Page 75 of Sea Breezes at The Beach House Hotel

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Several days later, I stood in the upstairs room designated for Bailey with a paint roller in my hand. I, like others before me, was helping with the transformation of the interior of Nell’s new house. The exterior had already been painted a light beige, and Nell had chosen a deep turquoise for the front door, a pretty tropical color.

I was working under the instruction of one of the professional painters whom Rhonda and I had hired to oversee the work. Bailey’s room walls were to be coated with a shade of peach called Glee. Being part of Nell’s project had become a show of unity among the hotel employees. The process was moving quickly and needed the constant guidance of the professional whose boss was a cousin of Manny’s.

“Okay, you know how to put paint on the roller. Now, be careful to roll it on the wall evenly to get a smooth color effect on the walls,” said my coach, an encouraging young man working for his uncle.

After a few unsure attempts, I worked easily, covering up the old pink walls and giving them an entirely new and fresh look. A member of the hotel staff joined me, and we worked together to do the job. We were to leave the wall near the ceiling alone, so the paint didn’t get on the ceiling. The professionals not only prepared and taped the walls for painting, but they also put the finishing touches on each of the rooms.

A couple of hours later, I stood rubbing my back and staring with pride at the room.

Vaughn, who had been assigned Ned’s room, came up behind me. “Are you sore?”

I laughed and turned to him. “I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know I had. Are you done with Ned’s room?”

“Yes, and we’ve started on the guest room. I’m pleased with the house’s structure. It’s sound. It may have needed dressing up, but that’s all.”

I walked with him to Ned’s room and looked inside. The dark green color on the walls was the one both Nell and I liked best, and it was perfect for a boy’s room.

We moved to the guest room/office, and I loved the soft, gold-colored walls. Though the main part of the house downstairs would become a warm white, the rooms upstairs each had their distinct flavor.

“Thanks, everyone,” I called as I went down the stairs. I had to get home and change to go to the hotel. We were, as usual, extra busy during this holiday.

On my way out, Rhonda and Will arrived. We all wanted to do our share to help. It had become a family thing.

“The hotel is fine,” Rhonda told me. “We heard from the private investigator that the issue with the hotel and Claudine has been resolved.” Her lips curled. “I think he was embarrassed when he realized she’d left out a lot of important details in her story.”

“From what Nell tells me, Clint’s company is trying to enforce a non-compete clause even though any job he gets through Will and Reggie isn’t at all like his work for Everett, Shuster, and Donnelly. I wonder how they can be that mean and spiteful. I know people can be that way, but it seems senseless.”

“I agree,” Rhonda said. “Say hi to Tina for me. I’ll see her this afternoon when we get together for a champagne toast.”

“Will do,” I said, excited to see Tina and her boys. Nicholas was going to fly to Sabal in a couple of days.

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After changing at home, I drove to the hotel, geared up for the day. Thankfully, no weddings were scheduled. That was the last thing we needed when we were all working hard on Nell’s house and continuing to provide excellent service at the hotel.

Nell’s project had generated a lot of camaraderie among our staff members. Most of all, Angie, Liz, and Nell had become even closer. They worked together to choose light fixtures and to decide on small details that made a house a home.

At the hotel, I walked into the kitchen to greet Consuela and grab a cup of coffee. I didn’t need a sweet roll. Consuela had sent a huge tray of cinnamon rolls to Nell’s house for the crew members working there.

“Hi,” I said, pouring my coffee and turning to her. “How’s it going here?”

“Busy. Our customers like holiday coffee parties. The dining room has been full of them taking the place of luncheons that were sold out.” She wiped her forehead. “I’ve been busy.”

I put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “You are such a treasure. And everyone loves what you do. The cinnamon rolls are the best. Thanks for sending some to Nell’s house. It’s the perfect thing for a break.”

Consuela smiled at me. “It looks like someone has been working there.” She reached up and tugged on some strands of hair.

I laughed. “I’m sore, but at every stroke I took to cover up the ugly old paint, I felt terrific.”

“It’s great how everyone is pitching in. That’s because you and Rhonda have made us a family,” said Consuela. She lifted her hand and patted my cheek.

I blinked away tears. “I guess I’d better get to the office. Rhonda and Will are at the house ready to paint. See you later. Thanks.”

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At the hotel, I checked for messages, and after taking care of them, I headed to the library. A popular women’s club in the area had reserved the room to hold an afternoon tea for the benefit of a women’s shelter. It was an event that Rhonda and I were excited to have in the hotel.