by Judith Keim
“You almost ready?” He came into the bedroom, and I was sorry we’d agreed to have dinner with Roger Sloan and his wife, Darlene. Vaughn’s producer had decided at the last minute to come to Sabal. Though Roger couldn’t book a room at the hotel, he wanted to dine with us. I told myself the least I could do was to be gracious about the invitation. Darlene had spread the word about The Beach House Hotel among a wide circle of people in New York. And Vaughn had informed me that he was in the midst of contract negotiations with Roger for next year’s show, and this dinner was important to him.
Business is business, I told myself as I greeted Roger and Darlene Sloan and their friends, Bob Masterson and Lily Dorio at one of the nicest restaurants in town.
At dinner, I was seated opposite Vaughn, next to Roger Sloan. I tried to hide my dismay when Lily, sitting next to Vaughn, made a show of hanging onto Vaughn’s every word. She batted her eyelashes at him in what fast became a parody of infatuation. I might have been tempted to laugh at her adoration of Vaughn, but as it was, I was having trouble feeling part of the group. The conversation centered on mutual friends in New York and gossip among the theater group.
When talk finally turned to the right of free speech and creativity versus violence on television, I perked up.
Roger went into a tirade against those who wished to control artistic endeavor. “Everyone should be allowed to express themselves however they want, regardless of how it affects others.”
Vaughn turned to me. “What do you think, Ann? Do you agree?”
I was grateful to be included and looked around the table. “I’m wondering where common sense and good taste play a part in all this. Creativity should not be stifled, nor should government attempts to control it be tolerated. It’s simply a matter of personal responsibility.”
Roger snorted at me. “You don’t know anything about the television business or what it’s like to try to arrive at something at the bottom line that makes sense. People today want blood and guts and gory, weird, kinky stuff. Look at some of the reality shows and talk shows. Those fools are willing to spill their guts about anything.”
I persisted. “That’s where responsibility comes in. Too many television programs appeal to the baser qualities in people ...”
Lily cut me off. “You’re very naïve, Ann. The world can be an ugly place, filled with rotten people. What’s wrong with showing it that way? That’s what people want, just like Roger says. They don’t deserve anything better.”
I glanced at Vaughn, wondering if he was as irritated by my remarks as the others.
Vaughn winked at me, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. Robert would have been furious with me for making waves.
“I think Ann has something there,” Vaughn said. “I’ve thought a lot about it recently. I believe you’ll see a change back to more traditional movies and programs. Oh, I don’t mean we’ll go back to the overly simplistic ones of long ago. Life has become much more complicated, after all. I just think some people are tired of all the aimless violence without apparent artistic purpose.”
“Are you tired of it?” Darlene asked, entering the conversation.
Vaughn nodded and gave her a steady look. “Yes, I am.”
“Do you mean to tell me that if a great part came up, one that involved a lot of violence, you’d turn it down on principle alone?” Roger’s tone was scornful.
Lily laughed and pushed at Vaughn playfully. “No, he wouldn’t. He would look so adorable playing the tough guy, he couldn’t resist. Right, darling?”
My lips tightened at the way she leaned into him, resting her ample bosom on his arm.
Vaughn glanced at me and turned to Roger. “I might. I just might turn it down.” He glanced at me again and smiled.
The conversation remained on show biz. I turned to Darlene, sitting on my other side. She’d been especially quiet. I had the uneasy feeling she and Roger had been fighting. They’d ignored each other all night.
When it was time to leave, I was more than ready to go. Lily was still draping herself across Vaughn, and I was having a difficult time accepting it. She knew Vaughn and I were together, and she’d come with Bob Masterson. I couldn’t understand why she was acting this way. Was this how it was in show business?
Vaughn and I drove back to the hotel in silence.
He pulled my car into my garage and turned to me. “You’re awfully quiet. Is everything okay?”
I shrugged. “I was thinking about the dinner conversation. I hope people like Roger Sloan, who have the power to make some changes in programming, have the courage to do so. Even though we didn’t agree on the issue of violence and television, I think he’s a bright man.”
Vaughn gave my hand a squeeze. “I was proud of the way you handled yourself tonight. You were well-spoken and honest. Not many people will stand up to Roger Sloan.”
“Hopefully, things will change, even if your very dear friend, Lily Dorio, doesn’t think so.”
Vaughn chuckled. “Do I detect a note of jealousy here?”
My cheeks turned hot. “Should I be jealous?”
“Of Lily?” Vaughn’s expression turned incredulous. “Not on your life.”
I let out a confused sigh. “Then, why did you let her hang all over you tonight?” I couldn’t hide my dismay.
“It was harmless, believe me. She does that to any man she thinks is attractive at the moment. It doesn’t mean a thing.”
“I see.” I got out of the car and turned to go inside.
Vaughn stopped me. “Hey! Wait a minute! You’re not going to let that bother you, are you?” A trace of annoyance crept into his voice.
I shook my head. “No. I’ll just put that in the same category as the newspaper article and try to live with it. You’re used to all of this. I’m not. C’mon, let’s go in and have an after-dinner drink and relax.”
Vaughn grinned. “That’s my girl.”
We sipped Kahlua over ice and sat in companionable silence before going to bed, where Vaughn proved to me Lily Dorio definitely wasn’t on his mind.
Long after Vaughn had fallen asleep, I lay in bed wrestling with my thoughts. Honesty forced me to face the fact that many things threatened a long-term relationship with Vaughn Sanders. I liked him; I loved him. I needed him; I didn’t want him to interfere with my goals. I loved being with him alone; I hated being part of an entourage around him in public.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The moment came to say goodbye to Vaughn. We sat at the kitchen bar at my house, facing each other, sipping coffee.
I felt like weeping. During our short time together, I’d given him my heart. With his departure, I’d be left empty and cold. “I wish you didn’t have to leave.”
The brown in his eyes darkened. “I wish I knew what’s ahead for us. I have no idea how the contract negotiations are going to go. You can’t leave your job. I can’t leave mine. It’s sort of crazy, our being together, but it’s what I want. At this point, I can’t promise you anything except to tell you how much you mean to me.”
His honesty stung, but what else could he say? As always, our future was uncertain.
The ride to the airport was quiet, the air between us filled with unspoken words.
After he’d boarded the small, private jet carrying him, the Sloans, and Lily, I stood forlornly inside the terminal of the Sabal airport. Though I knew he couldn’t see me, I wiggled my fingers in a final sign of farewell. He’d promised to return in time for Rhonda’s wedding, but I didn’t know how I could survive those interminable weeks without him until then.
I walked slowly back to the car. Vaughn’s presence had filled me and my house with a vibrant, passionate love. I already felt at loose ends.
My work at the hotel helped keep me busy. Rhonda and Will were scheduled to return that afternoon, and I wanted everything to be in order by the time she showed up. Her weekend away was a test of sorts to see how things would go when she and Will went on their extended honeymoon.
Joey Howard, Tim’s friend from school, came for an interview.
His unkempt appearance was a far cry from Tim’s neatness. As we talked, I reminded myself that he wouldn’t be in front of the guests, but working behind the scenes assisting Paul with the landscaping. Physically, he appeared to be more than capable of doing heavy yard work.
“It’s important to have the grounds of the property looking their best at all times. Manny, our landscaper, has been in an accident. In his absence, you are needed to work beside his nephew, Paul. Anyone hired for a job at this hotel must sign a confidentiality agreement, keeping the names and faces of our guests private. Are you willing to do that?”
Joey shrugged. “Sure. So, how much does the job pay?”
“Twelve dollars an hour.” It would cost at least that much or more through a temp agency.
He frowned but nodded. “Okay.”
After Joey filled out the paperwork, I called Tim in, grateful to have one less problem to worry about. Tim agreed to introduce Joey to Paul and to show him where the garden supplies were kept.
A couple of hours later, I was in the office, working on figures, when I overheard voices in the hallway by the dining room.
“I’m not taking any more orders from a Mexican!”
I stopped and sat quietly, listening for a reply.
“Paul is a good guy,” Tim said with surprising firmness. “He works hard, and he knows a lot more about landscaping than either you or I do. It’s his uncle who’s really in charge of all that around here, but he’s out of work with a broken leg. That’s why you got the job.”
“Well, I don’t like it,” Joey grumbled.
“Look, do you want the job or not?” I silently cheered at the disdain in Tim’s voice.
“Okay, okay, I’ll do it,” Joey said. “Jeez! You don’t have to be such a hard ass about it!”
“Yeah, well I’m the one who recommended you, so you’d better do a good job,” snapped Tim.
They moved away, and my estimation of Tim rose even higher.
The phone rang, and when I saw who it was, I smiled and picked it up. “So how was it?”
Rhonda laughed. “Perfect. Just perfect. We should be there in another hour. We heard about the storm on the radio. How’s The Beach House Hotel?”
“We were lucky. No real damage. Hurry home. I can’t talk now; someone’s here to see me.”
Sarah Patten, a young lawyer from New York, looked unhappy as she sat in a chair opposite me.
“What can I do for you?” I asked her.
“I asked for a room close to the beach, but I’ve been put in one overlooking the front circle. That’s not what I want.”
I groaned inwardly. Thirty-two guest rooms and she had to end up in one she didn’t want. “Let me check the reservations.” I opened up the reservations file on the computer and tried to figure out who I could shift around. “Okay, I can move you to a beachside room, but it sits in the middle of the wing. Will that do?”
She nodded. “That would be much better. Can you have someone move my things for me?”
I forced a smile. “I’ll be happy to help you. Anything else?”
“Yes. You know the flowers you put in the room? Well, I think I might be allergic to them. So I don’t want any fresh flowers in my new room. And the bottle of water, could it be sparkling instead of still water? And could I have three packages of mixed nuts instead of two?”
I reminded myself this was the hotel business and hid my irritation.
###
I’d just finished helping Sarah get her things into her new room when I noticed the time and hurried downstairs to wait for Rhonda and Will. All was in order for their arrival, including the repairs in the laundry room.
Moments later, Rhonda and Will pulled through the entrance. I ran down the front stairs to greet them.
Rhonda climbed out of the car and grabbed me in one of her bosomy hugs. “Good to be back home!” Releasing me, she stepped back and glanced around. “But, Annie! We had no idea things were so bad around here—so many trees and branches down.” Her cheeks turned a pretty pink. “We didn’t even turn on the television over the weekend, and you didn’t call like you promised you would if anything bad happened.”
“There was no way I was going to interrupt your time with Will. You told me it was a pre-honeymoon trip.”
“Oh, honey! Was it ever!” She lowered her voice. “He’s even hotter than Sal. How did I get so lucky?” Rhonda’s cheeks turned even redder, and I smiled. She was positively glowing.
Glancing at Will, I noticed he wore a look of satisfaction himself.
Rhonda elbowed me. “So how did it go with you and Vaughn? Knowing you two were together again, I almost hated to leave.”
It was my turn to be flustered. “Well ... it was ... well ... wonderful!”
Rhonda threw her arms around me. “I knew it! You two are great together. Maybe I’d better save my notebook of wedding ideas. You might need them.”
“Whoa! That’s not going to happen anytime soon, if ever. He’s in New York, and I’m here.”
“Right,” scoffed Rhonda. “And I’m thin as a rail.”
I grinned. The idea of marrying Vaughn was startling, but not totally unreasonable. Was it?
###
With Rhonda back at the hotel, things settled into a more relaxed routine for me.
Paul maintained control of the yard and gardens with much conferring from Manny, who, Consuela informed me, quizzed the boy unmercifully each evening. I kept an eye on Joey, but as far as I knew there were no further problems between Paul and him.
Then, after I received a complaint about Joey from one of our guests, I called him into the office.
“Yeah? You wanted to see me?”
I gritted my teeth at his insolent manner. “Please sit down.”
His attitude as he slouched in a chair with a bored expression sharpened my tongue. “You have signed a statement of confidentiality that we expect you to honor. I understand you told one of our other guests that Shelly Saxton was due to arrive. Comments like that are inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Actors, along with our other guests, have a right to their privacy. No such information about any of the people staying here will be discussed by any of our staff. You are to remain silent and do your job. Is that understood?”
Joey rolled his eyes and nodded.
“You can imagine my embarrassment when one of our guests brought this matter to my attention,” I continued. “What you see and hear on these premises is confidential. Period.”
“Is that all?”
“For now. If anything else comes up, we’ll have to let you go.” I knew that our confidentiality policy wasn’t always easy to keep, but it was important. I’d been shocked a few months ago when a tall, good-looking young man-of-the-cloth arrived at the hotel and had literally discarded that persona, along with his clerical collar. I became even more flabbergasted when he lounged at the pool flirting with a stunning, young woman who had, to my knowledge, remained at his side throughout his stay. He departed wearing clerical clothing and a satisfied smile. In keeping with our policy, no one had spoken a word to him or anyone else about it—except Rhonda, who had said plenty to me in the privacy of our office.
Joey left, and I went into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Fresh cookies were cooling on the counter. I snatched one.
I’d just finished eating it when Rhonda called on my cell and invited me up to her suite to see new items she’d just purchased for her trousseau. I happily climbed the stairs. Rhonda was throwing herself into her wedding preparations, enjoying all the things she’d been unable to do the first time around.
She greeted me at the door wearing a white, cotton dress. Cut-work edged the hem of the full skirt and accented the bodice. “What do you think?” She twirled around. “I was talking to this fashion consultant the other day. She wants me to tone down a bit. She even suggested I let my hair go dark.” A wistful expression crossed Rhonda’s fac
e. “You know, I think she’s right. With Will being in the accounting and investment business, I should really look the part of his wife.”
I read uncertainty in her eyes and glanced at the beige outfits lying on Rhonda’s bed. They were so wrong for her. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I hesitated.
“Well? What do you think?” She moved from foot to foot impatiently. “Tell me the truth.”
Rhonda subdued was not Rhonda at all. And the Rhonda I knew was perfect. “I think the fashion consultant doesn’t have a clue who you are and what you’re all about. I remember how insulted I felt when you accused me of being too beige. Now, why do you want to be like that, when you’re going to Tahiti for your honeymoon?”
“Really, Annie? Is that what you think?” Rhonda broke into a broad smile. “Boy! Do I feel better! She had me worried.” Her expression grew serious. “But I do want to look nice for Will. Maybe I’ll tone down just a bit.”
I went over to her and gave her a hug. “That’s up to you, but I think you’re wonderful just the way you are—and he does, too.”
Rhonda’s eyes turned shiny with emotion. “You’re the best, Annie. Honest, you are.”
I smiled. When I’d first met Rhonda, I’d been bowled over by what I thought of as her self-confidence. Now, I understood she used her flamboyant manner to cover up the insecurities she had. Our friendship had done us both a lot of good.
###
The wedding drew close. Liz and Angie arrived home, looking tanned and healthy from their second summer as counselors at the camp in New Hampshire.
Humming, I cooked one of Liz’s favorite things for dinner—a chicken and lemon dish she’d always loved. Watching me, she sat at the kitchen bar telling me about some of her favorite campers.
At dinner, Liz toyed with her food. “You told me Vaughn was going to come back for Rhonda’s wedding. What’s up with that? Is it serious?” Her gaze met mine.
I squirmed uncomfortably. Was this how Liz felt when I quizzed her about her dates? “We’re good together. We want to see how things evolve in time.” I knew Liz wanted me happily settled, but I couldn’t make it seem so easy. Vaughn and I had a lot to work out between us before anything more serious could happen.
