CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
That evening as Vaughn and I watched the news on television I was astounded by how quickly many people either defended or trashed Darryl. Some from years back when he was just a kid. The ones who claimed he wasn’t as nice, as funny, or as kind as others said, seemed to have an agenda of their own.
The person I was most interested in was Darryl’s accuser. She was someone who others at the network didn’t like. The network had fired her before Darryl made his decision not to renew his contract. Some claimed she was after the money; others claimed she wanted her job and reputation back.
It hurt me to see this. I just couldn’t believe this claim to be true. And if it was judged to be false, this untrue claim hurt all women, not just one.
My cell phone rang.
“Hi, Tina, what’s up?” I asked her.
“What’s going on with Darryl and Abbie? She’s very upset that he won’t allow her to come to Florida. What happened? I thought they were much more than friends.”
I told her what Darryl had explained to us. “He has his sister staying with him now, so he’s not alone. But both Rhonda and I tried to tell him in protecting Abbie, it seemed as if he was pushing her away.”
“I’m relieved to understand his side of things. I’ll let Abbie know, and she can take it from there. I realize how much she cares for him. I’ve never seen her so unhappy.”
“I’ll tell Darryl’s sister, Emma, about our call, and she can do with it what she wants,” I said. “I think it’s only fair for those involved to have as much information as possible.”
“I agree. I really hope this all works out,” said Tina. “In the meantime, Lily Dorio’s new husband told me that Lily claims you’ve banned her from the hotel because you were jealous of her.”
I shook my head. “I can’t even respond to that.”
“You don’t have to,” said Tina. “No one listens to Lily anymore. What few clients she had have dumped her. That’s why she’s so desperate. Her new husband isn’t happy with her. She’s damaging his reputation.”
“I’m not sure she even knows what that is,” I said, unexpectedly feeling sorry for her. “How are the boys? I hope you can come back to The Beach House Hotel as a family. The pictures you send show them growing way too fast.”
Tina sighed. “They really are. I keep wondering if we should try for another baby. Working on this movie may help me decide.”
“You’ll know if it’s the right decision,” I said. “Please tell us if you need any help with Abbie. Rhonda and I want a relationship with Darryl to work out for her. She’s a wonderful woman.”
“I think so, too,” said Tina. “I’ll talk to you later.”
After I ended the call, Vaughn looked at me. “Everything all right?”
“Just relaying information that I hope will help both Abbie and Darryl.”
He wrapped his arm around me. “It makes me realize how lucky we are.”
Cindy jumped up on the couch and wiggled between us.
Laughing, we leaned over her and kissed.
###
The next morning, I decided to take an early walk on the beach. With Vaughn at home to take care of Robbie getting ready for school, I could quietly slip out of the house. There was something healing about being on the sand, enjoying nature there.
I drove to the hotel, slipped off my sandals, and headed out to the sand. The tang of the salty air made me sigh with pleasure. As usual, sandpipers and sanderlings marched along the water’s edge in a line, stopping to scoop up a tasty morsel from time to time.
A trio of pelicans flew in formation, like navy pilots, skimming the water’s surface looking for food. When one of them dove headfirst into the water to retrieve a fish, I gazed at the way its pouch stretched to scoop the fish into its mouth and swallow the catch. Nature was interesting, so complex. Like people.
“Ann!”
I looked up to see Emma trotting toward me, and I walked forward to greet her. “Hi. Another nice day.”
“Yes. Darryl is jogging with Rand again this morning, so I have some time to myself. But I know you’re a morning beach person like me, and I wonder if I can ask you to join me. I’d love the company and a chance to talk to another woman.”
“Sure. I can arrange to meet you,” I said, pleased by the invitation. “Is there something you want to talk about now?”
“There is. Rand has invited me out to dinner tonight, and I’ve told him I’d think about it. My sisters would tell me to go ahead and do it, but I know you and Rhonda have some reservations about him, and I wondered what you thought about it.”
I studied her. She was a beautiful woman but not as young as some of the women I’d seen Rand photographed with. “Why do you want to go out with Rand?”
“I’m attracted to him, and I don’t mean his looks. It’s been a long time since I’ve dated and, I admit it, I’d be using him to see if I can get back into the dating scene. The last date I had at home thought because I said I’d have coffee with him that I automatically wanted to go to bed with him when I saw him again. I can’t think of anything worse.”
“You’re only going to be here a short while?”
“I have several weeks’ vacation owed to me, so I have flexibility,” said Emma. “You told me that Rand is known as a playboy.”
“I don’t know him. I’ve only read a couple of stories about him in some of the Florida social magazines. So, please don’t take what’s been said about him to heart. That’s like believing some of the stories about Darryl because someone said so.”
“I don’t want to do that.”
“I want only the best for you,” I said. “So, like your sisters, I’d probably say go and have fun. Let’s exchange information on our phones in case you need to call for some reason.”
“Okay, I’m going to tell Rand yes, but I’m not going to be someone who throws herself at him. I just want to try dating again. With my twins going off to college next year, I know it’s going to be lonely.”
“It’s smart to plan ahead. It was a real shock to have Liz leave me to go to college at the same time her father dumped me for his receptionist.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been awful,” said Emma, giving me a look of understanding.
“Thank goodness for Rhonda,” I said, remembering her persistence in getting me to help her with her plans to open The Beach House Hotel.
Darryl and Rand jogged up to us.
“Glad to see you here,” said Darry. “Come join us for something cool to drink. Or coffee, if you wish.”
“Thanks, I will,” I said, eager to get a better idea about what kind of person Rand was.
We walked back to the house, and I liked how Rand held the door open to his house for us. I expected to find the house messy, but everything was in place as we walked through the living room to get to his pool lanai.
Rand took drink orders, and then he and Darryl went to the kitchen to get them.
“He seems very nice,” I murmured to Emma.
She gazed at him in the kitchen and shrugged her shoulders. “Hard to tell right now.”
My cell rang. Rhonda.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“I’m at the house Rand is renting, having coffee.”
“Do me a favor, will ya?” said Rhonda. “Invite all three of them to come to my house for dinner tomorrow night at six o’clock. I’m following through on some of my instincts. And you know everyone loves my food. I’ll go easy because Darryl is watching his weight.”
“Okay, hold on, and I’ll ask,” I told the others and all three accepted the invitation.
“Okay, you’re set for tomorrow,” I said. “I’ll be back to the office soon.”
“See you then,” she said. “I’m going to grab a coffee and a sweet roll and look at what our girls came up with for some PR graphics.”
We loved having our daughters involved to the extent they could. The day would come when they would run the hotel. But with all our grandchildren so young, that wouldn’t happen for a while.
I sipped my coffee and listened as Darryl gave us an update on his situation. “My lawyer has addressed the media, telling them the claim has no truth.”
“It’s a shame the accusation became public right away because most of the negotiations take place behind the scenes,” said Rand. “Believe me, I know how damaging so-called ‘truths’ can be.”
We all turned to him.
“It’s true. I bet each of you has no idea who I really am,” said Rand.
“I’m about to find out a little about you,” said Emma. “That is, if we’re going out to dinner tonight.”
Rand’s startling blue eyes sparkled. “Is that a yes?”
Emma nodded and gave him a tentative smile.
“Okay. Thanks,” said Rand, as Darryl’s cell phone rang.
Darryl looked at the screen and got to his feet. “I’m leaving to take this call. See everyone later.”
I checked my watch. “I’ve got to get back to the office. Thanks for the coffee, Rand.”
Emma made no move to leave, and I gave her a wink before I turned and walked away.
###
In the office, I told Rhonda what was going on with the three of them and grinned. “I think your dinner party is going to be very revealing. It’ll be interesting to see how Rand and Emma do together tonight and with a follow-up social situation.”
“I’ve got a strong feeling about it,” said Rhonda.