Page 45 of Bubbles at the Beach House Hotel

After talking to Angela and Liz, we set up a luncheon meeting early in the following week to give Rhonda and Will time for a long weekend getaway. It was going to be a quiet time at the hotel. The following week would be Halloween, and we’d be very busy with our new Halloween Weekend Discount Program.

We reviewed our reservation schedule for the next few months and were pleased that there weren’t many holes in it. It was easier to fill the hotel on the weekends, so it was important to offer deals that included mid-week stays. Once cold weather hit the north, it all became easier.

We met with Bernie to discuss the upcoming months, and he agreed that the deals we wanted to market were wise choices.

Toward the end of the afternoon, I said, “It’s time to go meet the ‘Fab Five’ as you call them.

Rhonda grinned. “From what you’ve told me, I think we have the making of not one, but two matchmaking successes.”

“We’ll see,” I said. “A ten-day vacation doesn’t give the participants much time to make anything happen.”

But as we walked over to the house, I kept thinking about the relationships that were developing between Slade and Amy, as well as Caro and Henry. The Beach House Hotel was the perfect place for romance.

“I hope the women had a delightful time at the spa. We could use them in some PR info,” said Rhonda. “I’ll take some pictures on my phone when we get there.”

As we walked by the guesthouse where the men were staying, it was quiet.

Rhonda nudged me. “They must be next door.”

We knocked on the front door of the “Fab Five’s” guesthouse, and Jane came to the door wearing a beach coverup, her skin aglow.

“Hi, Jane. We’re here for some bubbles,” I said, handing her a bottle of chilled champagne that we’d brought with us.

“Thank you! It’s been such a fabulous day at the spa. We’re relaxing on the lanai with Slade and Henry. Too bad you didn’t bring your bathing suits. We’ve been enjoying the pool.”

“I’m looking forward to spending time with you,” said Rhonda graciously.

“Me, too,” I said, following Jane out to the lanai. There wasn’t a day in the week or a week in a year that Rhonda would wear a bathing suit in a situation like this.

The other four women cheered when Jane held up the bottle of champagne we’d brought and announced, “More bubbles.”

Chuckling, I realized they’d already started with some of their own.

Jane offered us chairs at the table, and we watched as Amy and Slade climbed out of the pool. No doubt about it, Slade was an attractive man, even with a bit of a paunch.

Amy came over to the table and joined us. Slade pulled up a chair beside her.

“It’s nice to see you relaxing,” said Rhonda.

Amy glanced at Slade. “It’s been a few rough days. I couldn’t have gotten through it without Slade’s help.”

“I’m pleased you were able to work out problems together,” I said, wondering if their relationship would continue after they left the hotel.

I watched Heather and Lisa sitting on the steps of the pool, chatting. Caro and Henry appeared to be in deep conversation at the far end of the pool.

“I love to see our guests enjoying what we offer them,” I said to Jane. “Tell me about the spa. Was it as relaxing as you’d hoped?”

“Even better,” said Jane. “And we did agree to have our pictures taken for PR purposes as you’d asked.” She poured champagne into two of the plastic tulip glasses we kept at the house.

“Thanks,” said Rhonda. “With the beach right here, guests sometimes forget about using our spa.”

Caro and Henry came up to the table. “More bubbles?”

“Yes,” said Jane. “Let me pour you some of this wine, and then I think we should make a toast to Ann and Rhonda and The Beach House Hotel.”

Heather and Lisa joined us as Jane lifted her glass. “Here’s to having the most sensational vacation ever.”

“More than we’d hoped for,” said Caro, smiling at Henry, who wrapped an arm around her.

---