by Judith Keim
Liz smiled. “I can tell you really like him, Mom. Is he as nice as Nell says?”
I nodded. Every day without him was agony for me. I was a planner, someone who wanted to know where she was headed. The hotel business had taught me I couldn’t do that anymore. With Vaughn, it was even more unpredictable.
“Did I tell you about the guy I met in Boston? He’s hot. Really hot.” Liz launched into a description of the senior at Harvard who’d hosted a party she’d attended, and I let out a sigh of relief. I was off the hook—for the moment.
After dinner, Liz took off, and I went into the office to send an email to Vaughn. Over the past few weeks, we’d kept up a pretty regular exchange of messages. The more I learned about him, the more I liked him.
Liz came in before eleven o’clock and plopped down on my bed. I put aside the book I’d been reading and smiled. “Have a good time?”
She shrugged. “Not too much going on. It was good to see some of the kids, though. And Angela and Tim have a thing going on. Tim’s great, but that Joey guy is a loser. He even tried to hit on me.”
“Really? He’s on the reception desk tonight. He asked for a chance to do it so Tim could have some time with Angela. Was he there?”
“Yeah, but, Mom, he’s a pothead or worse. A total jerk.”
I drew myself up. “Really? I should’ve caught on to that. Well, let’s see how he does with his new responsibilities.”
Liz lay next to me, her head on the pillow like she used to do as a little girl. “Mom? I’m not sure I want to go back to college this year. I might want to take some time off. Dad’s making noises about how expensive it is, and I’m not sure what I want as my major. I keep changing my mind, and that makes Dad mad.”
I took a deep breath. “Liz, you have a wonderful life ahead of you. It’s important for you to have your degree. You can choose any career you want. As far as your father is concerned, he should have no worries about the cost. The money has already been set aside for you.”
Liz rolled over and looked at me. “You think it’s that important for me?”
“Oh, yes. I want you to have all the choices in the world and to be able to do anything you want. Go for it, Liz.”
She grinned. “And if I want to become a lawyer?”
Thinking of the additional cost of law school, I held back a groan.
She giggled. “Tricked you, Mom. I’d never become a lawyer. I promise.”
I laughed and gave her a hug. “Seriously, Liz, I want you to stay in school.”
“I know, I know. Kandie is the one who doesn’t want Dad to spend money on me.”
I bit back a reply. I was not about to be enticed onto that emotional merry-go-round. I’d heard from an old neighbor in Boston that Robert and Kandie fought a lot. Robert had, in fact, confided to my neighbor’s husband that marrying a much younger woman wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
###
I dressed and slipped out of the house eager to see how Joey had performed on the evening shift. As I entered the hotel, I was greeted by the tantalizing smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. I stopped at the reception desk and checked for notes. Joey hadn’t left any. I opened the cash drawer, where we normally kept a bank of four hundred dollars and counted the money. Frowning, I counted it again. My stomach clenched. We were missing one hundred dollars. I lifted the bill tray out of the drawer, thinking a big bill might have been placed underneath it. No such luck.
I headed into the kitchen. “Good morning, Consuela. Have you seen Joey?”
Consuela shook her head. “He hasn’t come in yet. And if you don’t mind my saying so, Annie, he isn’t doing a very good job with the outside work. Paul complains to Manny about him, but he won’t complain to you.”
“Well, I don’t think Paul will have to worry about him much longer.” I checked my watch. “Joey’s supposed to be here now.”
Some time later I heard Joey come in. I rose from my desk chair and went to meet him.
“May I see you inside my office?”
A sullen expression crossed Joey’s face, but he followed me inside and took a seat.
I shut the door and sat opposite him. “Joey ...”
He jumped to his feet. “Look, I’m sorry I’m late! All right?” he cried, already on the defensive.
I reined in my temper. “Sit back down. We need to talk. We’re missing one hundred dollars from the cash drawer. What do you know about that?”
“You’re accusing me of stealing? No fucking way. You’d better count again.” The smirk on his face sent a rush of heat to my face.
Seeing him differently, I noticed his glassy eyes. Why hadn’t I realized he had a problem? A problem that was bigger than we could handle. I wanted to slap the belligerent smile off his face, but I forced my voice to be controlled, steely.
“I think we both know my count is accurate.”
I waited for him to deny taking the money, but he merely sat, silently fuming.
I reached into my desk drawer. “I’ve made out a check to you for the full amount of money you’re owed, including the hours you worked last night. As of this moment, you are no longer employed by The Beach House Hotel. I want you off these premises immediately.”
Joey’s lips curled. He jabbed a finger in my direction. “Yeah, well I don’t want to work here anyway. This place sucks.”
I stood and faced him. “I’m not reporting you to the police, but I am notifying Bob Silvia at the police department that your presence at the hotel is no longer wanted. Take the check, Joey, and don’t return here for any reason.”
Joey snatched the check I held out to him and gave me a murderous glare. Fear shot up my spine. I struggled to keep my voice steady. “Leave now, Joey, and don’t hang around.”
“Fuck you!” He stormed out of the office.
I gripped the edge of my desk and lowered myself into my chair, shaking. Never again would I be too quick to hire someone.
Rhonda came into the office. “What’s up? Joey stomped right past me without saying a word! What’s he all upset about now?” She stopped and stared at me. “What’s wrong, Annie?”
“It’s Joey.” By the time I finished telling her the whole story, she was pacing the floor.
“That little bastard! He was too cocky for his own good.”
“I never should have hired him.”
Rhonda shook her head. “Don’t take that on, Annie. We both had growing concerns about him.”
She left, and a few minutes later, Tim burst into the office. “Okay, where’s Joey? Paul is still waiting for him to begin work outside.”
“He’s gone. I fired him. One hundred dollars is missing from the drawer, and he didn’t deny taking it.”
“Hey, I’m sorry.” Tim brushed a hand through his hair. “I thought he was working out his problems. I didn’t know how bad it was.”
“It’s something I’ll watch out for in the future.” I decided to chalk it up to another learning experience, mentally adding it to a long list of them.
The rest of the day went more smoothly. I left the office around six and decided to take a walk. The beach, where Vaughn and I had shared such magical moments, beckoned to me. At home, I checked on Liz, changed into a bathing suit, and headed out to the sand. It felt good to set a pace and move quickly down the shoreline, loosening muscles, letting hotel-related concerns escape into the onshore breeze. Lost in thought, I slowed my steps. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t see a future with Vaughn. Not if I was totally honest with myself. Our lives were so different.
I turned to go back to my house and noticed Brock Goodwin heading my way. He lifted a hand in salute, and I sighed. There was no way I could ignore him.
I tensed as he drew closer to me.
“Hey, Ann! Glad to see you.”
His pleasant manner caught me off guard.
He gave me one of those smiles I’d once thought so charming. “I know we’ve had our disagreements in the past, but that doesn’t mean we can�
��t be friends, does it?”
I shook my head. “Rhonda and I just want to be able to run our business in a way that hurts no one. I’d hoped you’d understand that.”
He shrugged. “As it turns out, you’ve kept your promises about no unsightly messes and no unnecessary disruptions to the neighborhood. But most people in your position wouldn’t do that, especially if it meant more money.”
“The Beach House Hotel is different from most. We don’t want messes and loud noise.”
“Hey look, no hard feelings. I was merely doing my duty as head of the Gold Coast Neighborhood Association. I’ve been voted back on the board. Maybe we can get together sometime.”
I shook my head. “Rhonda and I are both very busy.”
He stared at me a moment, nodded, and went on his way.
I headed back home thinking about Brock. His old charm had resurfaced, leaving me wondering at his change of heart. I didn’t trust him and never would.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The week before the wedding, the hotel became Rhonda’s home once more. As predicted, it was a slow time for the hotel. We set aside beachside rooms for her brother Richie and his family. We rearranged the dining room so it would comfortably seat all fifty people for the wedding reception. Rhonda spent hours in the kitchen with Jean-Luc going over recipes, deciding which individual cakes she wanted for each guest, and how she wanted them decorated. Sandra Marle at Tropical Fleurs in downtown Sabal met with Rhonda and the party planner to coordinate colors of the flowers for the garden-party theme of the reception. Through it all, Tim and I handled the few guests who came and went, unaware of all the activities taking place behind the scenes.
The wedding festivities officially began with the arrival of Rhonda’s older brother Richie and his family a couple of days ahead of time.
As planned, Rhonda and I stood at the top of the stairs and greeted them sedately, as if they were VIP guests. Then, unable to keep up the pretense, all hell broke loose. Rhonda gave a shout of glee, hugs were given all around, and everyone talked at once. When Rhonda introduced me, I quickly found myself embraced by Richie, then his wife, Margaret. Their three teen-age boys stood by awkwardly. Angie and Liz appeared, and more shouts and hugs were exchanged. Angie introduced Liz to everyone and then she and Liz and the boys took off for the beach.
While Paul and Tim helped with the luggage, Rhonda and I led Richie and Margaret inside.
“It’s so fancy,” Margaret exclaimed over the small dining room.
“Wait’ll you see the other dining room,” said Rhonda proudly. “It’s not as fancy, but it’s a lot bigger.”
We toured the inside, and then we took them out to the garage to show them the laundry area, Consuela and Manny’s apartment, and Tim’s quarters.
Richie elbowed Rhonda’s side. “Now I know where Marg and I can live when we give up the butcher shop.”
Rhonda let out a loud guffaw. “Ha! The only way you can stay there, brother dear, is if you do all the work that Manny and Consuela do.”
They laughed together, and I studied them. Richie was large and big-boned like his sister, but his dark features seemed oddly misplaced after seeing those familiar features surrounded by a mass of blond curls on Rhonda. There was no mistaking they were related and no doubt about their closeness. Watching them laugh and tease one another, I felt a pang of envy. It had been lonely for me, an only child living with my strict grandmother.
Margaret came over to me. “It’s great you and Rhonda have turned this huge place into a hotel. I’ve never seen Rhonda so happy.”
I smiled. “It’s a lot of hard work, but we’re holding our own. It’s Will who’s made Rhonda very, very happy. Wait until you meet him. They’re perfectly suited for one another.”
She frowned. “He’s quiet, right? It would be too zany if they were exactly alike.”
I laughed. I agreed with her. Two people like Rhonda would be one too many.
Will arrived at the hotel promptly at six. Cocktails were served by the pool before we gathered in the small dining room. Consuela had prepared a special meal of traditional, lesser-known Mexican dishes. Everyone dug in.
Toward the end of the meal, Rhonda rose to her feet. “I’d like to give a toast to my brother. He’s the best.” She winked at Richie. “Well, almost the best.”
We lifted our glasses and sipped.
Rhonda stayed on her feet. “And now I’d like to toast the one who is the best— Will. See, he’s not like my brother at all.” The outrageous sexy look she gave him made us all laugh. Richie’s laugh was loudest of all.
Rhonda’s cheeks flushed. Her eyes began to fill. “Seriously, I love you both.”
She gave Will a lingering kiss that made it clear how unlike a brother Will was to her. The three boys whistled and hooted while the rest of us clapped. Red crept up Will’s neck, onto his cheeks, and spread to the tips of his ears.
Everyone clinked glasses and took another sip of the special, Italian red wine Richie had brought as a gift. Margaret and I exchanged happy smiles. It was nice to feel part of this close-knit family group. I couldn’t wait to share this with Vaughn.
###
I stood among the crowd at the airport waiting to greet the arrivals, eagerly searching for Vaughn among the passengers exiting the gate area. The memory of his face, tanned and happy, lingered in my mind.
When I finally spotted him, I let out a gasp.
Vaughn was wearing dark sunglasses that hid his eyes. But they couldn’t hide his gray-looking skin or his drawn cheeks. He walked slowly, hunched over as if he were ill. My heart pounded with shock.
I waved and called to him.
He came right over.
“I’m so glad to see you.” Wondering at his appearance, I held him tight. “You look as if a bit of Florida sunshine might do you some good.”
He let out a sigh that spoke volumes. “Dealing with the personalities and politics involved in a long-running television show can become impossible. I couldn’t wait to get away.”
I slid my arm around his and smiled up at him. “Well, I couldn’t wait to have you here. After you relax by the pool, the whole world will seem better. C’mon!”
We picked up his luggage and headed to my house. On the drive home, Vaughn leaned his head back against the passenger’s seat and closed his eyes.
Worried, I kept glancing at him, wondering what I could do to help. He looked terrible. I’d never seen him so exhausted, not even during the filming when he was working so hard.
We arrived at the hotel to find the place hopping with activity. Two of Richie’s boys were tapping golf balls on the putting green. Liz and Angie and two boys I’d never seen before were playing a game of tennis. Richie was tossing horseshoes with a man I hadn’t yet met. Rhonda, Margaret, and another woman sat on the sidelines in chairs drinking sodas and talking. A young boy and girl headed for them wearing bathing suits.
Rhonda jumped up from her chair when she saw us and signaled me to stop.
I noticed Vaughn’s wary look. “Don’t worry,” I said quietly. “I promise I’ll rescue you from all this.”
Rhonda leaned into the car window, a grin on her face. “Hi ya, Vaughn. My cousin and sister-in-law can’t wait to meet you. Are you going to have lunch with us?”
Vaughn and I shook our heads together. “He isn’t feeling well,” I explained. “Do you mind? We’ll join you for dinner.”
She studied him with concern and turned to me. “Okay. See ya later.”
I silently blessed her for understanding how real the situation was and drove on to my house.
Inside the house, Vaughn took his suitcase to the guest room to unpack. That’s how we’d decided to play it with Liz home. I fixed him a ham sandwich and took it, along with a cold bottle of beer, to his room.
“I thought you might like a little lunch.” I set the plate and the bottle down on the table next to the overstuffed chair in the room. “I can’t imagine the food on the plane was worth e
ating.”
“What food? First class doesn’t have real food anymore.” He walked over to me and gave me a quick kiss. “Thanks.”
After he finished eating, I opened the sliding door of his room and led him out to the lanai. A refreshing onshore breeze was picking up.
He stretched out on a chaise lounge. “Ahhh, this feels great!” He took a deep breath and gave me a worried look. “Ann, I need to talk to you about something.”
“Why don’t you wait a bit?” His eyelids were drooping. “I know how tired you are. Whatever it is, we can talk later.”
Vaughn gave me a grateful smile and closed his eyes.
I left him sleeping, returned to the kitchen, and went into my home office.
Liz found me there. “Is everything all right? Rhonda said Vaughn isn’t feeling well.”
“I guess he had a horrible week. He looks like he hasn’t slept for days. He’s asleep in a chaise lounge outside. I’m going to let him rest there. What’s up with you?”
She smiled. “One of Angela’s really cool friends, a guy named Mike Westerly, has invited us to go for a boat ride this afternoon. His family owns a yacht. We’re taking two of Richie’s boys with us. We won’t be back until dinnertime. Rhonda says it’s fine with her. Okay, Mom?”
“Sure, hon. Just be careful.”
Liz put her hand on her hip and frowned at me. “Mom, I’m twenty years old. You don’t need to tell me to be careful. For your information, Mike has his captain’s license and is a very safe boater.”
I chuckled. “All right, old lady, I won’t worry about you.”
She leaned over and gave me a kiss. “See you later.”
Through the window in my office, I watched her leave the house, swinging her towel as she walked down the path to the main house. A mental image of her as a little girl doing the same thing made me smile.
I went back to work. In the midst of my number crunching, warm lips nuzzled the back of my neck. I started in my seat and turned to find Vaughn behind me, grinning. I stood and went into his embrace.
