On the drive over to David’s house, she gave herself a talking to. Let him talk, even if it’s to get her out of his system. Don’t push your ideas on him. Respect his home as he respects yours. And most of all, give him space to be himself and don’t try and change him to suit you. You fell for him as he was, remember?
She pulled up at the address she’d found in the phone book and wondered if she’d got it wrong. A bright red sports car sat parked in the driveway, suitcases piled in the back seat. She knew for a fact David drove a black town car so she either had the wrong house or he was already entertaining. The thought gave her the shivers. Nothing like being impulsive and getting caught out.
April got out, picked up her carry bag with the evenings meal and the tub of ice cream she’d managed to talk Bella into parting with and headed up the driveway. The lawn was mowed to within an inch of its life and the pathways were swept clean with not a leaf in sight. The two flower pots of color beside the porch were the only spot of cheerfulness on the property.
April knocked on the door and waited, deep breathing doing little to settle her nerves.
The door opened and a waft of expensive perfume flooded out onto the porch. A tall, trim brunette stared out at her. “Yes?”
“I’m here to see David. I do have the right house, don’t I?”
The brunette tipped her head and took stock of April, a smile similar to a sneer on her ruby lips. “Perhaps.”
“Can you tell him that April’s here, please.” Not one to normally back down, April was having all kinds of trouble linking this woman to David and then it hit her. The ex-girlfriend was here! “You’re Elise, aren’t you?”
Elise leaned on the door frame, the smile breaking to show off whiter than white teeth. “How sweet, the darling has been talking about me. Yes, I’m Elise, his fiancé. And you are who, again?”
“April.”
“He hasn’t mentioned you but then we don’t have time to chat about the locals. Poor man is too busy begging me to come back and save him from loneliness. I’ve been in Seattle working but now I’m here so perhaps we will see more of each other, April.” She looked down at the carry bag. “What’s this?”
“Dinner.”
“Oh, the darling man. How thoughtful of him to order in for us on our first night together after being apart for so long. He always did do sweet things like this. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be home finally.” She reached out and took the bag before April could stop her. “Thank you so much, April. I’ll be sure to tell him you delivered it personally.” Elise swung around, stepped inside, and shut the door in April’s face.
She stood there, stunned. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. In her mind, David would throw open the door, wrap her in his arms and beg forgiveness for being such an idiot and she’d hold him tightly and tell him she was as much to blame for leading him on.
None of that was going to happen. If she ever saw Dr. David Morrison again, she’d be very tempted to run over him and not stop. Perhaps even reverse and do it again for good measure. How dare he have his fiancé here when he’d been courting April, or at least making noises of courting her. More furious than heartbroken, April turned on her heel and stomped back to her van. When she got home, she ripped off the white dress, pulled on her favorite overalls and grabbed her dog before heading off on a very fast, blow it out her ears, walk along the shoreline.
For once, she thought she’d found the perfect man. Sure, he needed a little encouragement to stay in town and she had to tone down some of her own habits to please him but nobody was perfect. Love and happily-ever-after was a two-way street after all. And she had been ready to go there. Lucky the lights were red and she’d found out the real story before she committed to the rascal.
April couldn’t believe she’d been that ready to change and for what? A cheating, lying, no good, conniving man when she should have known better. April prided herself on seeing people as they truly were and she never picked up on his double crossing ways. Not an inkling of his true nature. She must be slipping and that wasn’t a good thought.
She was an idiot of the highest order and she only had herself to blame.
*
“David, I’ve had an offer on the business.” Tommy’s voice rang out over the line.
Just as well he was sitting down. “Really? Wow, I’d almost given up hope of selling to be honest.”
“I did, too, but this offer came out of the blue.” He cleared his throat. “The price is what you were asking but there’s a stipulation you may not like. The buyer wants you to stay on for at least twelve months.”
“But that wasn’t what I wanted. I was hoping for a clean break.” He leaned back in his chair, toying with the pen on his desk.
“I understand and I’ve told the interested party that it may not be possible. They replied that the deal hinged on your willing participation.”
David groaned. The first offer he’d had and it came with the worst possible clause to it. “How long do I have to consider the offer?”
“They’d like an answer as soon as possible. I’ve got them to agree to a week.” Tommy sighed. “I’m sorry you want to leave, David. You’re doing a great job with your father’s practice and the townsfolk
