Lunch at the Beach House Hotel

by Judith Keim

  “I’m fine,” I said, smiling up at him. And I was. Vaughn was a generous man, and I trusted him.

  I left Vaughn and Liz and headed back to the hotel. We were waiting to hear from Katherine how many rooms we should save for them for the wedding.

  Rhonda was in the kitchen talking to Jean-Luc when I entered it. Rhonda gave me a grin. “Jean-Luc is very happy he can do something more French with the veal we ordered.”

  “Mais oui,” he said, bringing his fingertips to his mouth and opening his hand with a flourish.

  “Do we know how many people are coming?” I asked as Rhonda and I walked into our office.

  “Katherine and Arthur have invited their friends, the Larkins from Palm Beach. That’s it.” Rhonda shrugged. “Angela wanted a small wedding, so I think it’s going to be only the four of us plus Liz and Troy. And Consuela and Manny are representing the staff from the hotel. Oh, yes. Dorothy, too. I knew we couldn’t leave her out. She’d be heartbroken if she weren’t invited.”

  “Nice. So, we’ll give Katherine and Arthur the Presidential Suite?”

  “And the Larkins can have the new Bridal Suite. Ange and Reggie are going to Naples for their first night and then on to Barbados. Angela and Liz can get dressed at the house.”

  “Sounds good. How are things going with Reggie?”

  Her eyes sparkled. “He and Will have been doing a lot of talking. I’m hoping he’ll consider doing something here in Florida after graduation. But I don’t dare bring up the subject. The poor guy is worried about facing his parents, worried that they’ll do something to hurt Angela.”

  “When are they coming here?”

  Rhonda drew a deep breath. “Tomorrow night.”

  I was as nervous as she.

  The phone rang. Rhonda picked it up, listened, and then got to her feet. “C’mon, Annie, we’re about to see what Angela looks like as a bride.” She grabbed my arm. “Can’t wait to see what the girls picked.”

  Moments later, Rhonda pulled her car into the parking lot next to the bridal store. We got out and walked around to the entrance. The elegant storefront indicated the quality of dresses inside.

  The inside was just as elegant. Light rose plush carpeting covered the floors. Creamy, fabric-covered couches and settees were scattered about, forming conversation areas. Coffee tables sat in front of some of them, displaying a collection of bridal magazines.

  A woman in a gray skirt and écru silk top approached us with a smile.

  “Congratulations, Rhonda! I hear you are about to welcome a very lucky man into your family.”

  “Hi, Elise! You remember Ann from our parties at the hotel, don’t you?”

  She gave me a broad grin. “Indeed, I do. I understand you may be a client someday soon.”

  I returned her smile. Elise Talbott was one of those people who didn’t miss an opportunity to do business. “Not right away. Vaughn and I are thinking of a June wedding.”

  “How nice,” she said. “Come this way. The girls are having a little tea party, waiting for you to arrive.”

  The dressing area contained three large, individual dressing rooms outside of which sat a group of comfortable chairs. A silver bucket holding a bottle of champagne in ice sat on a small sideboard. A sherry decanter and a bottle of red wine were beside it. Next to the sideboard, a table held a coffee maker and a pot labeled “hot water.” A leather box holding a variety of tea bags, cream, sugar, and lemon slices sat nearby. My critical eye was pleased by what I saw. This place had hospitality and class. Like the hotel.

  Rhonda turned around and around. “Where are the girls?”

  “Mom, is that you?” came Angela’s voice.

  “Annie and I are here, waiting to see what you’ve chosen.”

  The door to the middle room opened. Angela stepped out of it and stood in front of us. A wide band covered with crystals circled her body under her small breasts. The white dress she wore flowed from its high waist in gentle folds that met the floor. The simple scooped neckline showed off her beautiful skin, tanned by the sun. The crystal band above her waist was matched by a circlet she wore on her head. Silk flowers had been added to it, offset by Angela’s shining dark curls. The beautiful, intricate handwork on the dress and the headpiece gave an elegance to the simple lines of each. Both were stunning.

  Rhonda held a tissue to her eyes and gave in to her emotions. I wrapped my arm around her shaking shoulders and let her cry. When she could catch her breath, she lifted her face. “Oh, Angela, you are the most beautiful bride I ever saw.”

  As they embraced, Liz and I exchanged happy glances.

  “What about you, Liz? Did you find something to wear?” Rhonda asked.

  Liz turned to Angela. “Shall we show them?”

  Angela grinned. “Go put it on.”

  I waited eagerly to see what the girls had selected for Liz. When she opened the door to the dressing room, I caught my breath. She too was dressed in white.

  “It’s gorgeous, but why white?” I asked.

  “Ange and I decided if it was to be a true royal wedding, it should be like Kate and Will’s wedding, minus a lot of pomp and circumstance.”

  The dress, though not as elaborate as Kate’s sister’s dress, held a lovely sheen as it hugged Liz’s body. Though not nearly as elaborate as Angela’s dress, it too had a scooped neckline and fell simply to the floor.

  “It’s stunning,” said Rhonda, giving Liz a hug. “You’re so beautiful, sweetie.”

  Yes, I thought, two beautiful daughters and two proud mothers.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  All day, tension hung in the air like a piece of ripe fruit hanging from a tree, ready to drop at our feet.

  Lorraine bustled about the hotel, thrilled that her royal wedding disaster had been saved by Rhonda. I checked on her progress from time to time. In the small, private dining room, she’d strung additional tiny lights across the ceiling. Against the dark green ceiling, and with the sconce wall lights dimmed, the lights resembled a canopy of stars. Using some of the fresh greenery and flowers from the original biergarten theme, she soon transformed the room into an outdoor garden. It was, quite simply, stunning, I thought, gazing around the room with delight.

  In addition to decorating the small dining room, Rhonda had Lorraine decorate the rest of the hotel with floral arrangements. She’d also had her place the small palm trees she’d purchased for the royal wedding in the library, where Angela and Reggie would be married. Once more.

  Studying the room later, I thought of how valuable that space had become. Politicians had held top-secret meetings there. Others used it as a gathering place. And now it would be used for the sweetest purpose of all.

  “I don’t want it said that we don’t do things right,” said Rhonda, coming up behind me. A note of defiance rang in her voice, and I knew how insecure she felt about facing Reggie’s parents again.

  “Everything’s going to be fine,” I assured her.

  “Wonder what the Larkins are like. Probably as snooty as Reggie’s parents. Well, I say fuck ’em. I probably have more money than they do.”

  “Take a deep breath, Rhonda. You’ll be fine.”

  She shook her head. “You’re right, Annie. It’s not like I even have to like them. We only have to get through tonight and tomorrow. Then they’ll leave.”

  It was almost six o’clock when we got the message from Tim that our special guests had arrived. Rhonda and I stood and gazed at each other with apprehension.

  “This is it,” said Rhonda. “Stay right with me, Annie. I need you there.”

  “I’m here for you. Come on. Let’s go.”

  We walked to the front of the hotel together, out the front door, and down the steps to greet Reggie’s parents and their friends, Bettina and Chester Larkin.

  The men emerged from a white Bentley and hurried to open doors for the women sitting in the back seat. I recognized the air of disapproval from Katherine as she emerged from the car. I turned my attenti
on to Bettina Larkin. A small, dark-haired woman with pretty features, she beamed as she gazed at the hotel’s facade.

  Rhonda and I moved forward to greet them.

  “Welcome to The Beach House Hotel,” I said, offering my hand to Bettina.

  She shook my hand and then covered our grip with her other hand in a warm embrace. “I’m so happy I finally have the chance to come and see the hotel. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. And,” she turned to Rhonda, “I’ve heard the nicest things about the two of you.”

  “Thank you,” said Rhonda in a subdued manner. “I’m Rhonda DelMonte Grayson, mother of the bride, and this is Ann Rutherford.”

  Bettina smiled at Rhonda. “I heard it was quite unexpected, this wedding. But what a beautiful place for one.”

  Katherine’s face, I noticed, was a mask of uncertainty as she stood aside and listened to the conversation.

  “So how did you hear of us?” I asked Bettina, curious as always about comments like this.

  “Isobel Pennypacker is my next door neighbor. She raves about this hotel and what an elegant place it is. And she loves both of you girls.”

  Rhonda grinned. “Isobel and her sister Rosie come here all the time.”

  “Oh, yes,” said Bettina. “I tried to tell Katherine ...” She turned to Katherine. “We’re going to have a good time. Aren’t we?”

  I hid a smile as Katherine nodded obediently.

  Arthur shook my hand, and then Chester Larkin introduced himself to me and asked about parking the car.

  “I’ll have Tim take care of it for you. To be safe, we’ll put it in the garage.”

  “That’d be great,” he said.

  Bettina clucked her tongue. “Men and their toys.”

  “Won’t you come inside?” Rhonda said. “Your rooms are ready for you.”

  We climbed the front stairs and paused in the front hall while Bettina walked into the living area.

  Turning from one side to the other, she studied everything. “Did Laura Bakeley do the interior decorating?” she asked Rhonda.

  “Yes. She’s the best,” said Rhonda. “I love her work.”

  “So do I,” said Bettina. She turned to Katherine. “Why didn’t you tell me it was so beautiful?”

  “I ... I ...” stammered Katherine.

  “It was a busy time,” I said, rushing to help Katherine out of the awkward situation. “You probably didn’t get the chance to see everything.”

  Katherine shot me a grateful look. “Yes, that’s it. I really didn’t have the opportunity to take it all in.”

  Though I could feel her studying me, I refused to look at Rhonda, afraid I might give in to the giddiness I felt. “Katherine, let me take you and Arthur to your room. We’ve placed some refreshments there for you.”

  “And I’ll show you and your husband to your room, Bettina,” said Rhonda. “You can freshen up there. Cocktails will be served in the living room at five-thirty. Dinner is at seven.”

  “Where is my son?” Katherine asked.

  “He and Angela are at my house,” Rhonda said. “They’ll meet us here for cocktails.”

  A frown furrowed Katherine’s brow, but she said nothing more, simply gave her husband a tight-lipped look.

  Vaughn, Liz, Troy, and I entered the living room a few minutes late to find a few hotel guests sitting together. Several others were coming in from outside after trying to find the green flash of the sunset. In a quiet corner, the Larkins were sitting and chatting with Angela and Reggie.

  As we crossed the living room to them, Katherine and Arthur appeared behind us.

  I turned around to acknowledge them. “Hi, again. You both know Vaughn, but you haven’t met my daughter Liz and her friend Troy Taylor.”

  Katherine’s features softened as her gaze settled on Vaughn. “Hello, Vaughn.” She held out her hand. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  He gave her a pleasant smile and took her hand. “And you.”

  As other greetings were exchanged, Arthur shook hands with Vaughn, studying him carefully.

  We continued on to the corner of the living room.

  Bettina looked up at us and gasped when she noticed Vaughn. “You’re that man on television.”

  “Well, one of them,” he said graciously, taking her hand. “Vaughn Sanders.” He shook Chester’s hand and then Reggie’s. “I understand congratulations are in order, Reggie. You’re a lucky young man.”

  “I know that, sir,” said Reggie, putting his arm around Angela.

  Vaughn leaned down and gave Angela a kiss on the cheek. “Best wishes, sweetie.”

  “Why don’t we all sit down?” I suggested. “Rhonda and Will should be here soon.”

  “If you’ll excuse us, Katherine and I need to talk to Reggie. Alone,” said Arthur, giving his son a stern look.

  “Of course, take your time,” I said.

  After they left, Liz and Troy signaled Angela to join them, and the three of them left to be on their own.

  Vaughn and I took seats on a settee opposite the Larkins. A waiter promptly came over and took our orders for drinks and checked to make sure the Larkins were fine with theirs.

  “Thank you so much for being part of this celebration,” I said. “Your presence seems to be a great comfort to Katherine.”

  Bettina shook her head. “Katherine and I go back a long way, back to the time when we were in high school together. She came from a poor family, and I sort of took her into my group. She’s very bright and can be a lot of fun, but I’m afraid she’s never gotten over wanting to be in the right circles. It’s too bad because as we all grow older, we realize it doesn’t mean a hill of beans. Aside from that, Katherine is a sweet person, maybe a little ambitious for her son, but sweet nevertheless.”

  “At Thanksgiving, she and Arthur were very rude to Rhonda and her family,” I said, unwilling to forget it. Even now the memory of their actions caused me to sharpen my voice.

  “I can well imagine,” said Bettina, “but be easy on her. She doesn’t mean to be that way. Arthur isn’t easy to live with, and she truly loves her son.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” I said, warning myself to relax. “So tell me a little about you two. Chester, what is it that you do?”

  “Besides playing with cars?” chided Bettina, giving him a loving look.

  He started talking about his latest acquisition. Soon he and Vaughn were carrying on their own conversation, leaving Bettina and me to ours.

  I discovered that Bettina was well known for her charity work with autistic children. “It started when our oldest child, our son Gregory, was diagnosed with these issues. My interest has grown, along with the burgeoning of this problem.”

  “What about your other children? You have a daughter, don’t you?”

  Bettina smiled. “Yes. Laurel. Aside from being a headstrong young girl, she’s perfectly normal.” She laughed. “Or I should say she’s perfectly normal because she is such a determined young lady.”

  “Wasn’t she supposed to marry Reggie?”

  Bettina dismissed that idea with a wave of her hand. “That was Katherine’s idea and mine. Silly of us, I know, because at Thanksgiving it became very evident they had no interest in each other.”

  I sat back in my chair, relieved beyond words that this sensible, kind woman was Katherine’s friend—someone who would be a steadying force.

  “Hello, sorry we’re late,” said Rhonda, interrupting our conversation. “I got a call from Lorraine and had to straighten out some things for tomorrow.” She took hold of Will’s arm and pulled him forward. “This is my husband, Will Grayson.”

  Introductions were made all around. As we were about to take our seats, the Smythes appeared with Reggie.

  “All set?” I asked.

  Reggie looked around and asked, “Where’s Angela?”

  “With Troy and Liz. I believe they went outside,” I answered.

  He left, and the eight of us adults sat in a circle. Arthur ordered his
favorite scotch, and Katherine a white wine. After the drinks had been brought, Will lifted his glass.

  “Let’s toast the health and happiness of the young couple.”

  Arthur and Katherine hesitated for mere seconds and then joined us in raising our glasses.

  “They’re a darling couple,” gushed Bettina. “And, Katherine, I’m so jealous that you’ll be a grandmother before me.”

  The shock on Katherine’s face was telling. I silently blessed Bettina for being so forthright and forcing Katherine to accept the facts as they were.

  Bettina reached over and patted Katherine’s leg. “You know, dear friend, it was never going to work—Laurel and Reggie.”

  Katherine’s eyes misted but she gave her a smile. “Yes. I know that now. The important thing is for Reggie to be happy. Reggie and Angela, I mean,” she added, giving Rhonda a polite smile.

  “Yeah, you’re right, we simply want them to be happy,” said Rhonda. “I didn’t think Reggie was good enough for Angela, but over the past few days, he’s proved himself to me.”

  I wanted to laugh at the surprised expressions on the faces of the Smythes and the Larkins. Good for you, Rhonda!

  “Here they come now,” I said.

  Watching the four young people walk toward us, I couldn’t help wondering what the next months would bring. Two babies and a wedding and what more?

  Vaughn caught my eye. I smiled at him, knowing whatever the future held, he’d be there for me.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Sitting in a circle in the middle of the library with the other wedding guests, I felt like I was in a tropical garden. Lorraine had cleverly filled the room with plants and tiny lights and flowers of every shade of pink. A small fountain bubbled quietly in the back corner of the room, lending more tropical feel to the room.

  Reggie stood at the head of the circle with the minister who’d agreed to officiate. Troy stood beside him.

  Rhonda sat next to me, and Vaughn was on my other side. Manny, Consuela, and Dorothy sat beside us. The Smythes and the Larkins faced us, completing the circle.

  The harpist Lorraine had hired began to finger the strings of her instrument. Soft, soaring notes filled the room. We all stood and turned to the doorway. Carrying a bouquet of pink orchids, Liz entered the room. In her white dress, she looked so beautiful tears stung my eyes. I glanced at Troy and realized from the tender look on his face that his feelings for her were real.