A Spirited Gift Read Online Free Page A

weather girl from Manteo. She’d left the Outer Banks and gone to live in Virginia Beach, becoming a local celebrity there. Everyone knew her around here. There aren’t many local channels.
    She’d come back a few years ago and been elected mayor of Manteo, which was the county seat for Dare County. I liked her the few times we’d met at other local events.
    â€œGreat speech!” Sandi said when she reached me. She gave me an air kiss and her fabulous mayor’s smile. She was dressed in bright red—always flamboyant. “Love this place! The Blue Whale certainly has an interesting and accomplished new owner. Is he spoken for? I think I’m about to be between men, if you know what I mean. But they never last long, do they?”
    Sandi was also working on her third marriage. She was a determined woman who liked to have her way. She also enjoyed the company of younger men who frequently weren’t her husband. It sounded like she might be about to break up with one of them.
    â€œThanks. Yeah, we love the old Blue Whale, and Kevin has done a great job with it.” I didn’t necessarily see her as a rival for Kevin’s attention. She was only here for a couple of days. But I didn’t want to talk about Kevin—it’s hard for me to share my life with people I don’t know well.
    â€œHow about an introduction?” she continued, smiling and nodding to people she knew. Her green eyes zeroed in on Kevin. “He’s my kind of appetizer.”
    All right, maybe it was hard laying claim to Kevin, but hearing her talk about him as a food made me a little more forthcoming. “As a matter of fact, Kevin and I—”
    â€œLadies.” Kevin joined us, smiling. He slipped his arm around my waist. “I don’t think I’ve met your friend, Dae.”
    Sandi sipped her wine and gave me an ironic smile. “So that’s the way it is, huh? You always were kind of lucky, Dae.”
    I was relieved that I didn’t have to explain about Kevin. He had a knack for showing up at the right time and place. “Kevin, this is Mayor Sandi Foxx of Manteo. Sandi, this is Kevin Brickman of the Blue Whale Inn.”
    He nodded to her. “Nice to meet you, Sandi. I hope you’re enjoying the reception.”
    â€œI was.” She finished her glass of wine. “Excuse me while I go look for more wine—and someone available to drink it with.”
    â€œShe’s . . . nice,” Kevin said when she’d disappeared back into the crowd. “Have you known her long?”
    â€œA few years.” I related her history. “She’s a good mayor. I like talking to her. She’s always coming up with new ideas I can steal for Duck.”
    He laughed. “It’s all about taking care of Duck, huh? That’s the only reason you agreed to go out with me—you wanted to make sure I kept the Blue Whale open.”
    â€œIt must be those FBI skills that make you so smart.” I hugged him a little tighter and kissed his chin. “As much fun as you are, I have to mingle. There are ideas to steal.”
    He held me to him a moment longer. “Are you okay? You seem a little worried. Is it the storm?”
    â€œI’m not worried.”
    â€œYes, you are. Your forehead wrinkles up when you’re worried. Don’t try to lie to me. I have formal training spotting liars, you know.”
    â€œReally? You know, Gramps says the same thing. You two are cut from the same cloth.”
    â€œIn other words, mind my own business. Okay. I can take a hint. I’ll just mingle and try to get people to have other parties here so I can stay in Duck and do what you tell me to do.”
    â€œYou’re so good. See you.”
    I actually began to relax and enjoy myself as I made the rounds of the room and reacquainted myself with the mayors and their families. The whole feeling of dread was just left over from the