Love's Paradise (13 page)

C
amille Rantone and Louise Gates sat outside under the covered patio with the fireplace blazing on Friday evening. Earlier that day they had watched the sun dip below the horizon, and now patiently waited for the guests to arrive. There was a warm luminous glow surrounding them as they talked quietly and anticipated enjoying the approaching evening. “Thank you, Louise, it's the perfect evening to have this celebration,” Camille said.

Louise nodded. “It's my pleasure, Cam, and you're right, this is a gorgeous night. It's hard to believe it's already fall. Where does the time go?”

Camille sighed as her eyes watered. “I've been
asking myself that a lot lately. I see so much. But I didn't see our enduring friendship. Do you know we met more than sixty years ago? Since then our journeys have taken so many twists and turns along the path to love and happiness. Life, death, joy and sorrow, our friendship has lasted through it all. You were there when my world fell apart so many times—the deaths of two wonderful husbands.”

Louise reached out and took Camille's hand. “And you were there for me. We're family, Cam, sisters of the heart. Ever since the evening we met in that tent when Emma begged me to go in and see you.”

“I miss her,” Camille said softly.

“Yes, me, too. So very much,” Louise muttered quietly. “Her life and her work are a testament to the woman she was. She achieved everything you told her she would. Thank you for that.”

“Oh, my, how in the world did we get to such a sad place?” Camille asked. “Tonight is supposed to be a celebration of life and history.”

“We're old, we're allowed. So have you spoken with Sheri?”

“Earlier, she's coming.”

“Good,” Louise said.

Camille sighed. “To tell you the truth, Louise, I'm not sure what to do anymore,” Camille said. “Sheri is just so much like her mother, stubborn and pigheaded. And she keeps her head in those books.
How is she ever going to find someone if she never leaves the museum?”

“Give her time, Camille. She'll come around.”

Camille shook her head again. “But will it be too late? I wish I could see her future like I can see everyone else's. I see strangers with perfect clarity.”

“Your gift doesn't work like that and you know it. You can see everyone's future except those closest to you. It's your love and emotional attachment that blocks you. It blinds you to the truth, the future, in your loved ones. Sheri's your granddaughter. You've never been able to read her before and you never will.”

“I know. That's why I need you to do this for me. Find her match. Find a man who will appreciate her passion.”

Louise glanced around slowly to make sure that Colonel Wheeler was inside. She was free to talk openly. “I promised Otis I wouldn't do any more matchmaking until I picked a date for our wedding, but I think this would be considered an emergency and just one last time would be okay. After all, she is family.”

Camille reached over and held Louise's hand. “Now you know I can't see your future anymore. But I do know your wedding will be a spectacular event right here at this house. There's also a feeling of warmth surrounding you. That much I do see.”

Louise nodded. “That was just the confirmation
I needed. I was thinking the exact same thing, getting married right here at the manor. The family together where it all began, it's the perfect location.”

“I agree. It's so lovely here, particularly in spring,” Camille said.

“Yes, a spring wedding would be ideal. The weather would be perfect, not too cold and not too warm. Yes. That's it.” She nodded decisively. “Now let's get back to the business at hand—Sheri,” Louise said quietly as she leaned closer. “I believe I have the perfect man in mind for her. I invited him tonight, but I'm not sure if he'll come. He's about as stubborn and determined as Sheri is. I introduced them a few months ago, but they fought so hard against the attraction nothing came of it. There was definitely a spark. Now I believe the timing is just right again. They're that perfect match of opposites attract. They'll do very well together.”

“If they give love a chance,” Camille said wistfully.

“Yes, but I'm hopeful they will, perhaps even tonight. Then if we're lucky, we'll get a chance to see the spark ignite once more.”

Camille sighed. “I'm almost ninety years old. Time isn't exactly on my side these days. I'd love to see her happily married soon.”

“Don't worry, Cam. I'm already on the job.”

“On what job?” The question suddenly coming from behind them surprised the two. They turned
and looked up. Colonel Otis Wheeler stood with his arms crossed “What are you two ladies up to?” he queried, knowing the answer to his question. When Camille and Louise put their heads together things happened.

The women did their best to look innocent, but failed miserably. “What on earth makes you think we're up to something?” Louise said. “We're just sitting here enjoying the evening and having a great conversation about spring weather.”

Colonel Wheeler chuckled. “Uh-huh, right,” he said, not buying a word of it. “Now I may not be able to see the future and I don't have the gift of matchmaking, but I do know a couple of scheming ladies when I see them.”

Camille laughed heartily as Louise pretended to be insulted.

“Well, now, how do you like that,” Louise said. “So much for love and trust.” Then she turned to Camille, who was still laughing. “Now, don't you go encouraging him.”

“My darling,” Colonel Wheeler said, taking Louise's hand tenderly. “I do trust you and you know I love you. I also know when you're up to something. And you, my dear, are always up to something. Matchmaking, I'd surmise.”

Still pretending to be innocent, Louise opened her mouth in shock. Camille laughed harder. Unable to keep a straight face, Louise finally joined
in the laughter. “I think I just got my answer,” Colonel Wheeler said.

“Hey, sounds like there's a party going on out here.”

Camille, Louise and Otis turned around to see Tony and Madison walking out onto the patio with their twins, Johanna and Jonathan, running behind them. “Look who's here,” Louise said, opening her arms for the twins to come to her. They ran and were immediately swallowed up with hugs, kisses and love. Everyone started talking all at once. It was the beginning of a joyous celebration. A few minutes later Randolph and Juliet walked in along with Kennedy, Juwan and their newborn daughter, Nya. A number of guests arrived soon after. Family, old friends, new friends and somewhere along the way Louise and Camille realized this was all the time they needed.

F
or years Sheri grew up going to Gates Manor thinking it was no big deal. Her mother and grandmother would bring her along, and Louise Gates became like another grandparent to her. Louise's grandsons, Antonio and Raymond, were like her big brothers. As kids they teased and drove her crazy. In turn she'd follow them everywhere. They'd all hang out together and she tried her best to tag along. As they grew older, their paths took different directions, but they still stayed close. It wasn't until she was in high school that she realized how special a gift it was to be part of the Gates family.

In her college years, they grew even closer and seemed to always be around one another. They visited each other in college and traveled together during breaks. All of her college friends had crushes on Sheri's brothers, Daniel and Mark, as well Tony and Ray. Everyone knew the Gates family on Crescent Island and she was part of the family.

Going to a party at Gates Manor was in some people's minds akin to attending a state dinner at the White House. Few were invited and if you were blessed enough to be included, it was definitely a good idea to go. Louise Gates was the unofficial first lady of Crescent Island. Everyone knew her and adored her.

As usual, the stately old house looked spectacular. Built in the 1960s, it was impressive from every angle. The front porch was completely illuminated when every light in the house was on. It was stunning. She hurried along the redbrick driveway then walked up the steps to the wraparound porch, hoping to have a nice relaxing evening with her family and friends as long as she could steer clear of Mamma Lou and her matchmaking.

As she opened the door and walked in, a sense of joy and happiness hit her. It was good to be surrounded by family and friends.

“Sheri, there you are. You look beautiful,” her mother said, crossing the room to meet her. She
linked arms with her daughter and tilted her head to the side. “I have the perfect man for you.”

“Oh, Mom, please, not you, too.”

“I'm afraid so. But trust me on this one, he's perfect. Now where did he go? Ah, there he is talking to Tony. Come on, I'll point you in the right direction. Go introduce yourself. He's in the family room.”

“Okay, I will, but first I want to see Grandma and Mamma Lou.”

 

Following his GPS directions, Jordan arrived at the entrance to the manor in less time than he'd expected. He stopped and looked up at the iron gates then down the illuminated driveway to see the stately home perched on a small hill. “Now this is what I call a driveway,” he said aloud. The car behind him flashed its lights. He glanced in the rearview mirror, waved then drove up the extended driveway and rounded the circular path in front of Gates Manor.

He drove back down near to the end of the driveway, parked and got out. He looked up, admiring the home as he approached. A white colonial mansion, it was nothing short of magnificent. Stately and dignified, it reminded him a lot of its owner, Louise Gates. The road was lined with what looked like century-old oak trees that stood like royal sen
tries along the path. It was all wonderfully dramatic.

The building itself was rectangular, with a wraparound porch connected to a covered portico with huge white columns. Jordan walked up the wooden steps to the porch and rang the doorbell. Seconds later the door was answered. An attractive middle-aged woman greeted him with a warm, welcoming smile. “Good evening, please, come in. Welcome to Gates Manor.”

“Thank you, good evening,” he said, walking into the foyer. “I'm a guest of Louise Gates.”

“Then you had better call her Mamma Lou, hadn't you? Everyone else does.”

“Yes, so I've been told, repeatedly.” He looked around at the guests mingling, laughing and talking in the living room and in what looked like a solarium. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. “Wow, I didn't expect so many people. Mamma Lou mentioned it would be a small gathering. It looks like nearly everybody on the island showed up.”

“When Louise Gates throws a party, it's a very big deal. If you're on the island it's a must to attend. And actually, to Louise, this
is
a small gathering. I'm Lois Chambers,” the woman said, extending her hand and introducing herself. “And you are…”

“I'm Jordan Hamilton. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chambers.”

“Call me Lois, please. And it's a pleasure meeting you, as well. So Jordan, what do you do for a living?” she asked.

“I'm in construction,” he said.

“Jordan Hamilton, you wouldn't happen to be one of the Hamilton brothers from Hamilton Development Corporation?”

“I am.”

Lois smiled brightly. “Of course, my ex-husband has mentioned you often. You know him, of course, his name is Nolan Chambers. He's head of the city council. He speaks very highly of you. It's wonderful to finally meet you. I understand your resort complex is going to be sensational.”

“I certainly hope so,” he said, looking around.

“I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's completed.”

“We're planning a big opening.”

“So tell me, Jordan,” she began as she glanced behind him, “will your wife or fiancée be joining you this evening?”

“No,” he said, deciding not to give more information than asked.

“Then perhaps you and your girlfriend—” She probed further.

“No girlfriend, either,” he interrupted then watched her smile that smile and knew it was time to change the subject. This wasn't the first time a woman tried to hook him up with their daughter,
niece or granddaughter and it certainly wouldn't be the last. He'd been getting this special attention all his adult life, and more and more recently. The result was always disastrous. Jordan changed the subject. “This is a magnificent home.”

“Yes, it is. I assume this your first time here?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, come in, I'll show you around,” Lois said, linking her arm in his. They walked into the living room then continued through to the dining room, where they stopped and got a drink. Lois talked about the history of the home and gave a brief history of when Louise and her then-husband, Jonathan Gates, had it built. They continued into the enormous family and game room. There were a lot more people there than he'd expected. Lois introduced Jordan to some of the family and guests as they walked through. They stayed and talked with a small group that included Tony and Madison Gates and Kennedy Evans-Mason.

“So how did you meet Mamma Lou?” Madison asked Jordan.

“She played matchmaker with my older brother, Julian, and his wife, Dena. Dena's aunt is a friend of hers. Ellen Peyton.”

All three smiled and nodded. “That sounds familiar,” Tony said. “My grandmother's been matching up couples forever. My cousin and I have joked
over the years that she should open her own matchmaking firm.”

“That's probably a great idea. She'd make a mint,” said Madison.

“Is she really that good at it?” Jordan asked.

“Yes,” all three answered together then laughed.

“Let's see,” Madison began, “there's you and me. Kennedy, you and Juwan.”

“My father and uncles along with their wives. My cousin Raymond and his wife, Hope,” Tony continued.

“JT and Juliet, her friend Patricia and Franklin, Randolph and Alyssa, Trey and Kenya,” Kennedy added then paused.

“And also my brother Julian and Dena,” Jordan said. “Wow, that's a lot of matchmaking.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. And those are just the ones we know about. Imagine all the rest we don't know about.”

“So what do you do, Jordan?” Kennedy asked.

“I'm an architect and developer. My company, Hamilton Development, is building a resort out on Crescent Point.”

Madison nearly choked on her wine. She realized exactly who he was. Tony patted her back gently. “Are you okay, babe?” he said. She nodded and looked at Kennedy who was nearly bursting at the seams.

“Aha, Jordan, so you're the one, huh?” Kennedy said.

“The one?” Jordan wondered aloud, and quickly assumed that Kennedy didn't agree with all the development on the island.

“Yes, the one building at Crescent Point. I hear you are extremely talented,” Kennedy said.

Madison choked again, knowing that Kennedy was using Sheri's words when she had described the kiss earlier. Tony patted her back again. “Are you sure you're okay?” Tony asked. She nodded again.

“We heard it's going to be stunning,” Kennedy continued.

“It's going to be nice,” he said modestly. “Unfortunately, I've gotten quite a bit of opposition.”

“Change is difficult, particularly in a small place like Crescent Island. But I wouldn't worry. As soon as the project is complete everyone who opposed it will certainly come around when they see how much revenue it brings to the island.”

Jordan nodded. “I hope so. Do you work on the island?”

“Yes, I own an antique shop. I have locations here, in Alexandria, in Philadelphia and now in New York,” said Tony.

“Antiques, huh? That's exactly what I'm looking for. I'd like to stop by and show you a few things
that have crossed my desk recently. Maybe you can point me in the right direction.”

“Sure,” Tony said. “I'll be in the store tomorrow. Why don't you stop by?”

“I will. Thanks.”

The conversation continued, then switched to construction and then on to the beauty of Crescent Island. A number of guests joined their little group and for the next forty-five minutes Jordan smiled, shook hands and joked with Tony, Madison, Kennedy and other guests. He gave out business cards when asked, made business contacts to help expand the Hamilton Development name.

He blended in easily with the crowd. With the businessmen, he talked about what was happening in the market. With sports fans he talked about the upcoming seasons and with the politicians he spoke with conviction about the state of local and national issues. He was charming and always made a good impression. He'd been doing it his entire life.

Juwan Mason, Kennedy's husband, and doctors Raymond and Hope arrived just as Jordan had planned to leave. He stayed a bit longer hoping Sheri would still come. After a while he noticed the party was beginning to thin. It was time for him to make his move as the conversation turned back to Mamma Lou and her upcoming wedding to Colonel Wheeler.

“Where is Mamma Lou?” Jordan asked.

“I believe she's outside on the patio.”

Jordan turned and looked out through the open French doors. He saw her instantly. His face lit up. He excused himself and made his way toward the patio, following Sheri.

“Good evening.”

She turned around and smiled. “Hi, you made it.”

“Yes, I did.” He openly looked down the length of her body and raked his lower lip with his teeth. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you. You look very handsome, too.”

For a moment they didn't speak, just stood smiling at each other. “I guess one of us should say something. We can't just stand here staring at each other.”

“Dance with me,” he whispered.

There was soft jazz playing, but no one was dancing. Sheri looked around. “I don't know if you noticed or not, but no one's dancing.”

“Don't worry. They'll join us in a few minutes.”

She nodded. He took her hand and guided her outside onto the patio near the pool. There was crystal light in the trees and candles floating in the pool. They were surrounded by more open space. He wrapped his arm around her body and pulled her close. They began moving to the slow rhythms.

It took less than a few minutes before others joined them, as Jordan had predicted. Tony took
Madison's hand and brought her out onto the patio. The expressions on their faces was unmistakable. Seeing Tony, Juwan held out his hand to his wife, Kennedy. She took it and followed him as did JT and Juliet, her baby bump several months along by now. Raymond looked around the room for his wife. She was talking. He touched her hand. She turned. When he smiled and glanced toward the patio, she nodded and followed him. Soon more couples were dancing.

“You are a genius,” Sheri whispered. “How did you know?”

“It only takes one.”

Sheri nodded and leaned closer, enjoying the moment. She looked around at the happy couples and then up at the stars in the sky. “It's so beautiful tonight. It's the perfect moment. I wish…” she began then stopped herself.

He leaned back and looked at her. “What?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“No, tell me. What did you wish?”

“I wish this feeling would last forever.”

He looked deep into her eyes. His heart poured out to her. She was beautiful, but not just her face or her body, even though they certainly were. It was her spirit he loved. “Me, too.” He wrapped his arm tighter around her waist and held her close. A feeling of contentment filled him. He looked around
at the many couples near them. They all had the same expression as his brother Julian. “Me, too,” he whispered again.

After the next two songs ended Sheri took Jordan's hand. “Come, I want you to meet someone.” They walked around to the covered patio area. There were a number of guests surrounding an older woman. She sat telling a most interesting tale about early Crescent Island history and folklore. Even though she appeared to be well into her eighties her voice was clear and strong. They only caught the ending of her story, but he found it fascinating.

When she ended, there was a collective sigh and jubilant applause. Several of the guests sitting around thanked her and then got up to leave. Others wandered back into the house.

“Hi, Grandma. Hi, Mamma Lou,” Sheri said, bending down to kiss their cheeks. “That was a wonderful tale. I don't remember hearing it before.”

“I still have a few secrets,” Camille said, and winked. “Sheri, be a dear and get me a glass of water.”