Page 2 of A New Year In The Presidential Suite

A man held the terminal door open for her, and sighing deeply, Lori rolled her suitcases into the lobby. She couldn’t disappoint her family. They’d been so supportive during Nick’s illness and, afterwards, his death. Now, they wanted this for her.

After checking in and taking a seat in the boarding area, Lori decided to fake it, pretend she was a sophisticated traveler, and enjoy the ride.

And later, aboard the plane, she sat in her seat and gazed out the window, reminding herself to relax.

The plane swept up into the sky.

Lori leaned back and closed her eyes, trying not to worry about the week ahead. She didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep until she was awakened by the announcement they were approaching Tampa International Airport.

She followed the crowd out of the plane, onto the tram to the main terminal, and down to the baggage claim area to search for someone holding a sign with her name on it. Her parents had arranged for a hotel limousine driver to pick her up.

A pleasant-looking young man smiled at her when she headed toward him. “Are you Lori Hamlin?”

“Yes, I am,” she replied.

“I’m Joe Sanchez. I’ll be driving you to the hotel, and I’ll take care of getting your luggage. Please give me your baggage claim stub, and I’ll get your suitcases. What color are the bags?”

“I have only one bag checked and it’s brown,” she said. Her sisters had warned her not to buy black because everyone else seemed to have that color.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

As she waited for Joe to bring her suitcase, she studied the people around her and tried to imagine where they were headed.

Joe returned and led her to a white limousine with a green and pink logo on the door indicating The Beach House Hotel. With a flourish, he opened the door and helped her inside, quickly loaded the suitcases in the trunk, and slid behind the wheel.

“There’s a bottle of chilled water for you. Is this your first time at The Beach House Hotel?” he asked politely as they drove out of the airport.

“Yes. I’ve heard of it, of course, and seen pictures of it. Such a beautiful place,” she said, feeling a thread of excitement weave through her.

“It’s everything you could want in an upscale hotel,” said Joe. “Wait until you taste the food. Be sure to start your day with a warm cinnamon roll. My grandmother makes them.”

Lori’s stomach growled. She realized she hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch. A snack at the airport didn’t count.

Soft music played on the car’s audio system, and Lori felt the tension of the trip leave her shoulders. This was a time for her to have some fun, to meet people, enjoy excellent food, and forget about her worries back home. She gazed out of the tinted windows, thrilled to see palm trees. She and Nick had planned a tropical trip before he got sick.

When the limousine pulled through the gates of the hotel, Lori’s breath caught as she stared at the pink stucco building. Pictures hadn’t done justice to the way the building appeared, looking like a stunning sandcastle come to life. The landscaping around the building softened its edges and added color to the surroundings.

As Joe pulled up to the front entrance, two women whom Lori recognized as Ann Sanders and Rhonda Grayson walked down the stairs to meet them.

Joe parked the car, ran around, opened her door, and then helped her onto the pavement.

“Welcome to The Beach House Hotel,” said the blonde. “I’m Rhonda Grayson, one of the owners of the hotel.”

“And I’m Ann Sanders,” said the other woman. “We hope you enjoy your time here. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable.”

They turned as another limousine pulled up in front of the hotel.

A man got out of the vehicle and bobbed his head as the owners greeted him.

Lori headed up the stairs and was soon joined by the man.

She turned to him but said nothing, feeling too shy and uncertain to do more than acknowledge him.

At the reception desk, she couldn’t help overhearing a clerk say to him, “Griffin Sawyer, yes, the Presidential Suite is all set for you. You’re traveling alone. Is that correct?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” he replied and cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed.

Lori turned away to give him privacy. She knew the difficulty of being a “single” in places meant for couples. Griffin Sawyer left the area, and Lori checked in.