Page 69 of Nightcaps at The Beach House Hotel

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.”

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