CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The next evening after work, I showered and dressed for dinner at Rhonda’s. Vaughn was looking forward to an evening out of the house and eating Rhonda’s excellent cooking. Growing up in an Italian neighborhood, Rhonda had learned recipes and cooking from the best.
I was looking forward to seeing how the date between Emma and Rand went. I’d been unable to get away for our scheduled early morning walk because Robbie wasn’t feeling well. He was much better now and loved having Liana stay with him while we were gone, claiming she was a great game player.
When Vaughn came into the room, I was putting on my earrings. He came up behind me and gave me a squeeze. “You look extra beautiful tonight. I like that blue dress. It matches your eyes.”
I turned around and kissed him. “Thanks. You’re looking handsome yourself.”
“Anything I should know before we arrive at Rhonda’s?”
“Rand and Emma went on a date last night. I have no idea how things went. I’ve heard nothing more about Darryl’s situation. Rhonda’s hoping that we all can relax and enjoy ourselves.”
Vaughn gave me a little salute. “Okay. Got it. Let’s go.”
I grabbed my purse and walked out to the kitchen to say goodbye to Robbie.
After making sure he had some healthy food for dinner, I kissed him and left with Vaughn, stopping to give Cindy a pat on the head.
###
When we arrived at Rhonda’s, the house was lit up from the inside. She and Will lived in a gorgeous, expansive two-story home with white-painted stucco walls and a red tile roof.
Vaughn and I got out of the car and were walking toward the front entrance when Darryl, Emma, and Rand arrived. We stopped to greet them and then went to the front door.
The door opened and Willow and Drew stood there smiling. Willow wore a pretty flowery dress and Drew looked spiffy in a clean T-shirt and shorts.
“Hi, Auntie Ann and Uncle V,” said Willow. “Please come inside.”
I smiled and leaned down to kiss her.
“Mommy says we can greet the guests,” said Willow proudly.
“How do you do?” Drew said to the trio behind us.
I stood aside to listen.
Willow said, “Welcome.” She stared at Emma. “You’re pretty.”
“Thank you,” said Emma politely.
Willow stared up at Rand and I waited to hear what she had to say. “You’re … nice.”
Rand blinked in surprise. “I appreciate that very much.”
Willow’s gaze swept over Darryl. “I like your bare head.”
Darryl chuckled. “An honest compliment.”
Rhonda rushed up to the doorway. “Hello, everyone. Please come in.” She turned to Willow and Drew. “Thank you both for greeting our guests. Now we’ll show them inside like a good host and hostess.”
Will was in the den, standing at the bar. “Good evening, everyone. What can I offer you to drink? We’re serving a red Italian wine, a Barolo, with dinner. I can offer you something lighter, perhaps a pinot noir, beer, or any cocktail.”
Emma and I went with pinot noir. Vaughn, Darryl, and Rand went with vodka on the rocks, while Will chose his favorite scotch. Rhonda joined us holding a glass of red wine.
Rita followed behind carrying a tray of stuffed mushroom appetizers.
“Please sit everyone. It will be a short while before dinner,” said Rhonda. “Will, I want to introduce you to our hotel guests.”
Will, who was a true gentleman, shook hands all around and kept the conversation going while Rhonda disappeared into the kitchen.
The subject of sailing came up and Darryl proudly told the group that he was Vaughn’s First Mate.
“I’ve got a motorboat, but I always thought I’d like sailing,” said Rand. “Do you allow for more than one First Mate?” he asked Vaughn.
As the conversation continued about sailing, I found it interesting to see Emma and Rand interact with one another now and then. Their dinner date must have gone well.
When Will’s business came up, Rand reacted. “I’m interested in finding a new financial manager. We’ll have to chat sometime.”
Will beamed at him. “Certainly. My pleasure.”
It did my heart good to see Will so pleased. He’d been my financial advisor when I was trying to come up with my share of funds to invest in the hotel. That’s how he and Rhonda met. I’d never forget how kind he was to me or how he and Rhonda had quickly fallen in love.
Rhonda appeared. “Dinner is ready.”
She led us into the dining room.
A place card sat in front of each chair, and I was pleased to be seated between Rand and Darryl. Rhonda caught my eye and winked. She, no doubt, was hoping to collect a lot of information from me.
Rhonda was a marvelous cook, and even though she’d promised to make a simple meal, we started with a large antipasti platter fit for a meal. It was loaded with veggies, meats, cheese, olives, peppers, and every other item usually found in the dish. Accompanying it was fresh, warm Italian bread and a seasoned olive oil mixture for dipping the bread.
“This is delicious,” said Emma. “What a delightful dinner.”
“Uh, this is just the beginning,” I murmured. “Rhonda’s maiden name is DelMonte. Be prepared for a lot of excellent food.”
Emma covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a laugh. “Of course.” She gazed at Rand, and he grinned at her.
“She’s adorable,” I quietly said to him.
He continued staring at Emma and nodded.
While Rhonda talked to Rand, I turned to Darryl. “How did the day go?”
He let out a long sigh. “It’s hard to sit and hear all kinds of things being said about you while having to remain quiet. But my lawyer has been digging up information. He tells me it’ll be just a matter of time before my accuser is forced to recant her statement.”
“I’m sorry this has happened to you,” I said.
“I got a call from Abbie. She’s upset with me. She thinks I’m pushing her away.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” I asked.
“Emma thinks so, but what if the newspeople find out we’ve been training together? They’ll make it something it’s not. Something cheap. And our relationship is not that way at all. I’ve fallen for her, and I don’t want to mess that up.”
“I understand what you’re trying to do,” I said, “but if you both are in love with one another, then you must unite to face your troubles if you’re going to have a true relationship.”
Rhonda entered the room carrying a platter and announced, “We’re serving family style tonight.”
“We can talk later,” I said to Darryl. “I know how delicious this is. You won’t want to spend a minute chatting instead of eating.”
Darryl grinned. “I already know I’ll have to do twice as much jogging tomorrow.”
Rhonda placed a platter filled with Chicken Parmesan on the table. A bowl of freshly made pasta and a bowl of what Rhonda called “gravy” or red sauce was placed near the pasta.
Rita filled our water glasses, and Will poured more wine. We took what we wanted as the dishes were passed around, and then Rhonda and Will helped themselves. When Rhonda lifted her fork, we all took bites of our meal. Silence followed, then murmurs of pleasure surrounded the table.
“Rhonda, this is delicious,” said Rand. “Are you sure you don’t want to run a restaurant too?”
“I was the first chef at the hotel before we got Jean-Luc,” she said. “It almost took a battle to get me out of the kitchen, but I’m glad to leave the cooking up to him.”
With tasty food and wine, everyone relaxed. Will told a few stories about the town of Sabal before it grew from a fishing village into the upscale city it was today. Emma told about Darryl growing up with four sisters, teasing him and making us all laugh.
“How about you, Rand?” I asked. “Where did you grow up?”
“I grew up in Pennsylvania, but after I came to Florida on spring break from college, I decided I wanted to live year-round in warmth. I’ve done well with some real estate ventures and live and work here in the state.” He put a hand through his silvery hair. “I intend to keep on working and playing for as long as I can.”
“Are you a playboy like some articles have said about you?” Rhonda asked bluntly after having a couple of glasses of wine.
Rand frowned. “Me? Not a chance. I simply haven’t found the right woman yet.” He gazed at Emma and away, and I noticed how Emma’s cheeks flushed. Something was going on between them.
###
The next morning, I couldn’t wait to get to the beach to meet Emma for a walk. I was brimming with curiosity about her date with Rand. They certainly seemed to have hit it off last night. Besides, after the scrumptious dinner Rhonda served us, I was ready for a nice, long walk before getting ready for work at the hotel.
I dressed, grabbed a cup of coffee, and headed out.
The hotel was quiet as I drove through the gates. I stopped the car to admire the pink stucco building that meant so much to me. It was, in one word, beautiful. The landscaping, under Manny’s supervision, was stunning with natural-looking trees, bushes, and flowers. A huge ceramic pot stood beside each carved wooden door held open by them for visitors. Sliding glass doors led to the lobby and living area beyond it. Rhonda and I had wanted to keep the sense of guests arriving home when they entered the hotel, and the Oriental rugs and plush furnishings in the lobby added to that effect.
Even from my car, I had a sense of the hotel welcoming me.
Satisfied, I drove on, going behind the hotel to the “back of the house” parking lot. Most staff members were able to ride one of the hotel vans to and from work. A mutual benefit.
I waved to a member of the kitchen crew having a smoke on the loading dock, got out of the car, and headed onto the sand.
When I arrived, I saw some shellers and joggers but no Emma. I waded into the water and stood as I usually did, staring up at the sky, and breathing in the clean air. I loved the sense of being part of nature.
I remained still as a white cattle egret walked along the shallow water searching for food. When it darted its head into the water and pulled out a small fish, I wanted to applaud. Nature’s cycle was as constant as the push and pull of the water at my feet.
I felt rather than heard someone approach and turned to see Emma.
She’d put a baseball cap over her brown waves of hair. Beneath the brim of the cap, I could see the sparkle in her hazel eyes.
“’ Morning! How are you?” I asked.
“Fine,” she answered. “Still full from the marvelous dinner Rhonda served last night. It’s time to work off some of those calories.”
“I agree,” I said, holding back questions. I wanted our conversation to flow naturally, not be an inquisition by me.
We moved together, matching paces, as we headed down the beach away from the houses.
Unwilling to wait a moment longer, I introduced the subject of Rand. “I liked listening to Rand talk about his businesses last night. He’s a very interesting man.”
Emma smiled. “I agree. Not at all what I expected.”
“And what did you expect?”
“I thought a handsome, successful man like that would be full of himself, uninterested in what I had to say. Funny thing is I learned he’s a bit shy beneath the image he projects. We had a long talk about anything and everything. It was very nice.”
“Aren’t you glad your sisters and I encouraged you to date and have fun?” I said to her.
Emma stopped and threw her arms around me. “Who am I fooling? I’m hopelessly in love with the man. He’s everything I’ve wanted all my life. Don’t get me wrong. I loved my husband, and we had a wonderful life. But being with Rand, talking business or water sports or whatever we wanted filled me with a sense of awe.”
With Rhonda’s silent blessing, I said, “And beyond the talking?
Emma hugged herself. “Wow! That’s all I’ll say.”
I laughed and clapped my hands. “Wait until Rhonda hears this. She’ll be as delighted as I am for you.”
Emma held up a hand. “We can’t get too carried away. Rand told me he wants to see me every night he’s here, but that’s as far as it’s gone. I’m staying with Darryl, and that’s how it’s going to be unless Rand and I both decide to do something different. I know younger people hop into and out of bed, but that’s not me. We may have kissed and all, but we haven’t gone to bed.”
“There’s no rush,” I said. “But you either have chemistry or you don’t, and it sounds as if the two of you do.”
“Yes,” said Emma as a satisfied smile crossed her face.
“It’s magic when it happens and everything else is right. I hope this is the case for you.”
“Me, too. I feel absolutely giddy with the possibility,” said Emma.
“Let’s enjoy the walk. It’s a beautiful day.” I gave her an excited hug before we resumed our walk.
Emma kept up with my brisk pace. I let her talk as she told me more about Rand and the harsh childhood he had growing up. “He is by nature a cautious man because of the stringent expectations placed upon him by his father. He told me he’s always wanted a family but was afraid that he might be difficult like his father.”
“That’s very honest of him,” I commented.
“Yes, after I answered his questions honestly, he began to open up to me. He’s been hurt by other women who didn’t care about him as a person but wanted his money and to be seen with him.”
“Whew! That’s degrading,” I said. I’d married Vaughn who had both the looks and the money, but those were not the qualities I measured him by or ever would. The man himself is what I loved. I remembered him first touching my hand, how his fingers wound around it, signaling strength and gentleness at the same time.
Emma stopped, looked at me, and shook her head. “Is this thing between Rand and me crazy? A fairytale?”
“No, I don’t think it is. But because it’s happening this fast, you have to give it the test of time,” I said. “If it’s real, you’ll both know it here.” I tapped my chest over my heart.
We walked farther before I stopped. “How’s Darryl this morning? I told him I thought he was pushing Abbie away. I know he wants to protect her, but …”
“He and I had an argument about it, and this morning he’s going to call her,” Emma said, breaking into my conversation with a thumbs-up signal. “I think you helped him see that this is what he should do.”
“I’m glad,” I said and looked up to find Darryl and Rand jogging toward us.
We waited for them to approach.
“Two lovelies on a lovely day,” said Rand, beaming at us.
“Hi, guys,” said Emma. “How many miles have you done today?”
“I figured it was about six up and back,” said Darryl. “I think Abbie is going to be pleased when she hears.”
“You’re going to ask her to come to Florida?” I asked him.
“Yes. I’ll protect her as much as possible, but it’ll be a test to see if what we have can work. Her clients consist of many high-profile people. She’s used to the idea of publicity because of them.”
“I’m really happy she’ll be here,” I said.
“She knows about the plan I have for my future and has already agreed to help me organize it,” said Darryl.
“It pays to have a smart woman beside you,” said Rand, settling a gaze on Emma. “I’ve been thinking about your suggestion for a charitable opportunity.”
“That makes me happy,” said Emma.
“Well, I guess I’d better head back to the hotel. It’s great to see everyone. Let me know if the hotel can do anything for you,” I said, wanting to give them their time alone.
“See you tomorrow,” said Emma. “Tell Rhonda hello and thank her again for dinner last night.”
“It was delicious,” said Rand.
“Fantastic,” agreed Darryl.
I gave them a wave and walked into another busy day at the hotel.