Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel

by Judith Keim

  “A penny for your thoughts,” said Brock, returning to the table and handing me a plate with a full sampling of food.

  “Just thinking about several things,” I answered truthfully.

  Brock gave me a pleased grin. “I hope it was something good. I have every intention of enticing you away from here for dinner Monday night. You’ll agree to come, won’t you?”

  I hesitated, then nodded. I had no desire to get involved with anyone else so soon, but it sounded like a pleasant evening.

  “I’d love to show you around the area,” he continued. “Florida is a surprising place, filled with interesting spots one could miss driving by, except for Orlando, of course. There, Mickey rules.”

  I laughed. It felt good to chat with a handsome man. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to flirt with someone. But that’s all it was, a few moments to enjoy. I had no time for anything else. Not with possible financial disaster hovering over me.

  After everyone left the party, I went through the house with Rhonda and Consuela, straightening and picking up champagne flutes and other drink glasses that had been missed.

  “What did you think of my party, Annie?” Rhonda said, smiling.

  I looked around the room where not long ago a substantial crowd had gathered. “It was fabulous, Rhonda. And now I know The Beach House is perfect, absolutely perfect, for what we’re planning.”

  Rhonda kicked off her sandals, plopped down on the couch and grinned at me. “Told ya.”

  I laughed and lowered myself onto the couch beside her, feeling more and more comfortable with our decision to go ahead with the hotel.

  Later, after Manny and Consuela and the rest of the staff had left, Rhonda and I relaxed around the pool in our bathing suits. The late afternoon sun felt good on my shoulders as I sipped iced tea and dangled my feet in the water.

  “Tell me about Dorothy Stern,” I said to Rhonda. “She’s a big fan of yours.”

  “Dorothy’s something else. She lives in a small apartment not far from here. She has some health issues, mostly with diabetes. I found out that some people living in her building have problems of a different kind, and Dorothy and I sorta helped them out.” Rhonda’s cheeks turned a shade of pink, and I realized she was embarrassed.

  I smiled, liking this new shyer side of her.

  CHAPTER SIX

  My heart pounding, I sat up in bed and took a steadying breath. I’d dreamed I was being chased by a monster, and no matter how fast I tried to run, I couldn’t move. Not with huge rocks strapped to my feet. I knew the significance of my dream. I still hadn’t received money from Robert and was worried I’d fail. I got up and poured myself a glass of water, trying to control the images that wouldn’t leave my mind.

  During breakfast I kept checking the clock, waiting for a decent time to call Syd Green. I swallowed the last of my coffee, went into the library, and phoned his office.

  After exchanging greetings with me, Syd cleared his throat. “’Glad you called. I’ve worked out a deal with Robert. I hope you’ll approve.”

  I held my breath.

  “Rather than the fifty percent of the stock value, we’ve agreed that your share will be forty percent. Robert wants more recognition for running the business all those years.”

  “But ...”

  “Listen to me, Ann,” interjected Syd, not unkindly. “I had to work hard to get even that, by forcing Robert to admit that he continued to seek and obtain your advice on most material financial matters throughout the years. This is far better than doing battle with him. That would cost you more than the ten percent he’s fighting for.”

  I bit back a bitter reply, but I knew now that it was up to me to fight for everything I could.

  “What about the payments? I hope that stayed the same.” It was difficult to force the words out between my clenched jaws. “He’s to pay me one-half now and the second half in three installments over the next twelve months. I will need every penny of it.”

  “He’s agreed to that. Apparently, he’s anxious to pay you off. With the birth of his little boy, he has another college education to think of in the future.”

  I gasped at those hurtful words. I’d wanted more children, but had lost two after Liz.

  “As I’ve pointed out to him on several occasions, he’s getting off easy,” Syd continued. “With that payment to you, he has no alimony and limited child support. He does have to provide health insurance for Liz and pay for her education, which has already been taken care of with the sale of the house. He knows he’s in a good position; he just doesn’t want to admit it. So relax and go on with your project. Good luck, Ann! You deserve it!”

  I hung up the phone and let out a trembling sigh. Within a year, I’d be free of Robert. Hopefully, I’d never have to ask him for another thing.

  Rhonda poked her head into the library. “Ready, Annie? Drew’s here.”

  Drew Carter was the architect Rhonda had hired for the hotel project. Young enough to be flexible, talented beyond his years, he was the perfect person to do the work for us. I’d even hired him to help me with the renovation of the cottage.

  Drew came into the room and unrolled the new plans he’d drawn up. He laid them across the large table we’d placed in the library. “I think you’ll be pleased with what we’ve done with the garage.”

  I eagerly took a look.

  He’d placed the commercial laundry room at the end of the garage closest to the hotel. Above it, he’d drawn the apartment for Manny and Consuela. It was surprisingly large, with lots of storage and an easy flow to the open space. Their apartment even had a nice balcony overlooking the tennis court and plantings beyond it, giving them privacy.

  “Wait until Manny and Consuela see this!” Rhonda’s dark eyes shone with excitement.

  “I’ll go get them. They’ll be thrilled,” I hurried out of the room to find them.

  I returned with them and stood aside as they listened to Drew explain what everything meant.

  At the hint of tears that coated Consuela’s eyes, a lump filled my throat. Standing beside her, Manny nodded his approval and turned to Rhonda.

  “You sure, Señora, this is what you want? It is so much.”

  “Are you kidding? It’s perfect having you here!” Rhonda exclaimed. “Right, Annie?”

  “Right,” I said with conviction. Consuela and Manny deserved everything we could do for them. They were two of the best. Having them close by would be a help to all of us.

  With a look of satisfaction, Drew packed up his things. “Very good. I’ll give you a call when the specs are complete.”

  Later, Rhonda and I ate a lunch of curried egg salad sandwiches and sipped Consuela’s special limeade by the pool.

  “I’m going to spend the afternoon with Dorothy,” Rhonda announced. “Do you mind, Annie?”

  “No, I need to do some work on my own.” After the call from Syd, I was anxious to redo my budget. I had to make sure I could handle my share of expenses. The sale of my stock to Robert would barely provide enough to do my share of start-up costs and only if he paid me on time. Bottom line, it would be touch and go. And if we couldn’t get the hotel up and running well from the start, it might not make it.

  Brock called later in the day to remind me he’d pick me up at six. I hung up and let out a sigh. I had no real interest in seeing him. Not with so much else going on in my life. I’d wanted to cancel earlier, but Rhonda thought it was a good idea if we kept things pleasant between Brock and us , with his being president of the neighborhood association. In order to please her, I went along with it.

  That evening, anxiety accompanied my every move as I showered and got dressed. It would be my first post-divorce date, and my stomach felt as if I swallowed a butterfly on steroids. Sitting on the edge of the bed as I slipped pearl earrings into my earlobes, I actually felt sick.

  “Annie? Brock’s here!” Rhonda called up the stairs.

  I swallowed hard and reassessed myself. The blue, sleeveless sundr
ess I’d chosen was classic and was nicely offset by the single strand of pearls I’d slipped around my neck. White strappy sandals completed the look.

  My mouth dry, I descended the stairs.

  Brock whistled.

  “You look wonderful, honey.” Rhonda’s colorful earrings jangled her approval as she gave me a quick hug. “Blue is definitely your color.”

  “Absolutely.” Brock’s gaze caressed me and lingered, making me feel as if he was mentally unzipping my dress. I wanted to run back up the stairs.

  Rhonda gave me an encouraging smile. “Have fun!”

  I squared my shoulders. “I’ll see you later. I won’t be late.”

  “Well, not too late.” Brock winked at me, and my body turned cold.

  Without so many people in it, Brock’s house seemed much larger. He excused himself and headed to the kitchen. I wandered through the spacious living room, admiring the exotic vases and art objects that filled shelves and niches.

  The sliding glass doors were open. Trying to relax, I stepped out by the pool and breathed in the mild, perfumed air. The pool area was surrounded by stucco walls covered with bougainvillea and other greenery, giving it a private, lush setting. The sky was clear. The full moon cast its glow on the surface of the pool, illuminating the scenery with soft light. A small table covered with crisp white linen sat in a corner of the garden.

  Brock came up behind me, and I turned to him with a smile. “This is lovely.”

  He grinned and handed me a flute of champagne. “I ordered this night just for you.” He raised his glass. “Here’s to a wonderful evening.”

  I took a sip of the bubbly liquid and turned to him. “This is something new for me. I haven’t been out on a date since my divorce.”

  His lips curved. “I’m delighted you chose to make that first date with me.” He checked his watch, set his glass down, and fussed with the grill.

  Chatting between us about nothing, I stood aside as Brock grilled Mahi Mahi. Then I followed him to the kitchen and helped him serve it, along with a mélange of vegetables and a crisp romaine salad.

  We carried our food to the outdoor table and sat in the balmy night air.

  “Mmm,” I said, taking a bite of the tender white flesh of the fish. “I didn’t know you could cook, Brock.”

  “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me.” He reached across the table and clasped my hand.

  I slid my fingers away from his and leaned back in my chair. “Tell me about your work. You have such interesting art pieces in your house.”

  “As a buyer of imports, I’ve traveled all over the world for my business. It’s afforded me a view of places most people don’t get to see. As you may have noticed, I especially enjoy native artwork in any medium. Besides, it’s fun to meet new people and learn about their culture.”

  “Rhonda tells me you’re also president of the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association.”

  Brock straightened in his seat. “Yes. It’s very important to have someone watching over things because you never know what somebody is going to try to pull off. In fact, the other day, I heard a nasty rumor about a hotel.” His eyes pierced mine. “We need to talk about that, Ann.”

  I stirred in my seat. We still didn’t have all the permits we needed. “What ... what have you heard?”

  He shook a finger at me. “I have friends in city hall and in the county offices. You can imagine my surprise when one of them asked how I was going to like a hotel in my own neighborhood.”

  His look of disapproval shot a cold chill through me. Realizing he wielded a lot of power, I tried to come up with the right words. “Rhonda and I want to turn The Beach House into a small, intimate, upscale hotel that would subtly fit into the neighborhood.”

  His eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Rhonda never mentioned a word of this to me. She should have, you know.” His pique at being left out showed clearly, and I instantly regretted giving him any details.

  “Actually, very few people know,” I hastened to add. “We’re applying for the commercial permits now. Perhaps you can help speed things along. We’d really appreciate it.”

  “Perhaps.” He seemed mollified by my request, and I breathed a little easier. We needed him on our side.

  We finished our meal and sat sipping coffee. I gazed up at the stars sparkling in the dark sky and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Despite my worries, the evening had turned out to be pleasant.

  “This has been very nice.” I folded my napkin at my place. “But I think I should be going back. I have to be up extra early tomorrow morning.”

  “Oh, but the evening is far from over.” Brock rose to his feet. “Let’s sit in the living room and settle our meals. I’ll put on some music.”

  Not wanting to appear rude I was resigned to spending a little more time with him. I moved into the living room and took a seat on one of the love seats.

  “Just a minute. I’ll be right back.” Brock left me. Soon soft strains of guitar music filled the room.

  Brock returned and lowered himself on the couch beside me. He stretched his long legs out in front of him and faced me. Smiling, he brushed back a strand of hair from my face and then cupped my cheeks.

  “You’re lovely. Know that?” His gaze told me what he wanted to do.

  My body tensed. “Brock, no ...”

  Ignoring my plea, Brock placed his arms around me and lowered his lips to mine. His hand cupped one of my breasts.

  Panic sprang up inside me. This wasn’t what I wanted. I pushed him away. “I’m sorry. I’m just not ready for this.”

  Brock grimaced as if I’d slapped his face. Frowning, he sat back, allowing me the opportunity to move.

  Feeling like a fool, I scrambled to my feet. “It isn’t you. It’s me. Please, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go home. All of a sudden, I’m not feeling well.”

  “If you insist.” His voice was as cold as a winter’s day.

  Humiliation washed over me, but I couldn’t change the way I felt. He’d acted like a creep. The whole idea was totally wrong.

  Brock delivered me home in silence and sped off in his car.

  I let myself in the front door. Hearing the sound of Rhonda’s voice on the phone in the kitchen, I snuck up the stairs.

  In my room, I slipped out of the sundress and looked down at my half-naked body. What was wrong with me? Tears stung my eyes. I looked normal for a woman my age—even good. Had Robert’s actions stunted me emotionally? It was all so confusing.

  I’d just climbed into bed when a knock came at the door.

  “Annie, are you in there?” Rhonda asked. “I didn’t hear you come in.” She opened the door and stepped inside. A grin spread across her face. “How’d it go?”

  I opened my mouth to answer her and burst into tears.

  “What’s the matter?” Rhonda rushed to my side. “Did he hurt you? If he did, I’ll kill him.”

  I caught my breath with a shaky sob. “No, no, it’s just that I got so upset when he came on way too strong. I don’t know if I’m ready for all this.”

  Rhonda put her arms around me. “Awww, honey.”

  “I mean it, Rhonda, how am I ever going to make it in this crazy, single world? I don’t even know who I am anymore. Everything I was before is ... is gone. My whole life is upside down!”

  Rhonda looked at me with sympathy. “We all go through times like this. But, Annie, it’s different for you. You’ve got a whole new life ahead of you ... with me and the hotel!”

  I returned her embrace, unable to visualize that life. Rhonda and I were so different, and the hotel? I might never be a part of it if Robert didn’t keep his word and pay me. And Brock Goodwin was another person who might stop us.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I was sitting in the library one evening, going over some paperwork when Rhonda burst into the room. “When I needed a building permit for the addition of the dining room and the renovation of the cottage and garage, it was no trouble. Why the problem with
a few permits for enlarging the parking areas and building an open-air chickee hut on my property near the beach? Huh? My lawyer even said some of the provisions are grandfathered from the previous hotel.”

  She paced the room. “The Gold Coast Neighborhood Association has tabled our request for their support until the board has had a chance to talk about it privately.” She stopped her pacing and turned to me with clutched hands. “Annie, we need their support.”

  I got to my feet. “The zoning for a commercial property like ours requires us to have a parking space for each room.” Acid burned my stomach. We couldn’t stand any delays. We wanted to be up and running smoothly by September, October at the latest.

  Rhonda’s face flushed with anger. “It’s all Brock Goodwin’s fault. What a bastard! He told everyone we were out to ruin their peaceful lives. It’s a damn good thing Jim Worthington was there with me, representing us. He explained we have room to accommodate cars on private property, so visitors would not have to park on the street. And the tropical-style hut was just a place where guests could gather in the shade.”

  She exhaled. “After the meeting, I pulled Brock aside and demanded to know just what was going on. You wanna know what he said?” Rhonda lowered her voice in imitation. “‘I want to make sure you won’t ruin my upscale neighborhood.’ How do you like them apples? Pretty nervy, him saying that, after I took this falling-down property and turned it into something real nice, and after you gave him a heads up and asked for his help.”

  I remembered how angry he’d been with me when I demanded to go home. Was he that much of a jerk that he’d try to get back at me? “We’d better make a list of concerns brought up in the meeting so we can address them one by one.” Without the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association’s support, we might be permanently stalled.

  After a restless night, I rose early, slipped on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and tiptoed downstairs. Stealing outside to the lawn by the beach, I gazed up at the pale-pink fingers of the sunrise reaching across the gray sky. The mournful cries of seagulls greeted the dawn. I drank in the salty smell of the Gulf and sighed. Hearing the gentle lap of waves that kissed the sand and curled away, I stepped out onto the sand. No one else was nearby.