by Judith Keim
“Could be. But, in this family, who knows? It’s been one surprise after another.”
“Speaking of that, how are you feeling? You’re looking a lot better.”
Sheena patted her stomach. “I think things are finally settling down with me. My family is rolling with the idea too. Now, we just have to move to the new house. It should be ready for us in another couple of weeks, right before your wedding. The kids can hardly wait to have their own swimming pool.”
“Does it seem strange to be living at the hotel with Regan and me gone?” Darcy asked.
“Honestly, it’ll be hard to leave. I’m going to miss the activity and the convenience of being close by. But I agree with Tony; we need to come together as a family away from the hotel.”
Darcy pulled into a parking spot in front of the bridal shop, and they went inside.
The owner, Georgia Hiller, greeted them with a smile. “Hello, and thank you for being prompt, Darcy. This is a busy time for us, and the seamstress is swamped.” She turned to her. “And this is Sheena, right?”
“Yes, Sheena Morelli, Darcy’s sister,” Sheena reminded her.
“Are you here to oversee the fitting?” Georgia said, giving her a speculative look.
Sheena shook her head. “Actually, I’m here to find a dress for me for the wedding. Something very simple in white.”
Darcy grinned at Georgia. “The others have their dresses. But Sheena needs to find a new one for a special reason.”
“I’ve just found out I’m pregnant, but I’d already put on a little extra weight and need to feel comfortable in something with a little more room.”
Georgia studied her. “All right, I can do that. Please help yourself to water, coffee, or tea in the waiting area, and I’ll bring some dresses to you I’m sure you’ll like. Considering Darcy’s dress, I imagine you want something in a light fabric, not too dressy. Right?”
“That would be perfect,” said Sheena. She followed Darcy into the waiting area. Plush loveseats in pale pink and over-stuffed chairs in floral prints sat atop a soft, ivory carpet. To one side, a white tea cart held the beverage offerings.
“See you later,” said Darcy. She followed a tiny, gray-haired woman out of the room.
Sheena poured herself some ice water and sat on one of the couches. This whole scene was so different from the hurried, almost-too-casual wedding she’d had. She was happy Darcy had the chance to enjoy planning and preparing for hers.
As she waited for Georgia to appear, Sheena thought of the changes ahead for her and her family. Meaghan was now thrilled with the idea of a baby. Michael was another story. Sheena suspected he was dealing with guilt over being happy he was off the hook of becoming a co-parent with Kaylee. He now detested her.
“Here we are,” said Georgia, breaking into Sheena’s thoughts. She bustled into the room carrying several dresses over her arm. She carefully placed them over the back of one of the couches and then lifted them up, one by one.
Sheena easily dismissed several of them. The last two, however, intrigued her. One was a simple, sleeveless linen sundress with an eyelet hem that added enough of a decorative touch to be attractive, yet nicely understated. The other dress had an empire waist, from which silky fabric flowed neatly, without excess bulk.
“Try them on and let’s see how they look,” Georgia urged her. “With your coloring and stature, both are going to look stunning.”
Sheena took them into a dressing room. As she removed her clothes, she studied the body that had betrayed her. Her stomach had a new curve, and her breasts were definitely bigger.
She tried on the empire-waisted dress first because she already liked the other one better. This dress reminded her of the clothing she’d be forced to wear in the coming months as she grew bigger. She took it off.
She changed into the sundress and sighed. It was perfect. Or would be for the few weeks between now and the wedding. And after her body recovered from the delivery, she might be able to use it.
“Well?” said Georgia, as Sheena stepped out of the dressing room in the sundress.
“This is the one. I love it.”
“It looks lovely on you.” She studied Sheena carefully. “And I don’t think it needs any adjustments.”
“Good. I’ll take it.” Sheena was tickled by the idea she wasn’t worried about the cost of the dress. For the first time in her life, she had a little extra money to spend.
Darcy approached her. “Find a dress?”
Sheena twirled in front of her.
“Oh, Sheena! It’s perfect!” Darcy’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “And I’m happy with mine. It’s everything I dreamed it would be. Now, it’s time to find some sandals. Are you game?”
“Sure,” Sheena said. “As long as I can get some food. I’ve gone from feeling sick to wanting to eat all the time.”
“Let’s have an early lunch, and then we’ll get back to the hotel to relieve Regan. She’s meeting with Mo late this afternoon to go over the finishing details of the Weathermans’ project.”
They left the bridal store and drove to the International Plaza and Bay Street in Northwest Tampa. There, they grabbed a quick chicken sandwich and went into Nordstrom’s. Sheena couldn’t remember when she’d had time like this to browse in a store without the feeling of guilt for looking for herself. After Darcy found the sandals she wanted, they raced to the sales racks to see what Darcy could find for her trip to Europe.
A couple of hours later, they made their way to Darcy’s car with armfuls of bargains. Sheena had even found a couple of maternity tops that would be cute when she needed them.
They stowed their packages in the backseat, settled in their seats, and took off.
Darcy turned to Sheena with a smile. “Thanks for sharing this day with me.”
“You don’t mind that I wouldn’t let you buy that outrageous pair of boots?”
Darcy laughed. “Regan and I know you’re the bossy one. But, yeah, you were right. They were ridiculously expensive. Even on sale.”
As they made their way back home, Sheena thought about her sisters. Growing up, their mother had often been ill in bed, leaving the care of her two younger sisters to her. Sheena hadn’t liked it, but she didn’t resent the responsibility of babysitting as much as Darcy had when she’d been forced to watch Regan. Living and working together during the last year, they’d finally come to understand one another.
###
Sheena entered the registration office and stopped in surprise. Two couples were waiting to be checked in.
“Where’s Regan?” Sheena asked Sally, one of Gavin’s people they’d hired to help them out.
“Taking guests to their rooms,” Sally answered, giving her an apologetic look. “Everyone arrived at once.”
Sheena turned to the couple with a smile. “Hello, I’m Sheena. We’re so glad you’re here. Sorry for the delay. Who’s next?”
Sheena slid behind the registration and took over for Sally. After quickly registering the two couples, Sheena offered to walk them to their rooms.
Before she could do so, Regan appeared. “Hi! Everyone ready to go to their rooms? I’ll take you. I’m Regan.”
After the two couples left with Regan, Sheena checked the reservations list. Fourteen of the twenty rooms were sold. Their numbers were slowly coming up.
“Thank goodness you appeared. This last half-hour, Regan and I were swamped,” said Sally. “Funny how everyone arrives at the same time.”
“I’m glad you were here to help Regan. It’s getting busier and busier.” Thinking of the twenty rooms they were about to complete, along with the eight suites, Sheena thought they might have to hire an additional, part-time employee to handle the afternoon rush. It was something she’d discuss with her sisters. In the meantime, she needed to make sure Sally was comfortable in the office alone because she and Michael had agreed to talk.
When Regan came back, Sheena took her aside and explained the situation. “Okay if Sally stays
here for a while longer? I’ll be back to close up, but I need some private time with Michael before Meaghan gets home from cheerleading.”
“Sure, Sally’s knows the routine. But remember, Sheena, I won’t be available at all tomorrow. I’m working with Mo to get my office set up at the development.”
“No problem,” Sheena said. She left and hurried to her suite.
Michael was in the kitchen eating a snack when she walked into the room. He looked up at her with a weak smile.
Sheena sat down opposite Michael and studied him. He appeared tired. And troubled.
“What’s going on? You said you wanted to talk to me.”
“I don’t think I want to go to college. My baseball coach thinks I have a good chance of being drafted by a major league baseball team for one of their minor league teams.”
Sheena’s mouth grew dry. “I thought you were excited about going to Florida State or the University of Miami for a college education and to play baseball. What happened? You’ve already been told you have a good chance of getting a scholarship to either school.”
“Maybe college is a waste of time,” Michael said, giving her a questioning look.
“Does this have to do with the situation with Kaylee? Because, if it does, I wouldn’t even go there. Someday you’ll have a family of your own—a good one. And then it will be necessary to be able to support them. In the meantime, learn all you can so you have choices on how you’re going to do that, not only for the immediate future but for the long term.”
Michael let out a long sigh. “I’ve been thinking about you and Dad and the baby. I see how happy and proud Dad is, and it makes me feel bad about what happened with Kaylee.”
Sheena rose and gave him a hug. “Oh, honey, you’re such a good guy, and someday you’re going to be a fantastic father. But what has happened is over. Time to move on. Isn’t that what your counselor has suggested?”
“Yeah,” said Michael. He looked up at her. “Are you excited about the baby?”
“You know what? I really am,” said Sheena, surprising herself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
REGAN
Regan hurried to the development Brian and Tony were building. Ventura Village would one day consist of forty-eight homes. Twelve were underway and four completed. The location, about a mile inland outside St. Petersburg, was in a nice, secluded pocket of homes between two golf courses.
She drove through the entrance admiring the decorative stone walls and plantings on either side and pulled into the driveway of an attractive, two-story home. This model—The Palms—had a master suite on the first floor, as well as an office, an open floor plan with a gourmet kitchen, a dining area, and a large family room. Outside, a huge, screened lanai looked out to a swimming pool landscaped with a waterfall and a spa. Upstairs, four bedrooms and two baths offered plenty of space. Regan loved it. She was excited about helping other families choose colors, fabrics, and finishing touches for the homes of their choice.
As Regan was getting out of the hotel van she’d borrowed, Mo drove up in his white 300ZX. She went over to him and gave him a quick hug. “Glad you could make it.”
He grinned. “Sure. It’ll be good to put together the final billing for Arthur. Tomorrow, I’ll help you set up your office, go over the contact list with you, and then, sweetie, you’ll be in business!”
“I have to admit I’m scared.”
He gave her an encouraging smile. “Remember, I’ll be only a phone call away. Any questions that come up can be referred to me until you’re comfortable. And before I leave for California, as I mentioned several days ago, I’ll connect you with an old classmate of mine, if you’d like. She’s been working in real estate, but she’s looking to get back into the decorating business. I’ve told her about you, and she’s pleased to meet with you.”
Regan’s eyes stung with unshed tears. “Nobody can take your place, Mo. Our friendship was perfect from the beginning.”
They went inside the house and to the office, where furniture of their choosing had recently been delivered. Furniture for the rest of the house was being delivered that week. Then, just before he left for California, Mo would help her with the finishing touches. Regan was both excited and saddened by the prospect.
Shelving had been placed along one wall of the office to hold sample books of fabrics, carpets, flooring, plumbing accessories, and other decorating items Regan would need to have available to show clients in the development.
They sat at a desk to work on a presentation book for the Weathermans’ projects. They included the preliminary drawings for each of the six restaurants, photographs of the final results, and, in a separate area in the back of the book, they presented the financial data for each project and included all invoices from suppliers and sub-contractors. Putting the book together like this was extra work, but both Regan and Mo had decided it would be time worth spending, hoping it would provide an incentive for a client like Arthur to work with them again.
A couple of hours later, the book and the financials were completed. Regan couldn’t help worrying about the final bill they were about to present for the work on all six restaurants. It was a big number.
Mo got to his feet. “We’ll meet with Arthur tomorrow morning and then work here in the office. Sound good?”
“Sounds great. Thank you,” said Regan. “You’re going into Orlando tonight?”
Mo nodded and smiled. “Kenton needs to meet with someone for PR on the new show. We’ll stay at the Ritz Carlton, and come home tomorrow. Have fun at Kenton’s place in your cozy little cottage.”
Regan smiled. She couldn’t wait to have some time alone with Brian.
###
Regan left the development eager to get to the cottage. She and Brian had moved in a couple of nights ago, but this would be the first evening she’d greet him with a home-cooked meal, and the first time they’d have complete privacy in Kenton’s luxurious pool.
Because her mother had been ill, Regan hadn’t been taught how to cook any more than the basics. But after eating Gracie’s good home cooking and tasting the meals at Gavin’s, Regan was interested in learning how to cook more exciting things. She’d bought the old, standard, Betty Crocker cookbook and was planning a simple, baked chicken dish and a tossed green salad with fresh, sliced tomatoes and avocados.
Regan pulled up to the cottage and hurried inside. She’d watched how easily Sheena prepared dinner for her family and wanted to have everything organized when Brian walked through the door. He would, she now knew, want a moment to have a beer or a glass of wine before dinner. She’d found it a nice way to start their evening and to build communication between them.
As she was setting the table, Regan studied the simple white dishes that came with the cottage. Darcy and Austin had picked out china and flatware for the condo together. Regan realized she had no idea what Brian would like. They hadn’t talked about such things. He’d told her when the time came, he would like her input on the house she wanted, but that’s as far as it had gone.
She sat down in a kitchen chair suddenly aware though she loved Brian and knew his body very well, she needed to know more about him if they were going to make a home together. The cottage was a good beginning, but everything had been provided for them.
At the sound of Brian’s truck pulling into the driveway, Regan jumped to her feet to greet him.
When he walked through the door and saw her, a huge grin lit his face. “Ahhh, so nice to come home to you.” He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close.
Regan leaned against his strong chest and sighed with satisfaction. Who cared what the house looked like as long as Brian lived there with her.
Brian lifted her chin and planted his lips on hers. As they embraced, his tender kiss changed, became more demanding.
Regan’s heartbeat raced. She could never seem to get enough of him.
When they broke apart, Brian smiled down at her. “Miss me that much, huh?”
; She laughed. “I’ve been looking forward to this evening all day.”
He gave her a gentle hug. “I knew we’d be good together.”
“Let’s sit for a few minutes while the chicken cooks,” said Regan. “There’s a cold beer in the refrigerator, unless you’d prefer a glass of wine.”
“Beer sounds good,” said Brian before going to the kitchen sink and washing up.
As Brian splashed water on his face, Regan observed the way his chest muscles rippled. The consistent exercises he did each day had kept those muscles strong.
Regan slid the chicken into the oven and followed Brian outside to the patio. They had a few minutes before sundown. Like every tourist to the area, Regan delighted in watching the sun disappear behind the horizon, spreading rosy hues in the sky that seemed to her like a heavenly benediction. She stared at the sun, hoping for a glimpse of the green flash—a phenomenon that arose when the right conditions in the atmosphere coincided with the exact moment the sun slipped from view. Though she had yet to see it, she never tired of looking for it.
Sitting in a chair beside her, Brian reached over and took hold of her hand. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
Regan turned to him with a smile. At one time that had been important to her. Now, she knew how little it mattered. After the accident, comments of her looking like Liz Taylor had ended, yet, she felt more confident than ever.
“How was your day?” Regan asked him.
Brian shook his head. “Frustrating as usual. I can handle the paperwork, do a lot of promo for the company, and even oversee the work, but I still can’t handle a hammer or a saw the way I want. I know I’m getting stronger, but I still have to be careful.”
Regan squeezed the hand that was still in hers. “I’m sorry, hon.”
“Me, too. How about your day? Getting settled in the office? I saw you brought some stuff in.”
“Tomorrow, Mo and I are going to get everything organized and go through his contact list. He’s told me of someone who could possibly help me out, but I want to see how I do on my own.”
