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CHAPTER ONE

Lori Cingolani glanced impatiently at the clock on the wall, and then gave an exasperated sigh." I wish he'd hurry. I'm late for an appointment with John DeMichele."
Regina Smith turned from the painting she was studying, which portrayed a beautiful sunset over Lake Chicot the colors beautiful against the dark colors of the lake. "Calm down, Lori,' she said wryly. "The real estate world won't have disappeared for the few hours you were gone."
Lori gave an annoyed look at her assistant, as she dug through her purse for her cell phone. "You know John as well as I do Regina and he doesn't like to be kept waiting."
"Yes, I know John" Regina responded, turning back to admire the painting again. "And personally I feel that he needs to learn that the world doesn't turn because he tells it too."
Lori started to respond angrily, but Regina beat her to it. "Okay, Okay I know he's the one who signs our paychecks, but I still think he's to stuffy.
Lori and Regina both jumped in unison when the door slammed behind Randolph Grantham as he entered the room, Lori grinned.
"Why hello Randolph," she said, her voice tinged with affection. Randolph smiled. "Why hello you two, what are you doing here?" he glanced at his watch, "I wasn't expecting you until later this evening."
Lori gave him a kiss on the cheek," I know but I was hoping you could see us now. The business I have to discuss can't wait and I really need your advice. How about it, Randolph?
Randolph hesitated, then taking both of them by the arm and guiding them to the door. "Only if you'll let me treat you to dinner. As you see I was on my way out and I'm totally famished."
"Well, I don't know." Lori hesitated.
"Sure, you can." Regina answered with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I'm hungry too. The slave driver here made me miss breakfast."
Lori laughed." Okay, okay. You win, just let me call John and have him reschedule our meeting." Taking her phone she dialed the Office.
Lori's smile faded, as she listened to John's voice as he berated her for wasting his time. "I'll do that John. Just as soon as I get back to the office." Turning to the two of them she smiled and said, "Well that was just as bad as I thought it was going to be. Let's go eat."
Regina and Randolph exchanged a look. "It'll be alright, Lori," Regina encouraged. "You know John, he'll have forgotten about it by the time we return."
"I know but I get so tired of it. But maybe we both will get away from him soon," Lori said, her voice suddenly a bit uneven.
Lori blinked rapidly several times before she looked up. "Sorry. Come on ya'll know I get emotional when I'm hungry. Where are you taking us Randolph?"
Randolph squeezed her arm and Regina gave her a big smile. Lori looked at both of them and said, "What would I do without you two. Let's go.
"For starters, you wouldn't have such a handsome dinner date" Randolph teased, "And I wouldn't have two beautiful women dangling from my arms."
Regina laughed. "Now this is more like it, Come on are you going to feed us or what?"
The three of them walked the short distance to the little café on Main Street just a couple of buildings away from Randolph office.
For a long moment the very busy cafe, was quite as the three of them walked in. Then with smiles and calls of hello they made their way to a corner booth. After making sure both of the ladies were seated Randolph called the waitress over. Hey Fran, Bring us the lunch special would you please and three glasses of sweet tea?"
Randolph studied the two women with him. Lori was tall and lean, with long, naturally curly red hair, too unruly to be tamed even by the pretty little pins she had place there this morning. She seemed perfectly comfortable in her calf-length skirt and a short sleeved tunic top, cinched at the waist with an unusual metal belt.
Regina, who wore her honey gold hair in a sleek shoulder length style, was dressed in jeans and a pretty cream colored blouse that spelled "down home" and confidence." She gave him a somewhat alluring look, that said "let's get better acquainted or maybe I'm interested."
Yes, these two ladies were very beautiful, Randolph concluded. Lori, the serious one, who worried sometimes way to much about everything and Regina the somewhat jaded, high school prom queen who lived her life at a party mode. I never could understand how these two have stayed such good friends over the years since high school.
He sat forward in his chair. "Okay, ladies. Tell Uncle Randolph what seems to be the problem. I know you didn't just make the boss angry for no reason." He said. Looking at both of them in turn he waited for one of the to speak.
Just as Lori started to speak the waitress returned with their food. "Thanks Fran they murmured as she sat the loaded plates before them."
"Your welcome guys." She said as she turned to leave the table. "Make sure that old man there with you eats something before you leave. If you get him to talking he'll forget what he's doing." She laughed as she went to wait on another customer.
Laughing softly and said "She's always going to be a mother hen. Five kids of her own and she tries to raise everyone else's." Shaking his head he turned to Lori. "Okay, now what were you going to tell me?"
"Just a minute Randolph, eat first," Morgan replied. "We'll talk after we get through with this wonderful meal. I've forgotten just how good turnip greens and pinto beans tasted. Mama always said Ms Daisy was a wonderful cook. I'm so glad you helped set her up in this business. She must be very busy not to have come and spoken to us by now."
"Awww, now don't you go bragging on me about this. Ms. Daisy does enough of that on her own. She tells everyone who comes in here over and over about how wonderful a man I am. Now, I get teased at the club from the other guys about how wonderful I am." Randolph smiled, "I know I'm wonderful but you can only be told that so often before you get tired of hearing it."
Randolp looked at the two women and winked. Both busted out laughing. He took a big bite of his turnip greens and slowly started cleaning his plate.
"Now, that is what I call good eating," laying down his napkin he turned to Lori. "Now young lady what is it that you have to talk to me about or am I going to have to drag it from Regina here?"
"No, No I'll tell you. Well as you know Randolph my grandfather passed away last month."
"Yes, I was so sorry to hear that"
"He left me the fish farm along with the house and other personal items of his," she said. "Randolph I want to keep the farm and run it myself but I have no experience in it. What I want to know is if you will help me find an experience manager who would help teach me the ropes. Also I wanted you to take over the legal part of my inheritance. Grandfather stated in his will that I had to make a profit the first year or I had to turn the farm over to his nephew Donnie Graham."
"Hmmmm, I'm going to have to think about this one. Of course I'll take over your legal business but I'll have to make a few telephone calls to some of the farmers around here about a manager for you. Are you sure this is what you want to do? Farming is hard work. I don't know anything about the fishing industry but I do know it's going to be different from what you are use to." He said.
"I know, but I have to try. I can't work for John very much longer or I'm going to have to hire you to defend me for murder." She said almost making them believe her.
"Yeah, and if he yells at me one more time, I'm going to see if my computer will fit up his…" Lori looked at her and quickly said, "Okay I believe Randolph gets the picture."
"Yes, I do," he said. "Now then do you have a copy of your grandfather's will with you?"
"In my bag, just a minute," Lori said as she opened her purse and pulled out the document."
Randolph quickly scanned it, then laid the document on the table and looked at the women across from him. Lori looked hopeful. Regina looked interested.
"Well, ladies it looks to be in order. I can provide more details on your bequest after I have studied it more closely, but are there any general questions that I can answer?"
"Well, not anything I can think of right off hand," Lori said. "I'm going into the office this afternoon and placing my house on the market. Even if I'm not able to run the farm if I understood the will, I get to keep the house and the land that goes with it. I've always loved that house and Paw-Paw kept it in tiptop shape."
Looking at Regina he asked "And what will you be doing at the farm?"
"What I do now, help Lori," she grinned at him. "But mainly I'll be keeping the books and ordering the supplies as she needs them."
"When will ya'll move?" Randolph asked.
"I'm going to start packing tomorrow" Lori said. "I don't know about Regina. At first, she'll be staying with me but there are two houses besides my own at the farm and I believe Regina wants one of them. The other house I plan on letting the manager have. I believe it has three bedrooms and would be plenty big enough for him and a family if he has one. I haven't had a chance to go over the farm accounts yet but Regina and I plan to do that first thing Monday morning. I believe Mr. Lee James is taking care of it for me now and making sure the help does what it is suppose to but he has his own farm to worry about and I need to get started as soon as I can. So if you find someone to help me please send them to the farm as soon as possible."
"Yes I'm going to move into the other house just as soon as the plumbing gets fixed." Regina stated. "I visited it yesterday and noticed several lines leaking from under the house. The yard is soaked. I found the turn off nozzle at the back of the house and I also switched off the pump." Regina took a sip of her ice tea. "But at first I believe I'm going to stay at Lori's, since the office is there and I want to go over the books and make sure everything is in order. Also, I'll need to look at the supply receipts so I'll get an ideal of what has to be ordered and replaced."
"Well it seems like you ladies have your work cut out for you. I'll let you know as soon as I find a manager." He paused and glanced at his watch. "Even though I have enjoyed my lunch and have been the envy of every male in the room, I really have to get back to the office now. Lori, Regina may I walk you back to your car?"
Lori looked up at him and smiled, "Why kind sir we would be honored."
"Very good, let me pay us out of hock." He glanced at the receipt that Fran had placed by his plate and opened his wallet, Leaving a generous tip along with the amount needed He stood. "Ladies if you are ready?" He opened the door allowing both to exit before him. Then again with each of them attached to one of his arms he walked them down the street to their cars. "Again, Lori I'll be in touch just as soon as possible. Your grandfather was a good man and will be missed around here. I know He loved you very much."