Neptune's Ring (37 page)

“A very nice touch,” Nat said. “Thank
you.”

“My pleasure,” Carlos said smiling that the
ladies were pleased with his work.

Vanessa walked over to the bed and marveled
at Roberto’s artwork. “This is amazing,” she said to Levi.

“Isn’t it though and every headboard will be
unique,” Levi said.

“He does brilliant work,” Vanessa said.

Nat stood in the center of the room and
turned in a slow circle as she gazed at the room. “I am very
impressed with the quality of the work, Carlos,” Nat said.

“Thank you, Nat,” Carlos said with a beaming
smile.

Nat walked into the bathroom and was even
more impressed. Each tile and counter edge had been meticulously
caulked and edged, leaving a seamless connection to the walls. This
room had a claw foot tub and a large walk in shower. She turned to
Carlos. “I would be proud to be a guest here,” she said, giving
Carlos the ultimate compliment. “The workmanship of your men is
fantastic.”

“Thank you, Nat.”

“No, Carlos, thanks go to you and your men,”
Nat said.

For two more hours, Carlos showed them the
different phases of construction on the rooms and discussed the
schedules for completion. When they walked back outside they could
see several men working on staining the pool bar which would be
finished by the end of the day. When they walked into the night
club, Nat was shocked by the number of cartons of furniture that
still needed to be assembled.

“I see we have our work cut out for us,” Nat
said.

“I could hire a few more men for a week and
have everything assembled,” Carlos said. “There is no need for you
ladies to tackle this project unless you just really feel like you
need to.”

Nat looked at Vanessa. “I don’t know about
you, but I think Carlos has a great idea,” she said.

“I am sure we could find other things that we
need to do instead,” Vanessa said.

“We need to start assembling some artwork for
the rooms and the resort,” Nat said. “Levi has some great
photographs I would like to have blown up, but we need so much more
and we haven’t even begun to equip the kitchen.”

“Why don’t you let Levi and I work on the
artwork and you can concentrate on the kitchen,” Vanessa said.
“Just give us a budget and we will check out the local market and
internet,” she said.

“Either Cat or I can take you over to Morales
about thirty miles away,” Carlos said. “There is a wholesale
equipment vendor there that can get you equipped fairly
quickly.”

“That sounds good,” Nat said.

“Levi you will need to select an office and
have it furnished as well,” Nat reminded her.

“I have a few ideas for that already,” Levi
said with a smile.

“Good then, I think you should hire a few
extra men, Carlos,” Nat said with a smile.

As they walked back out into the sunlight,
they heard a small motor and turned to see Cat arriving in the
boat. Roberto and an older woman were with her. The small group
walked onto the dock to meet them and Vanessa helped Cat moor the
boat as Carlos assisted the women out of the boat.

“Good morning everyone,” Cat said very
cheerfully.

“Levi,” Roberto said, “this is Celeste’s
mother Julia.”

“I am very pleased to meet you,” Levi
said.

“Likewise and I wanted to thank you for all
that you did for my baby girl,” Julia said.

“She was a lovely young woman,” Levi
said.

“I was wondering if I could ask a favor,”
Julia said.

“Anything,” Levi said.

“Celeste talked often of her small garden and
I wonder if I could see it?” she asked.

“Most definitely,” Levi said. “I know Celeste
would be proud for you to witness her handiwork. Roberto, would you
go up the hill and get the cart for us?” Levi asked.

“Of course, I will be right back,” he said as
he darted up the hill.

“This place is looking very beautiful,” Julia
said.

“Carlos and his men are doing a great job,”
Levi said.

“Why don’t we go back inside and take a look
at that kitchen,” Carlos suggested.

“We will be back in a little while,” Levi
said as she and Julia walked toward the bottom of the hill to meet
Roberto.

“Thank you for taking time out of your busy
life to talk to me,” Julia said.

“I am honored to meet you,” Levi said.
“Celeste was a beautiful young woman and she loved you dearly.”

“She was my baby and my favorite,” Julia
said. “I know mothers shouldn’t have favorites, but there was
something so special about her.”

Roberto arrived with the cart and drove the
up the hill and parked in front of the house. Levi noticed Julia
frown when they walked past the house and she walked her quickly to
the path leading to the garden. As they stepped into the clearing
Julia smiled when she saw the small garden that her daughter had
created.

“Celeste loved the brilliant colors of
flowers,” Julia said as they walked closer. “I can imagine her bent
over these flowers for hours as she cultivated the soil and trimmed
off the dead flowers.”

Levi remembered Van Buren’s journal entries
describing what Julia had just said and she pushed his thoughts out
of her mind.

“Celeste was very proud of her garden and
asked that I do what I can to keep it growing and healthy,” Levi
said.

Julia looked at Roberto who nodded his
head.

“Would you allow Roberto and me to tend to
her garden?” Julia asked.

There was no way Levi could deny Celeste’s
mother this request. “I think Celeste would be very pleased to know
that the two people she loved the most were looking after her
garden.”

Julia smiled warmly. “We will make plans to
come over every Saturday then to tend her garden,” she said.

“I must insist on one thing,” Levi said. “You
must allow me to purchase the supplies you need to keep the garden
as vibrant as Celeste would have kept it.”

Julia started to protest, but Levi said. “You
are providing the loving labor, the least I can do is provide the
supplies.”

“Very well,” Julia said. She walked closer
and began to survey the condition of the garden.

“Would you mind if I steal Roberto away for a
few minutes?” Levi asked.

“Not at all,” Julia said.

Levi and Roberto walked off just a short
distance. “I wanted to ask you for a few things,” Levi said.

“Sure, what can I do for you?” Roberto
said.

“Three things actually, first, would you
build a wooden bench for Celeste’s garden for all of us to be able
to sit and enjoy its beauty.”

“That will be easy enough. What else?”

“I would like for you to come over next week
and take a look at the room that will be my office at the resort. I
would like for you and your father to build my furniture for the
office.”

“Will Tuesday be a good day?” he asked.

“Tuesday would be perfect.”

“My final request must be a total secret,”
Levi said. She leaned forward and whispered her third request in
Roberto’s ear and watched as his smile grew wide.

“She would love that,” he said. “I will make
it very special,” he promised.

They walked back to the small garden. “Are
you ready to leave for today Mother?” he asked.

Julia smiled back at Roberto. “Yes, but can
we come back tomorrow and start weeding and tilling?” she
asked.

“Yes, just let me know what time,” he
said.

Julia looked at Levi.

“You are welcomed any time you want to come,”
she said.

“Early then I think Roberto before it gets
too warm,” Julia said.

“I will meet you at seven,” Roberto said as
they walked back to the cart.

They rode down to the resort and joined Cat,
Vanessa and Nat for the ride back to the mainland. Julia smiled the
entire ride across the water and when they stepped off the boat she
hugged Levi tightly.

“Thank you again, for everything,” she
said.

“You are very welcome,” Levi said. “I will
see you tomorrow then.”

Roberto and Julia walked away as Nat and
Vanessa secured the boat.

“Have you ladies worked up and appetite yet?”
Levi asked. “The diner has some killer omelets.”

“I think I can eat two,” Vanessa said.

Levi looked at Cat who was smiling at
her.

“My love, I don’t think even you with your
hearty appetite can eat two of these,” Levi said with a grin.

“Let’s go see then,” Vanessa said with a
challenge in her voice.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The next month and a half went by quickly as
the resort came to life. Levi and Carlos had plans for a huge
pre-opening cookout for the construction crews and their families
and as the Saturday of the cookout approached, the island buzzed
with excitement.

Cat and Cass had become very close and Cass
spent as many nights on the mainland as Cat did on the island as
their relationship blossomed. Nat, Liz and Vanessa would arrive on
Friday and would stay the entire weekend. NeNe would also be moving
into the house in preparation for the grand opening the following
weekend and she Levi and Cass would concentrate on training the new
staff on their duties.

Reservations had gone well and the opening
weekend and the next two months were already booked solid, much to
Nat and Levi’s delight.

The final walk through and inspections on
Friday went well and the crew was given the afternoon off. Levi and
Carlos made plans to begin cooking early the next morning while Cat
and Cass assisted Sara with the deserts and side dishes she was
requested to provide. Liz and Nat were in charge of the corn boil
and would cook nearly three bushels of corn before the day was
out.

Carlos finished up Friday by bringing over a
large grill and ample wood to smoke the different meats they would
be cooking on Saturday. Levi helped him get set up and gave him a
big hug before he left.

“Here we go,” Levi said. “I can’t believe we
are almost opened for business.”

“You are ready and you will have the best
resort in this part of the world,” Carlos said.

“We could not have accomplished everything
without you and your crew,” Levi said.

“It was a pleasure working with you and I
hope we will have future business together,” he said.

“I think we will be putting in some private
cottages after a year or so and who knows what else we may decide
on,” Levi said. “Don’t be surprised if Nat asks you to do some
remodeling at Venus Rising in the very near future.”

“I would like that,” Carlos said.

Levi walked Carlos to the boat and with a
goodbye and a promise to meet him at seven the next morning they
parted and Levi walked up the hill.

When she walked into the house, her friends
were sitting in the large parlor having cocktails. She walked over
and sat in Vanessa’s lap.

“Hiya, baby,” she said as she kissed her
lover softly.

“We were just contemplating a trip to the
steak house,” Cat said.

“I could go for some red meat,” Levi
said.

“Let’s finish our drinks and we can head over
to the mainland then,” Cat said. “I will call the taxi service for
a van so we can all ride together in comfort,” she said as she
walked to the phone.

“Are you and Carlos all set for tomorrow?”
Vanessa asked.

“Yes, I will meet him at seven to start the
fire and our first boat load of guests should begin to arrive at
ten,” Levi said. “The pool has been filled and there is an ice cold
keg of beer, chilling in the pool bar.”

“It sounds like you have everything covered
then,” Liz said.

“I think so and if not I am sure we can
improvise,” Levi said. “Let’s go eat ladies, I am starved.”

“You heard the lady, let’s roll,” Nat
said.

When they returned from the mainland later
that night, everyone but Levi and Vanessa walked up to the
house.

“I want to see your office, now that the last
of the furniture has arrived,” Vanessa told Levi.

“Tonight,” Levi asked.

“Yes, baby, tonight if you don’t mind.”

“No problem,” Levi said as she fished her
keys out of her pocket.

They walked through the front lobby to the
large office Levi had selected for an office. She turned on the
light and her new home sprung to life. A leather- bound love seat
and coffee table sat across the room from a large hand carved
teakwood desk. Roberto had wasted no time in creating the furniture
for Levi and her office was beautiful beyond belief. Vanessa had a
half dozen of Levi’s photographs blown up and framed and they
graced the walls of her office. A duplicate of the photograph they
had taken on the Sappho was also framed and perched atop one of
Levi’s bookcase shelves.

The laptop Levi had ordered was sitting on
the desk and she noticed that it was still open and turned on.

“That’s strange,” Levi said.

“What is baby?” Vanessa said.

“I know I turned the laptop off before I left
the office,” Levi said as she walked behind the desk and moved the
mouse. When the screen came to life, Levi saw a message left for
her.

“Top left hand drawer,” was on the
screen.

Vanessa moved next to Levi as she read the
message and watched as she opened the drawer and her eyes came to
rest on a small wooden box.

Levi looked at Vanessa and back at the
box.

“Open it baby,” Vanessa said.

Levi’s fingers were shaking as she reached
for the box. She carefully opened the box and her eyes grew wide
when she saw the beautiful diamond ring resting there.

“Will you marry me?” Vanessa asked.

Levi stared in shock at the diamond that
glowed back at her. She remained mute as she stared at the
ring.

“Baby, did you hear me?” Vanessa said.

“What? I am sorry Vanessa what did you
say?”

Vanessa knelt down on one knee before Levi
and said. “Levi, will you marry me?”