Page 62 of Canapés at the Beach House Hotel
I got out of the car and headed inside, stopping to say hello to them before going to check on preparations for the wedding breakfast buffet.
Philippa caught up to me.“Morning, Ann.I want you to know I was just taking a break.I’m heading back to the dining room now.”
“No problem, Philippa, as long as it doesn’t interfere with work for the hotel by either you or Chet.How do you like working in the hospitality department?”
“I love it.I’m used to helping at receptions put on by my parents, and this is a lot more fun.”
“Sometime next week, Rhonda and I will sit down with you to discuss a permanent plan for you.”
“Thanks.My father is going to come down to Sabal in a few days to look at the house my mother wants to buy.I want him to know how serious I am about living and working here.”
I gave her an encouraging smile.“Glad to hear it.How is Luciano doing?”
“He and Harper are getting along nicely.The truth is, Luc and I are relieved to be able to move along with our lives.I don’t know how long he’ll be staying here.”
“Does his family know there will be no wedding between you and him?”
Philippa made a face and shrugged her shoulders.“I don’t know.Luc is waiting to speak to my father.”
We entered the dining room together.
“Hello,” I said to Lauren who was adjusting the floral centerpiece on a small table holding dishes and silverware.
“’Morning,” said Lauren.“Thanks, Philippa, for retrieving the flowers from last night’s dinner.”
“You’re welcome.I would hate to see them go to waste,” Philippa said.
“Have you coordinated timing with the kitchen?”I asked them.
A pretty blush crept up Philippa’s cheek.“That’s what I’d been doing when you saw me.”
“Okay, fine,” I said.“I’ll be in my office if you need me.”
I left and stopped in the kitchen to see what was happening there.
Consuela beamed at me as she pulled cinnamon rolls out of the oven.“Buenos Dias.”
“A quiet morning to be here,” I said, grabbing a cup of coffee.“Thanks.”
“When is Rhonda coming back?”she asked me, placing a sweet roll on a plate and handing it to me.
“Late tomorrow night.It’ll be great to have her back.”
“The two of you together.That’s what makes a great team,” Consuela said.“It’s always been that way.”
I went to my office to work on a financial reconciliation of wedding expenses.Costs had to be carefully controlled for these events.This wedding was small and well-planned.But costs for larger ones often got out of control if their contracts didn’t include everything.
I was reviewing numbers when there was a knock on the door and Harper came inside.
“Have a minute?”she asked.
“Sure.Have a seat,” I said, seeing distress on her face.“What’s going on?”
She leaned forward.“I want to be totally upfront with you.Luciano is asking me to travel to Italy to meet his family.He wants to see where our relationship might go.I told him about my commitment to you and Rhonda and that I’d need time to think about it.”
“How do you feel about him?Isn’t this very sudden?”I asked her.
“I’m falling for him hard.He’s a bright, kind, gentle man whom I’m very attracted to.”
