Page 49 of Bubbles at the Beach House Hotel

Angela frowned. “I’ve been worried about him. I’m glad you both can take some time off.”

“I’m hoping it will be the wake-up call Will needs,” said Rhonda.

“Okay, who’s hungry?” said Liz, handing out small menus encased in plastic.

It took us only a moment to decide. All four of us wanted the spring green salad with fresh fruit and a yogurt dressing.

“I always feel so healthy when I eat here,” said Rhonda, grinning.

“Me, too,” said Angela. “But I’ll probably have a cookie with the kids for their afternoon snack.”

At ease with one another, we all laughed.

After we ate our salads, I dabbed my mouth with a napkin and cleared my throat. “Okay, Angela and Liz, tell us about your PR suggestion.”

“I’ll begin,” said Liz. “We’ve noticed that the Mother’s Pampered Package Program isn’t as active as it used to be, and we wanted to come up with a unique way to spur some interest. We decided we had to use real people and real situations for it. Do you remember a young pregnant woman named Jessica Winchester? She participated in the program almost a year ago. Her mother-in-law paid for the three-day pamper program because she was so excited Jessica and her husband were having a baby boy.”

“We decided to promote it as a thank you from the husband and baby for a mother’s first year,” Angela said. “It would add another layer to the program. Up until now, it’s been advertised especially for pregnant women and brand new mothers.”

“But what about the young mothers who survive the first year?” said Liz. “That’s when it’s really important.”

Rhonda and I glanced at each other.

“I like it,” said Rhonda.

“Go on,” I said, becoming excited.

“We got in touch with Jessica Winchester and asked if she and her husband would participate in advertising for the special,” said Angela, grinning.

“We told them it would mean a free stay here at the hotel, but they’d have photographers take pictures of them at special times during their stay,” added Liz. “What do you think?”

I looked at Rhonda. “I think it’s a great way not only to advertise the special program but to showcase the hotel for people in that age group.”

“Me, too,” said Rhonda. “The rates for that special make it available to young parents who are willing to work around dates for it.”

“If it’s agreeable to you, we’ve planned to have them come in early November and stay from a Sunday night to Thursday morning,” said Angie.

“Before our Thanksgiving rush,” I said.

“Oh, yes,” said Liz. “We know how busy that is.”

“I think it’s great,” said Rhonda. “We’ll want to see graphics for the program.”

“And we need to have some sort of contract drawn up. Bernie can help with that,” I said. “If Jessica and her husband are amenable, let’s make it an online story on our website.”

“That’s what we thought we’d do with it,” said Angela. “Maybe even put it up on YouTube and Instagram if it comes out right.”

“I’m sure glad you two are arranging this. All this online stuff is over my head,” said Rhonda. “But I’m proud of both of you.”

“Me, too,” I said, unable to stop smiling at our daughters. Maybe when the day came for them to take over the hotel, it would be an entirely different way of doing things.

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Iwas still in an upbeatmood when I pulled into my driveway that afternoon. When Cindy didn’t come to the door to greet me, my suspicion rose. I hurried through the kitchen and out to the lanai. Observing Vaughn down on the dock, I clapped my hands with joy. Life was so much better with Vaughn at home.

I opened the door to the lanai and headed down the slope of the lawn to greet him.

He sensed my presence, grinned, and then trotted toward me.

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