Read Online Final Settlement by Vicki Doudera - Free Book Online Page B

Darby, chose one, and took a big bite. After she had chewed for a few minutes, she fixed Darby with a steady look.
    “Donny has called off the wedding.”
    “What?” Darby pulled the lid off one of the coffees and inhaled the fresh-brewed aroma. “Why in the world would Donny do that? He’s crazy about you!”
    “Apparently not. At least not the new me, the one that earns decent money at her new career. I think he’s jealous.”
    “Tell me what happened.” She lifted a lemon poppy seed muffin and broke it in half. The scent of citrus mingled with the aroma of the coffee. “What exactly did he say?”
    “He said that since I became an agent, all I think about is making deals. He doesn’t want to marry me anymore.” Her voice lost its bluster and she turned a troubled face to Darby. “I thought he would be back to normal today, so I went by his house a little while ago. He said that he’d thought about it some more, and that he knew it was for the best. He said—” Her voice broke. “He said that I’ve become a different person.” Her blue eyes filled with tears. “Do you think that’s true, Darby?”
    “You’re the same person, Tina—kind, funny, and hardworking.” She paused. Tact was needed here: extreme tact. She made her voice gentle. “You have become kind of fixated on getting new listings. Could that be what Donny was talking about?”
    “Fixated? What do you mean?”
    “Obsessed.” Darby hated to be blunt, but there it was. Tina had turned into a real estate monster, the kind of agent people shun like a shark. She looked at her friend’s face. The redhead was mulling over the label.
    “Donny showed me a picture of a cute beach cottage with a thatched roof in Mexico. He wants to rent it and go for the month of March. I told him no way, that March could be busy.”
    “Since when is mud season in Maine ever busy?”
    “Well, it could be,” Tina sounded defensive. “It’s a good month to line up spring listings, right?”
    Darby put down her muffin and gave her friend a frank look. “Listen, Tina, life is short. You could stay here and maybe sign up a listing or two, but you might never get the chance to take this trip again. That man loves you and wants to take you somewhere warm, and fun, and different. Why in the world would you turn him down?”
    “I don’t know!” She sighed, her face twisted in misery. “I guess I’m afraid that I won’t like it, or that I’ll miss Maine. Or that I’ll regret not making money.”
    “Making money isn’t everything. And those other things boil down to fear. Going somewhere new is always a gamble, but if you approach it with the right attitude, it’s an adventure. Something the two of you will share.”
    “That’s what he said.” Her voice was small. “He wants us to have an adventure.”
    Darby smiled. “Well then, why not?”
    Tina licked her cherry red lips. “This will sound dumb, but here goes. I’ve never been on an airplane.”
    Darby wasn’t completely surprised by her friend’s revelation. “I’m sure you’re not the only islander in that situation. Does Donny know?”
    “Nope.”
    “Why not tell him? You guys are embarking on a new life together. You can trust him.”
    “Yeah.” Tina thought a moment, and then gave a defiant toss of her red curls. “Okay, well as long as we’re talking about trust, tell me why is it you keep that nice Miles Porter at arm’s length?”
    “We’re not discussing my love life.” Darby took a sip of her coffee.
    “Why not? Seems to me you should take your own advice.”
    Darby frowned. Was it fear that kept her from letting Miles get too close? Am I afraid I’ll lose him? She pictured her parents, felt the pang of their loss, and wondered if Tina was right.
    “I promise I’ll be a bit braver this time.”
    Tina smiled. “Okay, then. I’m off to find Donny. He’s not getting out of this as easy as he thinks.” She pulled on her coat and took her coffee. “I’ll bring him