Page 20 of Bubbles at the Beach House Hotel

When I got home, Vaughnwas talking on the phone. He gave me a sign of hello, and I went to change. I had just slipped on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt when Vaughn entered the room.

“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow to go to Canada for filming the sequel toLove in the Air.”

“They finally reached an agreement?”

“Yes, Lauren Hyde and I will be paid the same amount to do the follow-up film,Love by Design. Everyone is amenable to the arrangements.”

“You’ve been busy studying your lines, so I imagine how relieved you’ll be to get started finally,” I said, though I hated the thought of him leaving. But I’d known from the beginning of our relationship that acting was his job.

“Yes, the director is a stickler for using time wisely, so it’ll be great to get this done before the holidays,” Vaughn said. “How’d your luncheon go?”

“Great. We made over $90,000 for the research center. I won a weekend at the Palm Island Club, and I’ve decided Liz and Chad need that more than we do. I’ll babysit the T’s. It’ll give me a chance for some time with them.”

“That would be a nice surprise to them,” said Vaughn. “I stopped by to see Liz and the triplets. She was a little stressed but was as sweet as ever with the kids. She’s such a capable mother that I have no doubt she’ll do an excellent job with the new little one. She might even enjoy having just one child occasionally to fuss over.”

“That’s what I tried to tell her,” I said, falling into Vaughn’s open arms. I nestled against him, hearing his strong heartbeat and enjoying the sense of comfort he always gave me. I’d miss him so much.

“Robbie won’t be home from swim practice for a couple of hours. How about a little afternoon delight?” said Vaughn, tightening his grip around me and allowing me to sense how ready he was.

“I skipped dessert. Now might be a good time to make up for it,” I said, smiling at him.

He chuckled at my teasing, and we left the room together.

###

Later, after takinga quick shower, I dressed again in shorts and a T-shirt, ready to enjoy this pleasant evening. Having lived in Boston for most of my life, I still delighted in being dressed like this to relax.

“Do you want a glass of wine while I get some chicken breasts marinating so I can grill them?” asked Vaughn.

“That would be delightful,” I said, scooping up Cindy and carrying her to the couch on the lanai for special “puppy love” time.

We settled on the couch, and I stroked her, thinking of what a superb addition she was to the family. Cindy, the glutton she was, kept nudging my hand every time I stopped.

Vaughn handed me a glass of red wine. “A new pinot noir to try. Full-bodied but not heavy.”

“Thanks.” I took a sip of wine and leaned back against the couch's cushions, thinking of all that had happened that day. The group of five women in the guesthouse was more complicated than I’d first thought.

Vaughn picked up Robbie from his swim practice, and after he came home, Robbie spent some time with Cindy on the floor. He and the dog had a strong bond. It was interesting to see how much they relied upon each other for relaxation.

“Dad’s going away again,” I said.

“I know. He told me. He promised that if filming went on over school break, I could come to Canada to be with him.”

“That’s a pleasant thought,” I said, feeling a momentary resentment that I wouldn’t be able to leave the hotel during those busy days. But then, Rhonda and I quickly understood how important it was for us to be at the hotel.

###

The next morning, Itook advantage of Vaughn being home to visit the beach early in the morning.

When I walked onto the sand, I went over to the water’s edge and was surprised to see how high the waves were. I hadn’t turned on the news, so I hadn’t heard anything about storms, but I thought I’d better search the news when I went into the office.

For now, I stood in the foamy edges and lifted my face to the sky. Sun warmed my skin, and I remembered that the weather at this time of year was like a trickster at Halloween—harmless after making many threats.

I heard someone call my name and turned to see Amy walking toward me. “Hey, there, early bird,” I said gaily.

“Hi. It’s such a great day,” Amy said.

Studying her, I had the impression that something had changed with her. She moved like someone with a sense of freedom.

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