Lorna Sable looked up from her spot at the welcome desk to see her brother-in-law, Derek Wells, entering the lobby. She watched as he approached with a worried look on his face.
“Derek, what are you doing here?” Lorna asked. “I thought Lana wasn’t feeling well this morning?”
He frowned. “She’s not, and she can’t relax knowing that she’s left you and your sister shorthanded, so I volunteered to come over and help.”
Lorna matched his frown. “That girl…tell her to take care of the baby she’s going to have, Lena and I are grown and we can handle the Inn without her.”
“I know you can,” Derek agreed. “But you know Lana…”
Walking around the desk, Lorna went to Derek and placed a hand on his arm. “Listen, go home to your wife and tell her that everything is under control.”
He sighed. “Her celebrity health camp starts today and she really wanted to be here to greet the guests.”
Lorna smiled. “They’re here for a week, so she’ll get to greet them eventually.”
“I told her that,” Derek relayed. “And I also told her she had to stay in bed until she felt better.”
“I’m glad that’s your job,”
He laughed. “One that I wouldn’t give up for anything in the world.”
Mrs. Langston, the Inn’s cook and matriarch walked into the lobby with a small tray in her hands, and was greeted by Derek.
“Good morning, Mrs. Langston,” he said with a smile.
“Derek, glad to have you back,” she said, returning his smile.
He nodded. “I try not to be away too long, while we’re setting up the campaign.”
Mrs. Langston pushed the tray towards him. “Take this to that hardheaded wife of yours.”
“She called you?” Derek asked, taking the tray filled with a few items.
“Yes, desperate to get herself over here.” Mrs. Langston told him and he shook his head.
“That woman,” Derek breathed.
Lorna smiled. “This is big for Lana, and the Sable Inn. She did an amazing job getting that celebrity fitness expert to host her camp here.”
Derek smiled. “I’m so proud of her.”
“We all are,” Mrs. Langston agreed. “But her concern today is not this camp, it’s that baby in her belly.”
“I agree,” Derek said firmly.
Mrs. Langston pointed at the tray. “Tell her to take that, and wait until the sickness passes. She should be fine in a couple of hours.”
“I will. Thank you Mrs. Langston.” Derek kissed her weathered cheek.
She smiled. “And if you can’t get her to follow directions, tell her I’m coming with my switch.”
Lorna’s eyes widened. “Not the switch,”
Mrs. Langston nodded. “Yes ma’am. We aren’t having any foolishness with our Sable baby.”
“Uh, Wells…” Derek corrected and Mrs. Langston turned to him.
“His name will be Wells, but this is our Sable baby.”
Lorna’s sister, Lena entered the lobby. “Who’s talking about our Sable baby?”
Derek shook his head.
“Lana is trying to be in charge of everything as usual,” Lorna told her sister.
Lena frowned. “Tell her to sit down.”
Derek sighed. “Yes, I’ve done that.”
“Tell her Mrs. Langston will get the switch,” Lena added.
“I’ve just been informed of that aspect,” Derek told her. “And I don’t think Lana would be interested.”
Lorna laughed. “Tell her we’ll call the Book Club to sit with her.”
He frowned. “No, that’s not necessary.”
The women laughed, knowing that Lana’s Book Club ladies drove Derek crazy with their antics. However, they loved Lana and were the most loyal women, so he’d accepted them into their lives. His job as a Campaign Manager for political candidates, kept him away from the Inn for extended periods of time, so he felt good knowing that so many people were looking out for his wife.
“Are they moving their meetings back to the Inn?” Lena asked.
“I hope so,” Derek answered.
Lorna grinned. “I hope not. Those three are too much,”
“They have a new member,” he informed them.
“Who?” All the women asked.
“My sister, Dina,” Derek said, shaking his head. “She video calls into the meetings.”
Lorna chuckled. “I might start attending.”
Lena frowned. “I won’t.”
Derek shrugged. “Let me take this to Lana and see if this helps. I’m sure she’ll be over later, but if you need me, just call.”
Lena looked at him. “You do know that we have a full staff here?”
“Tell your sister that,” Derek said walking to the door.
The three women watched him leave and turned to one another.
“I’m so happy for Lana. Derek loves her so much,” Lorna said, after he’d gone.
Lena and Mrs. Langston turned to her. “Just like Jamal loves you,” Lena told her.
Lorna blushed and walked back to her post behind the desk. “Lena…”
“Don’t ‘Lena…’ me,”
Her sister followed her behind the desk. “What is up with you two?”
Mrs. Langston intervened. “Leave your sister alone, Lena. She and Jamal have a special bond.”
Lena looked at her sister, who was making herself busy. “What kind of special bond?”
The door opened and they all looked up as a driver entered, carrying bags. Sitting them inside the door, he walked back outside.
“Looks like our first guest is here,” Lorna said, happy for the distraction of her sister’s conversation.
When the door opened again, Lena had made her way over to greet the visitors. The driver held the door open for a young woman, who breezed inside, dressed in designer jeans and large sunglasses in October. She looked around the foyer and smiled with perfect, brilliant white teeth.
“Welcome to the Sable Inn,” Lena said warmly.
The woman turned to her. “Thank you. This place looks a lot different.”
Lena lifted a brow. “You’ve visited us before?”
She smiled again and threw her expensive Remy hair over her shoulder. “Of course, I’m from Grayling.”
Lorna looked over at the woman and felt a chill down her spine. Although she didn’t recognize her, the voice did sound vaguely familiar.
“You’re from Grayling?” Lena asked.
“Yes, Lena. I remember you.”
Lena continued to stare at the woman. “What’s your name?”
The woman’s gaze went to Lorna, at the desk. “I’m sure your sister remembers me.”
Mrs. Langston watched Lorna’s reaction as the woman walked over to her.
“Hey, Lorna.”
“Do I know you?” Lorna questioned, studying the beautiful woman.
“My reservation is under Cassidee,”
Lorna glanced at her screen. “You’re the singer who made that one song?”
She chuckled. “Yes, but you know me as Cassandra. Cassandra Riddick.”
Feeling her heart stop, Lorna turned her attention back to the screen and swallowed.
“You’re Cassandra Riddick?” Lorna asked quietly.
“In the flesh,”
The woman twirled in the lobby as everyone watched.
“I’m here for the celebrity Boot Camp,” she told Lorna, when she turned back to her. “And to get my baby…”
Lena joined them at the desk. “Who’s your baby?”
Lorna turned to her sister, and said quietly, “Jamal…”
******
Jamal Winston finished loading up his van to make his morning delivery to the Sable Inn. Their order was increased this week, since they were hosting some big wigs for a Boot Camp getaway. The Sable Inn was always his first delivery of the day, because he had to see Lorna Sable to get his day started. Lorna was the reason he’d turned his entire life around from his wild teenage years.
Now, he owned the local florist and cultivated his own botanical gardens, growing a variety of flowers and plants. When he’d gotten focused, Jamal had attended Michigan State University and earned a degree in Horticulture.
With the help of his father, who was the local sheriff, in addition to Mr. Sable and a lot of the residents, he’d been able to open and run a successful business. The most instrumental person, however, had been Lorna, and she never ceased to tell him how proud she was of him.
Jamal frowned as he climbed into the vehicle thinking about Lorna. She still wasn’t at the point where she was proud enough to actually be with him publicly, but he wouldn’t give up. Jamal knew that as sweet and forgiving as Lorna was, he’d done something that had broken her heart. Now it was his mission to right that wrong…no matter how long it took.
Arriving at the Sable Inn, he grabbed the small bouquet of flowers from his seat before heading inside. He watched as a dark limousine took off and smiled to himself. You didn’t see that often at the Sable Inn. Walking through the door, Jamal saw Lorna at the desk, along with her sister and Mrs. Langston. They were with a guest, so he hung back and waited until Lorna’s troubled gaze met his.
His heart began to race, at the look on her face. Not caring about a guest, he hurried over to her as the woman turned to look at him.
“Jamal! Baby!”
Lorna’s eyes widened as Cassandra threw herself into Jamal’s arms. Lena frowned and Mrs. Langston waited for Jamal’s reaction.
Jamal looked at the woman and removed himself from her embrace, then frowned. “Cassandra?”
She beamed. “Yes, baby it’s me!”
He looked her over. “Wow, it is you. You look so different.”
“I had a little work done,” she agreed.
Lorna thought it was more than a little, because she’d hardly recognized the woman. “Your room is ready Miss Riddick,” Lorna told her, handing her a card key.
Cassandra turned to her and took the key. “You can call me Cassidee.”
Jamal frowned. “The singer? You’re Cassidee?”
She looked at Jamal. “Yes, baby…I made it. Now we can do all the things you dreamed of…”
Jamal saw Lorna flinch each time Cassandra addressed him. He stepped back and shook his head. “Look, let’s chill on the baby…Jamal is cool.”
Cassandra paused, then glanced back at Lorna. “Okay, Jamal…”
The young man that Lana had hired to carry bags and do other jobs around the Inn appeared and they all turned to him.
“Oh my god! Cassidee!” He put a hand to his mouth.
Lena glared at him. “Russ, what did we tell you?”
“I’m sorry, but it’s Cassidee!” He said in awe.
Cassandra smiled. “Are you a fan?”
“Are you kidding? No one will believe that Cassidee is in Grayling!”
“Well, I’ll give you an autograph and you can prove it.”
Mrs. Langston turned to the young man. “Get the bags, boy. This ain’t a concert, this is your job.”
“Yes, Mrs. Langston,” he said quietly and went to retrieve Cassandra’s cases.
“I’ve got you Russ,” she told him and he grinned. “I know how little excitement goes on in this place.”
Cassandra turned back to Jamal. “I was going to drop by your shop, but you spoiled my surprise.”
He nodded. “It’s definitely a surprise.” Jamal’s eyes went to Lorna’s then to the flowers in his hand. Sitting them on the counter, he turned his attention to her.
“These are for you, Beauty.” Jamal told her and Mrs. Langston nodded.
Lorna flushed under Cassandra’s stare. “Thank you, Jamal. They’re beautiful, as usual.”
“So are you,”
Lena smiled. “Let me show you to your room Miss Riddick. You’re in the Green Room.”
“Jamal?”
He looked at Cassandra. “Yeah?”
“Are you two together?” she questioned.
Jamal glanced at Lorna. “No, we’re not together…right now.”
Lorna felt her breath catch as he watched her. Jamal turned back to Cassandra and looked her over.
“I’m glad things have turned out well for you,” he told her sincerely.
“Can we at least get together and talk while I’m here?” she asked.
Jamal nodded. “We can talk.”
She smiled. “That’s all I need.” Cassandra turned to Russ. “Can you bring my bags, sweetie?”
He was immediately on the case and Lena led the way upstairs. Mrs. Langston gave Lorna and Jamal a look before she walked away, then Lorna went back to her work on the desk, as Jamal stared at her.
“I didn’t know that she was coming back,” he told her.
Lorna nodded. “I guess it’ll be like old times.”
He frowned. “No, it won’t.”
Taking a deep breath, Lorna looked at him. “Do you have our order for today?”
“Lorna…”
She shook her head. “We have too much going on today, Jamal, and Lana’s not feeling well, so this is the last thing that I have time for,”
Jamal nodded. “Okay, can we talk later then?”
“You should talk to Cassandra…I mean Cassidee,”
He threw his head back and groaned. “Don’t do this, Lorna.”
“I’m not doing that again, Jamal.” She said angrily.
Jamal closed his eyes. “I know, I’m not either.”
“You told her right. We’re not a couple, so whatever happens between the two of you doesn’t affect me, this time.”
He opened his eyes and looked at her, before coming around the desk.
Lorna’s eyes got big. “What are you doing?”
Jamal cradled her face gently. “Lorna Sable, you’re the reason that I wake up every morning. You’re the reason I even came back to Grayling and faced all my demons. Cassandra Riddick being here doesn’t change a damn thing, because you are all that matters to me.”
Lorna lowered her face. “Jamal…”
“You know that I’ve loved you since I was fifteen years old, Lorna. That’s never going to change, no matter what,” he finished quietly.
She lifted big, dark eyes to his. “It wasn’t enough back then…”
“If you didn’t still care, you would have sent my ass packing a long time ago,” Jamal told her.
“Of course,” Lorna responded. “You know I love you Jamal. Even when I didn’t want to, I still did.”
He stroked her cheek. “Don’t dip on me Lorna.”
She blinked damp lashes. “I’m not the one who dips.”
The door opened and Jamal reluctantly took a step back as Mr. Sable joined them at the desk. He lifted a brow, seeing his daughter turn away and wipe her eyes. Lloyd gave Jamal a questioning look.
“Good morning, Mr. Sable,”
“Good morning, Jamal.” Lloyd replied as Lorna turned back to him. “Are you delivering our flowers?” he asked Jamal pointedly.
With one last glance at Lorna, Jamal nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He moved from behind the desk and headed outside to his van. Lloyd walked around the counter to look down at his daughter.
“You alright, baby girl?”
She nodded and smiled. “Yes, Daddy…I’m fine.”
“I told you that if Jamal ever made you cry again, the sheriff won’t have a son anymore,” Lloyd reminded her.
“Jamal is fine,” Lorna assured. “And I don’t need you trying to hurt him.”
Jamal returned with his cart full of fresh flowers for the dining area. “I’ll just take these back,” he told them and Lloyd nodded.
Lena and Russ returned from upstairs and the young man went back to help in the kitchen, while Lena joined her sister and father.
“Good morning, Daddy,”
Lloyd smiled. “Good morning Lena. We have guests already?”
Lena glanced at Lorna. “Lorna didn’t tell you?”
Lorna moved to the desk. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Lorna?” Lloyd called her name.
“It’s nothing to be concerned about Daddy. We have twenty more guests scheduled to arrive. We should get to work,” Lorna told him.
“Lena, cover the desk,” Lloyd said, then took Lorna’s arm. “Come talk to me.”
Lorna sighed. “Daddy, I’m a big girl.”
“Then come talk to me, big girl.”
Lena shrugged and moved to take her sister’s place while her father led Lorna away. At her office, Lorna took a seat behind her desk.
“Daddy, this really isn’t necessary. We have a big week ahead,” she told him as he leaned against the wall.
“What’s going on?”
Lorna turned to the window. “Cassandra Riddick is here at the Inn. She’s some popular singer now.”
Lloyd blew out a breath. “You think Jamal is going to repeat his mistakes of the past?”
She shrugged. “I have no control over Jamal.”
“And that’s why you’re upset.”
Lorna looked at her father. “I’m not upset.”
Lloyd took a seat across from her desk. “You’re upset Lorna.”
Her face fell at her father’s plain statement. “I don’t want to be upset. This is why I’m not with Jamal.”
“You can’t punish him forever,”
She blinked. “I’m not punishing Jamal.”
“Aren’t you?” Lloyd asked. “You know that man loves you and he’s just patiently waiting for you to forgive him.”
Lorna touched her head. “I have forgiven, Jamal. I just haven’t forgotten how he can hurt me.”
“If you don’t want him, Lorna, you can’t keep him from someone else,” Lloyd preached.
“Cassandra Riddick though!” Lorna jumped to her feet. “She encouraged all his bad behavior and then when he got in trouble, she disappeared and left him high and dry!”
“I’m sure Jamal recalls that,”
Lorna shook her head. “She could get him to do anything.”
“He was a boy, and she was a temptation.” Lloyd defended. “Jamal’s not a boy anymore.”
She sighed. “More than anything, Daddy, I don’t want her to hurt him or cause him to get into trouble again.”
Lloyd stood and walked over to her, taking her into his arms. “I think you need to see the man Jamal is now, and not look at him as the teenager he was back then.”
Lorna laid her head on her father’s shoulder. “Do you think that’s what I’ve done?”
He rubbed her back. “What did he say about her being here?”
“He says that nothing has changed,” she relayed.
“Then take him at his word.”
Lorna pulled back. “You’re Team Jamal?”
Lloyd laughed softly. “I’m Team Make My Daughter Happy, but Jamal does have a special place in my heart. I’ve watched him grow into a man.”
“I’m so proud of him,” Lorna confessed. “He could’ve gone in a different direction.”
Lloyd looked down at her. “Because of you…”
Lorna pulled away. “I should get back out there. Lana’s not here and it’s not fair to leave Lena out there all alone. We have a lot of guests checking in today.”
Lloyd nodded. “Is Lana okay?”
“Yes, just being hardheaded. Derek is making her stay home until she feels better.” Lorna explained.
He smiled. “That’s my son-in-law. He takes care of his business.”
“He certainly does,” Lorna agreed. “That’s why we’re having a Sable baby.”
Lloyd chuckled. “Yes, we are.”
******
Jamal placed the arrangements on each table with help from Russ. He turned and saw Mrs. Langston standing next to him.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Don’t you hurt that girl again,” she warned.
He shook his head. “No ma’am.”
“And don’t you let that little thing that’s walked in here, mess your head up,” Mrs. Langston delivered with a stern look.
“I’m not that boy, anymore.”
She rubbed his arm. “I know that, son. We’re all so proud of you.” Mrs. Langston smiled up at him. “Because you were a little rascal,”
Jamal chuckled. “Yeah, I was, Mrs. Langston.”
She sobered. “But we also understood why…”
Lowering his head, Jamal rubbed a hand down his face. “Yeah…”
Mrs. Langston squeezed his arm. “I know how hard it was to come back here and face all of these people, but you’re a fighter when you’re determined.”
“Thank you Mrs. Langston,” Jamal said, holding her gaze. “You, your husband and the Sable family mean so much to me. You’ve always been there for me.”
“We always will be,” she assured him. “Don’t ever think you’re alone.”
“I don’t want to be alone,” Jamal confessed. “I want Lorna.”
She smiled again. “Don’t give up now, you’re in the home stretch.”
He sighed. “It feels like I’ve just started over.”
“Stay the course,” she advised. “It’s worth it.”
Jamal looked up as Lorna entered the dining room. He stared at the chocolate beauty, who’d been his love, his best friend and his number one supporter.
“She is,” Jamal whispered. “Always has been.”
Lorna walked over and joined them with a smile. “The flowers are beautiful, Jamal. You did a great job. We’ll need fresh ones like these every day this week and arrangements for the lobby and guest rooms.”
He watched her. “Yeah, I’ve got you. I’ll make sure you’re happy with it.”
She nodded. “You always do.”
“It’s important to me,”
Mrs. Langston looked at the couple, then said, “I’ll let you two take care of this.”
They both watched her walk away, then turned to one another.
“Is there anything else that you need from me?” Jamal asked.
Lorna nodded slowly.
“What is it?”
She touched his handsome face. “When you talk to Cassandra, please don’t let her mess up what you’ve built here.”