Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Lori bopped her head to the usual pattern of her real estate office in a little dance. What might sound like noise to some was like music to her. It was the soundtrack to her life.

One that she loved.

A knock at the open doorway to her office jolted her out of her focus as she read through a contract that needed copyediting before it was sent to a buyer. She looked up to find Charity Turner, the coffee shop owner who was friends with her daughters, and her boyfriend, Dominic Reeves. Though Charity was smiling pleasantly, Dominic's look was somewhat more intense, his dark brown hair and close-trimmed beard providing a stern contrast to his striking, dark blue eyes. The man had caused quite a stir when he'd arrived in Whale Harbor the previous year, his brusque, city-like ways making many Whale Harbor residents hesitant to accept him into their fold. But the townsfolk were welcoming, and Charity was beloved.

And all you have to do is see him look at her to realize he's a secret softie , Lori thought with an inward smile. Dominic was quite obviously smitten.

Outwardly though, she stood to greet them.

"Charity, Dominic, hi," she said sunnily. "Come on in." She waved at the two chairs on the opposite side of her desk. "Take a seat. How can I help you?"

The couple took the indicated seats.

"I hope you don't mind us popping in without an appointment," Charity fretted. "We were nearby and the man at the front desk sent us back."

"We get walk-ins all the time," Lori assured her. "And even if we didn't, you get special ‘friends of the family' privileges."

Charity's shoulders relaxed. "I appreciate that. And we did come at Darla and Marty's behest, not that we would have gone to another realtor." She paused, chuckling. "Though now that I think about it, I think your daughters just might have been faster to jump in, since Claire was there too."

"I trained them well," Lori joked.

Charity laughed, then got down to business. "Anyway, the reason we've come in today is because Dominic and I are planning to move in together. As you likely know, we live next door to each other, and having two houses just doesn't make sense for our family any longer."

Lori nodded. She did know about the neighbors-turned-family. "Okay, so you're looking to sell one of the houses. Do you know which one?"

Dominic spoke up next. "That's part of what we wanted to talk to you about. We're leaning toward selling Charity's house, but we wanted your input before we made that decision."

Lori worked to keep her smile professional, biting back the glee she felt. This was the best kind of pop-in visit, one where she got to show her expertise and help her clients get the best deal possible, starting at the very beginning of the process.

"Okay," she said. "Let me pull up your property details quickly."

She'd been the real estate agent on Dominic's house, so she had those details at her fingertips. Charity's house had been off the market longer, but Lori had been in this game for a long time, so it was only moments later that she had the other house's information as well. She put the two listings side by side and turned her computer screen, making it visible to both her and the two would-be sellers.

"On initial inspections," she said, mind racing as she spoke, "I think you're right about selling Charity's house, if we're speaking from a financial position alone. Obviously," she added, "there are other considerations, since houses aren't just houses. They're homes. There's a lot of memories attached to the places we live. But that's the one part where I'm afraid I can't be much help."

Charity grinned. "Luckily, that's the one part where we feel the most confident. We all feel a little more connected to Dominic's house, but not so much so that a huge financial difference wouldn't tip us in the other direction."

"Well, good news on that front," Lori said. "I think you'll get the better deal keeping that house." She pointed to the current estimate for the property value. "When I sold you that house, Dominic, the sellers were really motivated to move quickly. Their daughter had just had a new baby, and they wanted to move closer to help her out. The speed was more important to them than the money, so you got a great deal." She moved the estimate for Charity's property to the center of the screen. "Since you've had your place longer, Charity, the value has increased more, compared to what you paid. Plus, the attic technically qualifies as a bedroom, since it's got a window, a closet, and is completely finished. That adds value."

Charity looked surprised. "I just store random stuff in there, like Christmas decorations!"

Lori nodded. "Most people do. But for someone with a big family, like with a lot of kids, that extra bedroom space is invaluable."

Dominic grinned and Lori thought this was the first time she'd ever seen him smile while not looking at Charity. "So what you're saying is, we get what we want and we get more money for it?"

Lori grinned back. "Pretty much. Ain't life grand sometimes?"

Charity sat back in her chair, a huff of relief leaving her lips. "It sure is. Whew, Lori, you don't know how much this takes a weight off our shoulders." She turned to her boyfriend. "Since your house is newer, I assumed that would be the one that would be a better sell, financially speaking. I thought we'd face a tough decision."

"Me too," he admitted. His expression grew soft. "Though I knew we could get through it together."

For a moment, Charity's expression also went lovestruck.

Lori was surprised to feel a pang of longing echo in her own chest. Similar notions had been cropping up more and more recently, her feelings regularly suggesting that maybe it was time for her to look for a romantic connection too. After all, it had been so long since she'd lost her husband. Didn't she deserve someone to look at her the way Dominic looked at Charity?

She shook her head. No, she was likely being foolish. Another chance at love? At her age? It seemed impossible.

Still, she couldn't help feeling like something was missing.

"Well," she said brightly, forcing thoughts about romance to the wayside. "I think you've lucked out in that department. And I don't want to pressure you to make any decisions, but of course I'd be happy to work with you on getting the property ready for sale and getting a new family living there so you all can look toward your next steps as a family."

"Oh my gosh, Lori, we don't have to think about it!" Charity exclaimed. "Of course we want you as our real estate agent. We didn't come here to pick your brain and then not give you any business!"

Dominic nodded his agreement.

Lori smiled. "Well, I don't want to assume. But I appreciate that. And I'm excited to work with you! Do you want to schedule a time for me to come see the house, so we can think more concretely about a timeline for listing it? Properties around here tend to go fast, so it's good to get your ducks in a row before anything officially goes on the market."

They scheduled a time that worked with everyone's schedule, and Charity and Dominic departed, effusive in their thanks. Lori settled back in her chair, feeling pleased with herself. A day she got a new client was always a good day. It was just the icing on the cake that these clients were people she liked personally, as well.

She was daydreaming about how she would stage Charity's house, which she had a passing familiarity with, when her phone ringing yanked her out of her reverie. She sat straighter in her chair, taking a breath to compose herself before answering.

"Hello, you've reached Lori Sims as Whale Harbor Real Estate Specialists. How can I help you?"

"Good afternoon," came a voice across the line that, even in those few words, sounded imperious. "My name is Dorothy Burrows. I am calling to discuss selling my beloved home. I think you might be the woman for the job."

Lori felt her blood race with excitement. Two listings in one day? Ha, she couldn't wait for the next time she saw Hudson Boone. He would eat his hat.

Her voice was much calmer when she spoke. "I'm so glad you found your way to me, Ms. Burrows," she said. "I'd love to help you find someone who will love your home just as much as you have. What can you tell me about the property?"

Lori was glad she was on the phone, not in person, as the more Dorothy described the property in question, the more her eyes widened. Ms. Burrows was looking to sell not only a "beloved home," but a beachfront property. She described an historic property that had been retrofitted with all the modern amenities and had its own private section of coastline, to boot.

It was, in short, the kind of listing that Lori could only dream about.

And here it was, right within her grasp.

She channeled her best ‘professional businesswoman' voice as she said, "That all sounds wonderfully beautiful, Ms. Burrows. If you're open to it, I'd love to come out and see the property, then let you know my proposal for getting you the best deal possible as you get ready to move to your next house. How does that sound?"

"Hmm," the woman hummed, although Lori was pretty sure this was mostly for show. "Yes, I suppose that will be all right. Although I have many wonderful memories in this house and want it to go to a new owner who will honor that legacy. So do be certain to bring your best, Ms. Sims."

"I always do," Lori promised. They scheduled a time to meet and then got off the phone.

As soon as the receiver was firmly back in its cradle, she leapt to her feet, giving a little shimmying dance of celebration. Two listings in one day! And sure, sure, the second one wasn't guaranteed yet, but Lori Sims never backed down from a challenge. She would charm the pants off Ms. Dorothy Burrows.

She plunked back down in her seat, practically vibrating with excitement as she got back to work. Her earlier qualms about her romantic life, or lack thereof, were entirely gone. Love schmove , she thought. Who needed romance when she was killing it at her job?

Darla hummed happily to herself as she chopped vegetables for the side salad that she and Rick were having with dinner that night. He was out back, grilling hamburgers and corn, and she'd chopped watermelon for dessert. It was chilling in the fridge.

The whole thing was idyllic, reminding her of the summers of her childhood. Those thoughts sent her mind back to the thoughts of the kids that she and Rick would hopefully soon have…

"I know what you're thinking about," Rick teased as he came in through the sliding glass door. "That grin gives you away."

She chuckled and dumped the vegetables into the salad bowl. "I can't help it! I'm just so excited that this next stage is something that Marty, Monica, and I all get to do together."

"Wyatt, Braden, and I are probably going to be involved too," he joked.

She stuck out her tongue at him. "Yes, of course I know that. But you have to admit that the pregnancy part is a little more focused on the ladies' side of things."

"Very true," he agreed. "Nature did not divide that one evenly."

"No, and I'm sure I'll complain about it when I feel as big as a house, but…" She bit her lip. "For now, I'm kind of excited even about the hard parts."

"You want to be a mom," he said, coming closer and laying down the platter of cooked food so he could wrap his arms around her. "I think it's very normal to feel excited about all the parts of that amazing experience."

"I just…" She shook her head, her curls bobbing merrily. "I can't wait for all of it. And now that Marty and Monica are trying—and Braden and Wyatt," she added diplomatically, "it means we'll be in it together, and then we'll have babies around the same time. And then, when our kids get a little older, they can all play together, and—"

"Whoa, whoa," Rick said with a laugh, cutting her off. "Hold up there, speed racer. At this rate, you're going to have colleges picked out for them by next week."

She laughed at herself too, sinking back into his hold. "Yeah, okay, maybe I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself. I just think it's going to be really special, don't you?"

His arms were warm, loving, and secure around her. "I think it's going to be the most special thing we ever do," he agreed, pressing a soft kiss against her temple. "But we're not going to do all of it today, so what do you say we sit down and enjoy our dinner before everything gets cold?"

Scout barked from behind them, apparently agreeing to this plan… even if she wasn't going to get any of the dinner Rick had mentioned, since she was on her special diet to protect her stomach. Even so, the puppy's antics brought Darla out of her dreams of the future and back into the wonderful present.

"I think that's a great idea," she said, gathering the salad and melon and sitting down to eat.

Even as she enjoyed her food though, some part of the back of her mind continued to dream.