Page 73 of Nightcaps at The Beach House Hotel

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.

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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.”

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