You all right?” said Vaughn, poking his head inside the room.
“Give me a minute to make a phone call. I need to make sure everything’s all right with Robbie.”
Vaughn frowned. “Is this how it’s going to be moving forward?” There was an edge to his voice.
I looked up at him. “Pretty much.”
The frown smoothed out. “Guess I’d forgotten what it’s like. Ellen was the same way when our kids were small.”
“It’s hard to go back to that kind of life,” I admitted. “But I can’t do it any other way. We’ve made a commitment to Robbie, and I’m going to do my best with him.”
“Do you think we’ve made a mistake by taking him on?” asked Vaughn. “In retrospect, it was an awfully hasty decision.”
I rose and wrapped my arms around him. “No, I don’t think it’s a mistake. After a ho
rrible accident that took his parents away, Robbie needed a new family with his sister, your children, and us. He’s one of the luckiest little boys I know to be given an opportunity to have all the advantages he’ll have living with all of us.”
Vaughn tipped my chin and gazed down at me with a smile so full of love, my heart lifted.
“You’re a very nice lady. Know that?”
I responded to his gentle kiss with gratefulness. We both knew taking on a toddler wasn’t going to be easy. Furthermore, it was a challenge that would stay with us all our lives.
Vaughn gave me a love pat on the bum. “Hurry and make the call and then let’s go. I’ll wait for you outside.”
Liz answered my call. “Hi, Mom! What’s up?” There was a happy lilt to her words I was glad to hear.
“I’m calling to check on things. Did Robbie go to bed all right?”
“Yes, he’s fine. Chad is here. He’s dropping off supplies so he can do the work for Vaughn tomorrow. And, Mom, Elena and I had a good talk about Troy. They’ve known each other for a while, and now, it’s really gotten serious between them. So Troy’s not wanting to date me wasn’t really about Robbie.”
“Good. That makes me feel better about a lot of things. I’ve got to go. We’ll be back tomorrow morning. Thanks for taking care of Robbie. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Chad is awfully cute, don’t you think?”
I chuckled. “Goodbye, Liz.”
###
After the walk on the beach, Vaughn and I turned out the lights in the cabin and headed into the bedroom. Earlier, our lovemaking had been lustily hurried. I needed a different kind of time with him.
I undressed and began to put on my new peignoir set—fluttery black shorts and a black silk camisole trimmed in pink lace.
Vaughn’s gaze remained focused on me as I slid on the silky shorts and prepared to slide the top over my head.
He grinned playfully at me. “Whoa, woman! What do you think you’re doing? I’ll just have to take them off.”
I laughed. “At least let me model them for you. They cost a bundle. Take a seat.”
I slid the top on and then pretended to do a model strut in front of him, swinging my hips with every step.
“You’re killing me!” He reached out, clasped my elbow, and pulled me onto his lap.
His lips came down on mine, gentle, yet demanding. I knew what we both wanted and was pleased when he helped me remove the camisole and lifted me on top of the bed. My heart pounded with anticipation as I waited for him to disrobe and join me. I saw how ready he was and opened my arms to him, well aware of the pleasure that awaited me.
Later, sated and lying next to him, I realized how much I’d come to enjoy him—not just sexually, but in the way we fit together, the way we talked after making love, and, afterward, the way we curled up together as we drifted off to sleep.
Tonight had proved to be as wonderful as the others.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sadness filled me as I pulled up to the airport. Neither Vaughn nor I was sure when he’d be able to return. The short break from filming the soap usually meant extra hours of work, depending on the schedules of the other stars. I’d thought the time would come after we were married when I could go back and forth from Florida to New York with him. Now, with the added care of Robbie, along with my hotel business, that was much more unlikely.
“Come home soon,” I said, giving him a kiss, which I hoped conveyed my feelings.
We broke apart, and he lifted my chin. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. But you know what my life is like.”
I did. His wasn’t a simple job. It involved much more than the television show. He had commitments to charities and to his own children. I understood that. But it didn’t make it any easier.
Vaughn got out of the car, gave me a wave of his hand, and then he was gone.
Sighing, telling myself to focus on the future, I left the airport and headed to the hotel.
###
As soon as I walked into my office, Dorothy knocked on the door and entered, waving a piece of paper at me.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“A cease and desist order from the Neighborhood Community Board. Someone has complained about the noise from the hotel’s sound system.”
“What noise?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.
“The other evening, Bernie piped music out to our beachside deck for one of our new sunset cocktail parties. That’s all I know. Here. Read this.”
I took the paper from her, glanced through it, and went to find Bernie.
I knocked on the door to his office, and at his request to enter, I went inside.
“What’s this about music at the hotel being too loud?” I asked him, taking a seat in one of the two chairs facing his desk.
He frowned. “Who’s objecting? After we got our license from ASCAP, I started using wireless speakers to play music for our sunset cocktail hours right here on our own property. We don’t play anything but soft, soothing music that isn’t the least bit loud.”
I could feel goosebumps race up and down my back. Was Brock Goodwin up to his old tricks?
“Have you received any calls on this?” I asked, handing him the notice.
Bernie shook his head. “None has been reported to me.”
“No calls from someone named Brock Goodwin?”
“No. Why? Should I know him?”
“He’s the president of the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association board and a real jerk. He’s caused us a lot of trouble in the past. Let me know if he ever tries to speak to you about this or anything else.”
“Okay.” He studied the notice and turned to me with a frown. “What do you want to do about this?”
“I’m going to talk to Rhonda, and then I’ll get back to you.” I rose. “Thanks, Bernie. Everything still on for Annette Bauer’s visit?”
He smiled. “She’ll be in Friday morning. I’ve arranged for Tim to pick her up.”
“Good.” I hated loose ends, and after losing out on their business, I hoped the Hassels would be pleased with Annette’s daughter’s wedding. Too bad their own daughter had run off with another man before her own wedding here at the hotel, leaving us to cope with an unexpected cancellation.
Instead of going back to the office, I decided to pay Rhonda a visit. I’d missed her and I was dying to see little Willow again. I checked in with Dorothy and left the hotel.
On the drive, I thought about Bernie. He was very capable and learning to deal with a small upscale resort instead of a busy, commercial hotel in the city. I didn’t want to lose him. With Rhonda’s baby and Robbie’s arrival in my life, neither Rhonda nor I could devote the kind of overtime we’d put into the operation in the past.
I parked my car in the driveway of Rhonda and Will’s house and admired the well-tended landscaping, the peaceful setting. The beige, two-story house with a brown, tile roof was elegant in its simplicity. Sitting on the edge of a small lake a block inland from the Gulf, it enjoyed the best of both worlds.
Anxious to see how Rhonda was doing, I knocked on the door.
Rita opened the door. “Ah, Ann. It’s so good to see you. Rhonda’s in her sitting room upstairs. It hasn’t been a good day.”
Worry caused me to frown. “Oh? Is she all right?”
Rita shook her head. “Go see for yourself. She’ll be glad you’re here.”
When I walked into the sitting room off her bedroom, I found Rhonda staring out the window, her cheeks moist with tears.
“Oh, honey,” I cried, rushing over to her. “What’s wrong?”
She looked up at me and sniffled. “Everything. I’m worried my milk supply isn’t enough. All Willow wants to do is eat...constantly. And, Annie, if I seemed fat before, I’m even fatter now.” She poked at her stomach. “See this? It’s as doughy as...as... the cinnamon rolls I make.” She let out a little sob. “I’m a mess. A total ugly mess.”
I took hold
of her hands. “Look at me. You’re beautiful, and you’ve just had a beautiful baby. It takes time to get back to normal.”
Rhonda drew in a shaky breath. “It’s those obnoxious movie stars. They pop out a baby and, presto, their stomachs are flatter than ever. There’s no fuckin’ way that’s possible. I hate their twenty-four-hour trainers and everything about them.”
I sat in the overstuffed chair opposite her and studied her. “Do you think some of this has to do with the post-partum blues? It would be natural to feel a little down and overwhelmed.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not it. It’s about Will.”
“Will?”
Rhonda nodded. “All he does is pay attention to Willow. He’s absolutely foolish over her.” Fresh tears spilled from her eyes. “He...he sometimes doesn’t even seem to know I’m around. It’s not...like it...used to be,” she hiccupped between sobs.
I rose, went to her, and wrapped my arms around her. “Will adores you, Rhonda. I imagine he’s still enthralled by the miracle that his love for you has produced. But you’ll always be number one with him. He’s told me more than once that he couldn’t live without you. Have you seen how he looks at you?”
Rhonda dabbed at her eyes and gave me a hopeful look. “You think that’s all it is? I remember how it was to lose Sal to all those young girls. I could never be like them.”
“Oh, hon. what you really need is a little pampering. I’m going to call the spa right now and make arrangements for you to get a mani and a pedi. Then I’m going to call Malinda at Hair Designs for an appointment for you later this afternoon. Okay?”
“You’d do that for me?” Rhonda’s face brightened. “Oh, it’ll be so good to get out of the house and have some time to myself.” She got to her feet with renewed energy. “Let’s go into the nursery and take a look at Willow. She’s the sweetest thing ever!”
I smiled. This Rhonda was so much better.
Before we left her room, I quickly punched in the spa’s number at the hotel and spoke to Troy. He agreed to fit Rhonda into the schedule within the hour. And when I talked to Malinda, she agreed to stay late to take care of Rhonda’s hair. I hung up and gave Rhonda the news.
