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image of Hunter came to Sarah’s mind and she quickly banished him. She did not need a man.
    “I’m sure I can handle it. I’ll let you know about the wedding. Thanks for thinking of me.”
    “Okay. Oh! Did your mother tell you I’m doing my first concert at the bookstore in March?”
    “No! That’s amazing, Annie. I’m happy for you.”
    “Thanks.”
    Sarah hung up the phone and stared out the rain-streaked window. The older generation was taking the world by storm. Annie had her first concert booked and Sarah’s mother had told her the night before that she’d contracted with a firm in Oregon to create her line of organic lotions.
    Sarah’s own plans had come crashing down around her with the pregnancy.
    She squared her shoulders and patted her stomach. “We’ll have to figure out our dream together, little one.”
    She moved the ladder to the center of the room and began on the bottom half of the walls.
    It was a little after noon when Sarah broke for the lunch her mother had packed for her.
    She definitely had to move out of her mom’s house.
    Once she took a bite of the tuna sandwich on thick slices of multi-grain bread, she began to reconsider. There were benefits to letting her mom pamper her. Elizabeth had even included a few cookies from Gayle’s Bakery.
    Sarah had finished cleaning up when her phone rang again. Sighing, she settled back into the chair and answered.
    “Sarah?”
    The voice made her heart crack all over again.
    “What do you want?” She steeled herself.
    “I was thinking about you,” Rick answered. “I wanted to know how you were doing.”
    “I’m doing fine. So is the baby.”
    “Oh.”
    Silence thrummed the line as rain pattered against the outside walls.
    “Look,” Rick said. “I know I’ve made a mess of things. I’m … I’m sorry. It came as a surprise, that’s all.”
    “He or she is a child, not an ‘it.’ What do you want? You’ve already made it clear you don’t want me or the baby.”
    “Sarah, I didn’t mean it the way you’re making it out to be. I just thought, since we were young, and had plans — ”
    “And since our plans didn’t include an unplanned pregnancy, you wanted me to kill our baby.”
    “Sarah.” There was a hint of frustration in Rick’s voice.
    She didn’t care.
    “I’m still the baby’s father, right?”
    Sarah began to steam again. “I wasn’t sleeping with anyone else.”
    “Then I’ve got some responsibility.”
    Oh, no.
He’d made it clear what he thought about the pregnancy. He’d wanted her to terminate it. She wasn’t going to let him come back into her life, or her child’s. “I’m fine on my own. I don’t need any help.”
    “Look, Sarah, I made a mistake. A big one. But I don’t want to walk away.”
    “You did before.”
    “Jeez, Sarah, give me a break. I didn’t see this coming. One minute I knew exactly how my life was going to be, the next it was turned upside down. I want to be there for you.
And
the baby. Let me come see you, try to work things out.”
    “There’s nothing to work out. I’ve moved on. I’ll make a safe place for me and the baby. We don’t need you.”
    “You may not need me, but I have rights, too.” Anger began to build in his voice.
    “You were perfectly ready to throw away those rights along with the baby.”
    “I was crazy. I love you. I’m sure I’ll love the baby. Just give me another chance. Let me at least see you.”
    “No.”
    “Sarah, be reasonable. I can help you. Your mom told me you bought this inn. Knowing you I’m sure it’s a big old wreck of a place. You need a man to help you — ”
    “I do NOT need a man! I do SOOOOOO not need a man. Go away, Rick! Don’t come around here!” She hung up.
    The doorbell rang.
    She put her head in her hands and tears began to flow. Tears of anger? Or sorrow. She wasn’t sure.
    The doorbell rang again.
    Daisy whined.
    Sarah got up, strode toward the entryway, yanked the door open, and glared at the person