Author: Peggy Martinez
Date: 2015-07-14 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Contemporary Romance; Romance; Contemporary
Description: The sequel to the best-selling romance Sweet Contradiction is here. Perfect for fans of the TV shows Hart of Dixie and Gilmore Girls. Grab a glass of sweet tea, and get ready to be transported to a small country town where love can be such a contradiction. Jennifer Collins is finally beginning to heal after losing her mother to cancer. It's been a long road with scary turns, but her best friend Beth helped her through the darkest moments. But now Beth has gone and gotten herself hitched, and Jen can't help but feel like she's all alone once again. When Hunter Wright comes strolling back into t

THIS book is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Perfect Contradiction

Copyright ©2015 Peggy Martinez

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-63422-107-8

Cover design by Mae I Design and Photography
www.maeidesign.com

Typography by: Courtney Nuckels

Editing by: Cynthia Shepp

Life’s a dance you learn as you go.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Epilogue

About the Author

Breathe. I knew this was coming. I knew I’d see him today. I’d been preparing myself for this for over a week now, but no amount of inner pep talks could have prepared me for the sharp pain beneath my breastbone when I finally saw him. Just breathe, I thought again. This was Beth’s day, and it was going to be perfect if I had anything to say about it. There was no way I was going to let some jerk-faced, son-of-a-monkey’s-uncle get me flustered because he decided to actually show his face back in Salem after four weeks without a single phone call. Never mind that he looked sexier than ever in a black tux that had been made to fit him, showing off his trim waist and broad chest, or that his dark brown eyes were staring directly at me as if he had only been gone for a day instead of a month. I narrowed my eyes at Hunter, and the bastard had the audacity to grin at me. Clenching my fist, I turned on my heel and stomped back into the house. Hunter’s chuckle followed me inside, which only infuriated me more.

Beth glanced up from her seat in front of the vanity in my room as I entered, and her brows immediately drew together.

“What’s wrong, Jen? Is it the flowers? The cake? Oh man, please tell me Matt’s dad is going to be on time.” Beth stood up from the vanity and wrung her hands. I felt like a donkey’s behind for causing her distress on her wedding day.

“No, don’t worry. It’s nothing like that. Your day is going to be perfect.” I walked over and smiled warmly at her. She looked so beautiful with her cheeks lightly flushed, her hair done up in a pretty, loose, twist, with baby’s breath tucked into her hair.

“Are you ready to put your dress on?” I asked softly. Beth nodded and moved over to the bed. The dress was the very last thing we bought while shopping for everything for the wedding. Beth had begun to really freak out when we were only a week away from the wedding and still hadn’t found the perfect dress for her. I’d even found my bridesmaid dress three weeks before.

I’d asked Beth earlier in the week to go with me to check out a little bakery that opened up in a neighboring town, and as a wedding gift, I took her to get a manicure and massage. Just a day to hang out and not stress about the wedding. We were walking around the historic district and laughing about a guy who’d flirted outrageously with Beth until he noticed her diamond ring, when Beth stopped mid-stride on the sidewalk with her mouth hanging open. In the window of a little boutique shop hung a dress that was meant for her. It was a beautiful gown that hung to floor with an overlay of antique lace. It was stunning in its simplicity. The gown had fit her to perfection. There were many tears shed and a whole lot of laughter on the way home.

Beth slid off her robe, and I smiled. She wore robin’s egg blue lingerie, which suited her skin. I had the garter special made for her as a gift. The perfect touch was the tiny pair of silver cowboy boots added to the ribbon on the garter. Beth was going to wear her boots after all.

“So, everyone’s starting to show up, huh?” Beth asked as I helped her step into the dress.

“Uh-huh,” I answered. Beth fidgeted as I made sure her veil wouldn’t get caught in the zipper of the dress as I closed it.

“Umm, anyone you want to talk about?” Beth asked as she caught my gaze in the mirror. I sighed deeply. She wasn’t going to drop it.

“Hunter is already here and no, I don’t want to talk about it,” I huffed. Beth looked lost, like she should be trying to repair whatever had gone horribly wrong between Hunter and me, but how could she? How could I when I didn’t have the tiniest clue what had gone wrong?

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong. I just don’t want to let something so trivial ruin your big day.” Beth turned to face me. “This is yours and Matt’s wedding day, Beth. I couldn’t be happier for you two, and I’m not going to worry about anything… except maybe making a fool of myself when I blubber like a baby later on.” Beth laughed as I put my arms around her.

“I’m so glad I have you in my life, Jen,” she said softly. I smiled and hugged her tightly.

“And I’m glad you’re in mine,” I whispered back. Pulling away abruptly, I ran a finger under my eyes. “Now don’t get all mushy on me already; my mascara has to last at least until you walk down the aisle.” Beth laughed and turned back to face the mirror.

“Looks like I’m ready to get hitched,” she said nervously. Picking up our bouquets of daisies, whose stems had been wrapped in pale yellow ribbon, we walked over to the bedroom door. We could hear the wedding music from the backyard as it drifted up stairs. This is it, I thought. My best friend was about to get married, and then I’d be all alone again in my huge house. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“Well, let’s get this done, I hear there’s some mighty fine cooking waitin’ for us at the end of this shindig,” I said with a wink and an exaggerated drawl. Beth burst out laughing again, breaking through her nervousness. She nodded her head and without hesitation, we walked down the stairs of my family home side by side. I knew as we walked that things would change between us once she was married. At least a little. Maybe a lot. She wasn’t the same person who only had one friend in the whole world. She wasn’t the same little girl who was scared of her parents and of disappointing an all-seeing god. She had found her equal in Matt, though, and that was the only thing that cushioned the blow of losing my dearest friend so soon after she’d come home to me. Matt was a good man. He’d be a good husband and friend to Beth. Their happiness was almost a tangible thing, and you could almost feel the vibrations of their love in the air when they were together.

They completed one another, and I… I envied them.

“Let’s have a hug now that you’re my sister,” Hunter teased as he pulled Beth into a bear hug. She laughed loudly, and I could feel her happiness lifting my own spirits. Hunter had yet to speak to me beyond the expected, polite pleasantries since the wedding. He was most definitely avoiding me. Well, two could play at that game.

“How about it?” Matt asked. I turned away from my best friend as Hunter made her laugh again and faced Matt. “I think a hug from my bride’s best friend is in order,” he said as he pulled me roughly into his arms. Laughing, I hugged him back. I had gained a brother in this match and for that, I was grateful. He just better never hurt her or I’d make sure there’d be hell to pay.

“You better take care of her,” I whispered fiercely into his ear.

Matt pulled back and tipped his imaginary hat at me with a twinkle in his eye. “Yes, ma’am.”

I smiled broadly and stepped back as more hugs and a whole lot more laughing ensued. Matt’s momma tried to keep her tears in check, but it was a fruitless endeavor for both of us.

The wedding had been an intimate affair, just the wedding party, which had consisted of the bride, the groom, myself as the maid of honor, Hunter as the best man, and Matt’s cousin’s little girl as the flower girl. Maybe forty other guests filled my backyard and garden to watch. It had been a simple ceremony, but it was so beautifully touching that I doubt there were many dry eyes by the time they kissed as husband and wife. Only a fool would’ve doubted how much love Matt and Beth had for each other.

I hurried off to the kitchen to see if everything was in order for reception. I wanted everything to be perfect for Beth and Matt.

My small kitchen was bustling and filled with several volunteers who’d agreed to help me serve the wedding guests. I slipped off my heels, glad to let my feet catch a break. I grabbed my apron off the hook on the wall and began micromanaging everyone, getting them ready to take the first wave of food out and set up the picnic-style luncheon before the guests headed to the huge tent. I was struggling with my apron strings as I ushered the helpers out the back door with their trays. Hands reached around and gently took the strings from my hands. I stilled immediately, my body thrumming from his nearness. There was no doubt about who was standing behind me, his body heat enveloping my own.

“Let me help you with that,” Hunter murmured near my ear. I stiffened as he tied my apron for me and stepped back. I turned slowly, my eyes traveling from the fine cut of his tuxedo up to find his eyes on me. He was soaking me in, for once not guarding his emotions as he devoured the sight of me standing there in my kitchen, barefoot with my momma’s old apron covering my pretty dress.

“What are you doing, Hunter?” I asked wearily. The shutters came down once again, and he took another step back and loosened his stance into nonchalance. He shrugged.

“Just came to help you out. I’m not big on crowds.” I raised a brow. So, he wanted to help me in the kitchen. That, I could deal with that. I could pretend like nothing had ever happened between us, that we hadn’t spent the two most wonderful nights of my life in each other’s arms. Pretend I hadn’t suffered a broken heart because I thought we had something special between us. Yeah, I could do that. Absolutely.

“Alright,” I said as I marched over to the overflowing counters and table. “Please make sure everyone sets everything up real nice out in the tent. The different assortments of finger sandwiches need to be arranged together, the potato salad, macaroni salad, and the marinated vegetable salad also need to be together,” I snapped, my eyes on all the mini-cobblers I made for desert. I’d used my momma’s recipe and baked them in individual, serving-sized, ceramic casserole dishes. They’d turned out so cute. I took out my shaker of confectioner’s sugar and began dusting the top of each of the cherry cobblers liberally with the white powder.

“Look, Jen….” I held my hand up. He couldn’t have it both ways. I waited for weeks for him to call me and let me know what happened. I was devastated when he didn’t show up at my house the day I waited to hear from my doctor… the day I waited to find out if I had cancer or not. He hadn’t even cared enough to call to ask me what the doctor said. I had to assume that Matt had told him I was cancer free.

“Don’t worry about it, Hunter. I was naïve to think that what we shared meant as much to you as it did to me.” I glanced up and held his gaze. “I’m done wracking my brain for a reason that would have made you leave me like that, waiting to see if you’d ever call me. I don’t have it in me anymore to worry about having done something wrong,” I finished softly as I dusted the next two cobblers.

“You didn’t do anything, Jen.” Hunter ran his hand roughly though his hair. “You could never….” The back door swung open, and the volunteers came in with smiles and laughter.

“Take all of those on the far counter this time and remember to keep everything together,” I reminded them with a smile and thanks. They were gone as quickly as they’d arrived.

“Don’t worry about it, Hunter. It’s over and done with,” I said quietly. He didn’t look like he wanted to drop it. I pulled a huge tray of fruit off the table, pushed it into his arms, and gave him a shove toward the back door. “Make sure that gets to the tent, please,” I said without waiting for an answer. The screen door shut behind him and I went back to work on my cobblers, making sure they were just right. By the time everyone was finished setting up the reception area, Hunter and I hadn’t had a spare moment to ourselves. I was glad for it. Pulling my apron off, I dusted off my hands and slipped my heels back on. Time to eat and make sure the afternoon went as planned.

“I’d like to make a toast.” Hunter’s voice rose above the guests as he stood. Everyone quieted down, ready to hear what the best man, the groom’s brother, had to say. “I’m no good at stuff like this, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to give my brother a hard time in front of so many people,” he said with a charming grin. Everyone laughed, and Matt just shook his head.

“I’ve made several promises to myself as I’ve grown older. For one thing, I promised myself not to worry about how charming my brothers got, because everyone in the Wright household knows that I got all the good looks.” I smiled as the crowd busted out in laughter and jeers.

“I also promised myself a few serious things. To always remember how important family is. To remember how much I look up to my father, my mother, and my brothers. To always strive to be the best man I can be and try to become even half the man that Matt is.” Matt shook his head as Beth wound her fingers through his with misty eyes.

“I also promised myself to live my life never being envious of what anyone else has or has accomplished. I’ve stuck by that vow… until today.” Hunter’s voice lowered, and his eyes met mine as he continued his speech. “Today, I can see how finding that one person in life that you can’t live without changes a person. They are good changes, changes that complement each other so perfectly that you realize the two people—the two souls—have in essence, become one. I envy what my brother has found with Beth, and I hope that one day, I’ll have that. That one day, the person who completes me will give me a chance to make them as happy as Beth has made Matt.” My eyes were wide; my heart thumping so hard I was sure it’d leap out of my chest. Hunter looked at Matt and put a hand on his shoulder. He raised his glass.

“To Beth and Matt and the hope they give us all,” he said sincerely.

Beth wiped a tear away as everyone raised their glasses and chanted, “To Beth and Matt.”

The rest of the reception flew by in a flurry of dancing, laughing, and tons of well wishes for the new couple. The next thing I knew, we were all lined up in front of my house and throwing lavender buds at the couple as they headed to their truck to go to the airport. Hunter stood close by, and I made sure I kept my tears in check. Things were changing so quickly. Beth turned and waved over her shoulder at me. I smiled widely at her and waved back enthusiastically.

“Lord, I’m going to miss her,” I said softly.

“She’ll be back soon, and you two will be joined at the hip again before you know it,” Hunter said from behind me. I kept smiling and waving.

“Everything will change now. She has Matt.”

“Jennifer Collins, you seriously can’t think you’re being replaced,” Hunter said, closer to me this time. I shrugged lightly, but he was right. I’d only had Beth to myself for two months, and now she was going to be gone again. Hunter bumped my shoulder with his. “You know a husband can never replace a best girlfriend, right?” I laughed out loud and turned my head to look at Hunter.

“What?” he asked with a little shrug. “It’s a truth universally acknowledged,” he said seriously. I nearly choked on my laughter. Hunter never ceased to surprise me.

I turned back around just in time to see something flying through the air straight at my face. Putting a hand out, I snatched Beth’s bouquet out of the air just in the nick of time. Everyone was cheering around me, and Beth even winked at me before jumping up in the truck and taking off with a line of dented soda cans following in their wake.

It figures I’d end up with the doggone bouquet.

The next day came too early. I mumbled beneath my breath the entire time I was in the shower and all the way down the stairs. I looked longingly over at my coffee pot, but I had to resist. I needed to get some blood work done and check in with my doctor. I’d been putting it off too long already. I hadn’t even told Beth I was going in today. I didn’t need her worrying about me going by myself when she was on her honeymoon in the Bahamas. Sighing, I sat down at my kitchen table and sorted through the shoe box of bills. They were really beginning to pile up. I’d used a good portion of my momma’s life insurance on the funeral and paying off medical bills. I wasn’t exactly hurting for cash, but I didn’t want to get to that point either. My momma had floated most of the bills when she was healthy by working two jobs when I was growing up. I was going to have to figure out what I wanted to do for income. I’d taken care of my momma for so long that I hadn’t really put much thought into what I would do when she was gone.

I glanced around my kitchen and smiled to myself. My momma had been toying around with an idea several months before she got really bad. She’d thought about getting a small loan, then putting a bit of money into the house and renting out rooms. Turning our family home into a small, country bed-and-breakfast was one of her dreams. I thought about it as I stared out of the kitchen window with my chin in my hand. It would be a lot of work. It’d take some money. I did have five extra bedrooms and a ton of extra square footage. I could even do the baking, which I loved, for the boarders. Maybe even set up a small room in the house to sell baked goods. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Glancing up at the clock, I sighed. I’d have to think about it later; I didn’t want to run late for my appointment.

Hurrying out of the house, I jumped in my little car and drove out of town, thoughts of the bed-and-breakfast spinning around in my mind as I went. When I got to the doctor’s office, I had to remind myself several times that I wasn’t here to hear any bad news—I was just here to run some simple blood tests and get a physical. I’d never been to the office by myself, and it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I took a deep breath and got out of my car. I could do this.

The staff all knew me by name, and I really did like every one of them, it was just hard seeing them, knowing I’d been there with Momma so many times when she was sick. The office was a difficult place for me to visit.

“Jennifer Collins?” I rose from my chair in the waiting room and followed the nurse to the back. She made small talk as she wrote a few notes down and weighed me. I’d gained four pounds since the last time I’d been to see them with Beth almost six weeks ago. She was happy to see me put on a few pounds. I hadn’t even noticed, but I guess my clothes were starting to fit me again. They had started getting a bit loose when my momma died. She took my blood pressure, asked me how I was feeling, and then took a few vials of blood.

“Here ya go, Jennifer. There’s a bathroom a few doors down. Just leave the cup inside when you’re done, and I’ll meet ya back in this room with the doctor when you’re finished.” I nodded and took my little cup to do my business. When I came back, I sat down in a chair and flipped through Time magazine. After twenty minutes passed, I glanced over at the door. The doctor was usually very prompt. I’d just begun to get concerned when the doctor and the nurse came back into the room.

“I was just about to go looking for y’all,” I said. The doctor smiled at me and asked me how I’d been since I last saw him. I told him that I was doing well, but I was still battling fatigue since the funeral.

“Jen, when was the last time you had a cycle?” he asked as he made some notes on my chart.

“Cycle?” I asked in confusion.

“Yes, your menstrual cycle, I mean.” I blushed and glanced over at the nurse. She smiled at me in encouragement.

“Ah, let me think.” I felt like such an idiot. Of course he meant menstrual cycle. I thought for a few seconds, trying to remember my last. So much had happened in the past two months, with my mom being so sick, the funeral, Beth coming home, her engagement, and the wedding. I frowned to myself as I thought. When was the last time I had my period? Then a flash of something lit in my brain. I hadn’t had a period since right after the funeral. As a matter of fact, I was pretty sure my period had begun the day after the funeral, and that had been a little over eight weeks ago. I glanced up at the doctor.

“I’m not sure, but I think it had to have been right after my momma’s funeral,” I answered in a quavering voice. I wondered if I had stressed so much that I’d thrown my cycle off, or maybe something was wrong with me after all. My head felt fuzzy all of a sudden. I reached up to place a hand on my forehead.

“Whoa there, you okay?” the doctor asked as he sat his clipboard down. I nodded, but he was already kneeling in front of me and handing me a small cup of water the nurse had procured.

“This could be bad, right?” I asked after taking a sip. I glanced up into the doctor’s eyes. He smiled.

“Well, that depends on your definition of bad, I guess,” he answered after a slight pause. I looked over at the nurse, and she was smiling as well.

“What does that mean?” I asked softly.

“Jen, we’ll need to send off for a blood test to confirm it, but according to the hormone levels in your urine, it is safe to say… you’re pregnant.” The doctor stood slowly, the smile never leaving his face. I blinked at him and then shook my head.

“I’m sorry, did you say…?”

“Pregnant. Yes, I did. Probably six weeks or so along, I’d wager. Congratulations.” I smiled at him and sat there while he went through all the things I should do next. He gave me a list of obstetricians he recommended, told me to take it easy, he’d call with the blood test results, and to try out the prenatal vitamin samples he gave me, and so on. I just listened like I was actually paying attention, like my whole world hadn’t been turned upside down.

I recall walking out to my car with a list of instructions and recommendations in my hand. When I sat in my car and put my seatbelt on, I knew my world had just been tilted on its axis. Still, I just drove home, in shock and disbelief. Pregnant? How could I be pregnant? I’d only been with one guy in the last two years and that was the two times I’d been with Hunter. Two times and we’d used protection. Hunter. What were the odds? My head started thrumming as I drove, and I had a full-blown headache by the time I pulled up to my house.

When I got inside, I headed straight upstairs to my momma’s bedroom and curled up in her bed, covering my head with the handmade quilt my granny had made. Still, I didn’t cry. I knew I was probably in shock. It would have probably been better if I had cried. Instead, I laid there for the rest of the day until night fell. And when night finally came, I took a shower and then crawled back into bed and… slept.

The phone was ringing again. I wondered idly how many times it had rang since that morning. Sighing, I rolled out of my bed. It was time to stop feeling sorry for myself and really think about what I was going to do. I hadn’t eaten in a while, and now I had… a life inside of me to worry about. I placed a hand flat on my stomach. For the first time since I came home the day before… tears threatened. A hot shower and food were in order. As I washed my hair, the only thing I could think was how I didn’t even know if coffee was bad for a pregnant woman. After that, the tears started flowing and I was powerless to stop them. I would’ve given anything for my momma’s reassuring embrace right about then. Twenty minutes later, I wrapped myself in a large towel and trudged back into my bedroom. I pulled my most worn and comfortable maxi dress and cardigan out of my closet and slipped it on. After I combed all the tangles out of my hair, I walked slowly down the stairs to my kitchen.

I made myself a plate of leftover food from the wedding and slipped on an old pair of glasses as I sat down at the kitchen table to read over all the info the doctor gave me. There was no way I was putting my contacts in as red and swollen as my eyes were. A baby. I wasn’t even in a relationship, and I was going to have a baby. I had no source of income, and I was going to be a momma. Dear lord, what was everyone going to say? I groaned and stared at the papers. What were my options? Should I tell Hunter? Should I consider adoption? So many questions. I didn’t know anything, and what if I’d hurt the baby taking medicine I shouldn’t have? Or drinking the champagne the day before yesterday at the wedding? My hand flew to my midsection, and I jumped out of my seat to grab the phone off the wall. I dialed the obstetrician’s number and all but hyperventilated by the time someone picked up.

“I just found out I’m pregnant, and I had champagne two days ago. Will that harm the baby?” I blurted. The receptionist on the other end asked me to calm down and give her some of my info. Before I knew it, I had an appointment for the next week and I was reassured that a little alcohol had never been proven to hurt a baby in utero. When I got off the phone, I was feeling a little less panicky, at least as far as harming the baby was concerned. I had so many decisions to make, and I knew none of them were going to be easy. A knock on the front door brought me out of my thoughts.

Pulling back the curtain sheers, I glanced out the window and found Hunter Wright standing on my porch, a hand running through his hair in agitation. I took a deep breath and ran a hand over the skirt of my dress before opening the door.

“Hunter, what can I do for you?” I asked, my heart pounding too loudly in my ears. His eyes widened, and I cursed myself for not realizing how I must look.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he pushed into the house. I stepped back with a sigh and stared at a spot over his shoulder.

“Nothing. Everything’s okay,” I answered.

“Like hell it is,” he snapped. “Beth said she’s been calling you all morning to let you know they made it okay like she promised she would, and she said you weren’t answering. She got worried because you always answer.” He put a finger on my chin and turned my face until I had no choice but to look at him. “Why have you been crying, sweetheart?” he murmured. I pulled my chin out of his grasp and breathed in deeply.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” I said softly. I wondered if I should tell him. What would he say? Deny it was his? Worse, that he’d want to marry me because of the baby. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I trapped him to me because of our baby. He was just the kind of man who would do something like that too. We might not have worked out as a couple, but he’d be a good daddy to his kid. A stupid tear escaped the corner of my eye, and I wiped it away furiously.

“Jen, talk to me. Tell me what it is you need.” The way he looked at me nearly melted me. It made me want to throw myself into his arms like I had not so very long ago and let him share my burdens. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I never meant to,” he said gently. “I wish I had a redo button so I could make it right between us.” I nodded and stepped back out of arm’s reach. He dropped his arm back to his side with his hand clenched into a fist.

“I never should’ve run,” he muttered. I frowned in confusion before shaking my head and stepping toward the door.

“I’ll call Beth right now,” I said, trying to summon a smile. “And, ya know, if you’d like to help me, perhaps you could recommend a handyman. Someone who can help me do a little remodeling in the house. I’m going to open up a business, and I’ll have a lot of work to do,” I said, proud of how steady I sounded.

“A business?” he asked.

“A bed-and-breakfast.” I watched him as he looked around the house, and then turned back to look at me with a small smile.

“Yeah, I can see it. And with your amazing baking, it’s sure to be a huge success,” he said sincerely.

“I hope so. I’m going to need the income,” I answered. A little voice of doubt inside kept whispering how I’d never make it work. How was I going to open a brand-new business all on my own while I was pregnant? And what if I kept the baby? How would I be able to take care of it and run a business at the same time? Just the day before, I’d been only concerned about myself and what I was going to with the rest of my life and suddenly, I was responsible for another life, another tiny, helpless human. Someone who’d have to depend upon me for everything.

“Well, if you’re sure you’re alright, I’ll make some calls for you and get back to you later today, if that’s okay?” I glanced up at Hunter, but I didn’t really see him. My mind was off in too many different directions.

“Sounds good,” I managed. I shut the door behind Hunter after he left. I had no idea if he’d said anything else; I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the need to go out to my garden, my little sanctuary, the little place I went to when I wanted to feel closer to God and closer to my momma.

The moment I stepped outside and felt the breeze in my hair and the sun on my face I could breathe just a little easier. I walked slowly through my garden until I came to the huge, old oak tree where a wooden swing still hung from its ancient branches. Sitting down, I pushed myself back and forth gently as I thought. Another breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient tree above my head. I craned my neck back until I was looking up into the branches of the oak where spots of blue sky and white, fluffy clouds peeked through. Letting my eyes fall shut with my face still to the heavens, I spoke softly.

“Lord, I know I have no right to even ask anything of you right now. I know this… situation isn’t ideal, and it wasn’t exactly planned or asked for. But, I also know that sometimes good can come from our mess-ups, and I know beyond a shadow of doubt that this baby isn’t a mistake. I ain’t gonna lie and pretend I know what to do or how I’m going to make this work, but if you’ll just help me out a little down here, I promise I’ll give it my all. I guess I just wanted to let you know I’m still in shock and still processing all of this, but I’m going to deal and I’d much rather deal knowing you’re watching out for me. My momma didn’t raise no quitter, and she sure didn’t raise me to wallow in self-pity when the going got tough. So, please kiss my momma for me, tell her she’s going to be a grandma, and that I’m gonna do my darndest to make her proud.”

I let my head drop forward as I opened my eyes. I wasn’t sure how long I swung outside under that old tree, but when I went back inside later, my heart and my spirit were lighter. Now all I had to do was make those words truth. It was time for me to face the music and adjust my plans.

I was going to have a baby.

A week later, I sat at my kitchen table after my doctor’s appointment. I stared down at the picture the nurse had given me at my doctor’s office. It was just a little blob, but I couldn’t help but gaze at it in absolute awe. It was real… my own mini blob was now growing inside of me. Mini Blob, who was half me and half Hunter, had already stolen my heart. I popped a prenatal vitamin out of one of the five sample packages the doctor had given me and swallowed it down with a cool glass of iced tea. I stuck four of the packs deep into a drawer in the kitchen, and then put one pack inside of my purse. I was going to have to remember to take one every morning.

“Well, looks like it’s just me and you kid,” I muttered to Mini Blob. I tucked the picture inside of my purse with the pills and went upstairs to get ready to meet the contractor coming over in the next half hour. Dressed in a long, jean skirt and a striped, boat-neck shirt, I bounded down the stairs when the doorbell rang. I stopped long enough to make sure my hair was all contained in the claw I’d secured it with on the back of my head. Confident I looked halfway put together, I went to answer the door. When I swung it open, my mouth fell open in shock.

“Surprise!” Beth shouted over the voices on my front porch. I stood there, unable to understand what was going on. Beth laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You might wanna close your mouth,” she whispered in my ear.

“I thought you guys weren’t due back until tonight,” I said breathlessly. Beth shrugged.

“We didn’t want to have to drive back from the airport at night, so we moved our flight up a bit.” She smiled again and chuckled under her breath. “The look on your face was worth it,” she said, suppressing a smirk. It wasn’t easy for her.

“I’m so sorry, y’all. Please, come in. My manners disappeared there for a sec.” I waved Matt, Hunter, and Mr. and Mrs. Wright in. “I was expecting someone else, or I wouldn’t have stared like an idiot for so long,” I said by way of explanation. Mrs. Wright walked over and air kissed my cheek.

“My dear, there’s no way anyone in their right mind would think you were an idiot,” Mrs. Wright said with a smile. I glanced over and realized the guys were all carrying casserole dishes. What in the world?

Mrs. Wright tutted beneath her breath. “I can also see by the look on your face that my son wasn’t exactly truthful with us when he said you knew we’d be coming.” Her glare at her youngest son was the kind that would have made a lesser man shrink back, but Hunter just grinned hugely and winked at his momma.

“Now, Momma, I said she knew she was going to have company and that she’d be meeting with a contractor,” he explained. “I just didn’t mention she didn’t know we were the company and the contractors.” He shrugged. My mouth fell open. Son of a… I couldn’t let this happen. I felt panic rising inside of me. Spend weeks on end with Hunter and his family in my house, all the time, while being knocked up with his baby? Impossible. I tamped down my horror and called on my years of deep-rooted southern hospitality, pasting a smile on my face.

“Let’s get these dishes to the kitchen, and I’ll make y’all some drinks.” Hunter flinched, and Beth frowned. Maybe I needed to work on my acting skills. I led the group to the kitchen, helping Beth and Mrs. Wright set out all the food on the counter and put the banana pudding away in the fridge. The guys went to take a look around the house while we set up lunch and drinks.

“I’m sorry about this, hun. If I’d known that boy wasn’t being straight with me, I’d never have let him do something so boneheaded,” Mrs. Wright said with a shake of her head.

I took a breath and smiled. “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m glad to have y’all here. Really.” My smile was genuine this time, and Mrs. Wright smiled back. It wasn’t her fault, and I really enjoyed the company of the Wright family. No, Hunter was to blame and he was going to get a piece of my mind as soon as I could get him alone.

“So, how did your doctor’s visit go?” Beth asked over her shoulder. My eyes widened, and I nearly dropped the ice trays I was taking out of the freezer.

“My doctor visit?” I squeaked. Beth caught my gaze and then rolled her eyes.

“Did you think for a second I didn’t know you were going to see your doctor as soon as I went on my honeymoon?” she asked as she unwrapped a dish of steaming mashed potatoes. Right… my regular appointment. I cracked the ice trays and started filling glasses.

“It was fine. I told ya it was going to be nothing to worry about.” Smiling, I turned to face the glasses I was filling. I hated lying to her, but skirtin’ the truth was unavoidable. I was a horrible liar, though, and even worse at keeping secrets from my best friend. I was going to have to tell her soon. I just needed to figure out how to do it… and how to keep her from telling Hunter. I sighed and both Beth and Mrs. Wright glanced at me, their brows both quirking up in concern. Dagnabbit! I bit my lip and started pouring the sweet tea.

When we were all seated around the picnic table in my backyard, Pastor Wright gave thanks and then we all passed around the food dishes. Piling potatoes and fresh salad on my plate, I took a roll. When the BBQ rib platter came around, I nearly ran from the table. How awful was it that my absolute favorite food now turned my stomach? Instead, I tried not to breathe in as I quickly passed the plate to my right. Beth’s mouth dropped open. She knew how I felt about BBQ. I could put it away like a dude on my worst days and out-eat most guys on my best.

“I’m staying away from meats for a little while.” I shrugged and then bit into my roll, hoping she’d just chalk it up to me trying out some new low-protein diet or something.

“I hope you’re not dieting, Jen. You look so much healthier than you did when I first got back to Salem,” Beth said, her eyes watching me too closely.

“You look perfect, Jen,” Hunter said in agreement. “You definitely don’t need to lose weight.” I snorted when I thought what they would think of my weight in a few months when I looked like a beached whale. Everyone at the table stared at me. Snorting was definitely not the correct response to their comments. I stuck my fork into my salad.

“Y’all let her alone. She knows herself more than anyone else here, and she knows what she’s doing.” Pastor Wright winked at me, and I smiled back in thanks. I popped a sliced of radish in my mouth and nearly moaned. Were radishes always so tasty?

“So, Jen, what are you thinking as far as changes in the house? A bed-and-breakfast will be a welcome edition in Salem, I’m sure of it.” Matt waited for me to answer.

“The wood floors need refinished. I’d also like to make the small sitting room that’s near the dining room into a small bakery shop with a swinging door between it and the living room. All three bathrooms need to be completely redone, and all five of the bedrooms will need fresh paint, beds, linens, and such. I also have some changes I want made in my room.” I glanced over at Beth.

“I hoped you and Mrs. Wright would help me find all the right stuff to decorate the rooms. I’m thinking each room needs a special, handmade quilt, and then we can decorate the rooms to match.” Beth grinned, and Mrs. Wright seemed surprised and pleased that I’d ask her to help me with the decorating. Truth was, I didn’t like to shop, but I did love my home, and I believed the little, special touches would make a big difference.

“I’d be glad to help,” Beth answered.

“Good. I already applied for a business license, insurance, and all that other boring stuff, so we have a green light to begin whenever. You guys are standing on the property of the brand-new Countryside Inn and Bakery,” I said with a huge smile. Everyone just stared at me, seeming shell shocked.

“What?” I asked after a sip of tea.

“I didn’t realize you’d done so much while we were gone,” Beth said breathlessly. “Wow, you don’t waste any time when you make up your mind,” she said with a laugh.

“Congratulations, Jen,” Matt said, smiling ear to ear. Everyone else congratulated me and peppered me with questions and suggestions. The day was perfect, and I was actually sad to see everyone prepare to leave later that afternoon. When everyone started heading to their vehicles and after Beth had promised to come over for a visit the next day, I noticed Hunter hanging back. I waved to everyone as they pulled away, leaving Hunter and me alone on the front porch.

“Hunter Wright, I should wring your neck for pulling this,” I said with a sigh. I glanced over at Hunter, who in didn’t look sorry. Not one little bit.

“Come on over here and sit with me, sweetheart,” he said as he took my hand and led me over to the porch swing. I sat next to him reluctantly. I was bone tired. Every afternoon, I got super tired… and now I knew why. Growing a baby took a lot of work.

“I’m not sure this is such a great idea, Hunter,” I said softly. I glanced up into his eyes and found him studying me. “I mean, I love your family and I enjoy having them over, but I don’t know that us being thrown together will be a good thing.”

“You love my family?” he asked. I blinked. Did he not hear anything else?

“Of course I do. Your family is great,” I snapped.

“Just my family?” he asked softly, watching my lips. I gulped and suppressed the need to lick my lips nervously.

“Don’t ask questions like that, Hunter,” I murmured, my eyes drawn to his lips against my will.

“Why not, sweetheart?” he asked, his lids lowered and his voice becoming husky with desire.

“It’s not fair to ask me things like that now,” I answered on a whisper. His hand raised and gently swiped a stray hair back, tucking it behind my ear. He cupped his hand behind my head, angling my face toward his.

“No one ever said love was fair, babe,” he murmured as his lips brushed mine softly. My treacherous eyes fluttered closed and my hands came up to rest on his chest as his lips pressed fully into mine, his lips coaxing a small moan from me. My head kept screaming for me to stop the foolishness. I was kissing a guy who’d left me high and dry when I’d needed him the most. My heart tried to shut out my head. I had fallen in love with Hunter a long time ago, and I felt like everything was right when I was in his arms. Eventually, though, my mind won the battle. Pushing myself out of Hunter’s arms, I stood up from the swing. I didn’t have just myself to worry about anymore. I needed to keep a clear head so I could make the correct choices for myself, but more importantly… for Mini Blob.

“No, I guess they didn’t,” I said after I had a moment to gather myself together. Hunter stood and shoved his hand in his pockets.

“Jen… please give me another chance. I’m a moron, and I screwed up. I should have been here for you when you thought you had cancer. I should have been here holding your hand.”

I turned to face him. No. Don’t.

“I freaked out after you told me you might be sick… finding out that I might lose you.” His eyes begged me to understand.

I died a little inside.

“I won’t bother you with the whys of my freak out, but I realize now that I hurt you deeply when I left. I just didn’t realize until I came back just why I was hurting so bad when I left.” He captured my hand in his as he continued. “Only one thing has the ability to make you feel like heaven has landed in your lap even though you don’t deserve it, and a split second later hurt you so bad that you’d rather rip out your heart than to feel such pain ever again.”

I began shaking my head. Please don’t.

“Only love has that ability, Jen. I love you. I have probably since that first day at the fair when Beth came into town.”

I pulled my hand out of his and wrapped my arms around my midsection. He’d said everything I’d wanted him to. The words I’d longed to hear since we’d made love so many weeks ago. The apology I’d prayed for even up to the day of the wedding. But it was all too late. What if I took a chance on him and he decided he didn’t want an instant family? What if I took a chance on him and he decided to bail on me once again after I had the baby? Whatever issues Hunter had, I would have been more than willing to deal with if it had only affected me. But it didn’t just affect me now… it would affect the baby. I’d lost a parent when I was a little girl, and I’d lost a parent when I was an adult. Both were devastating, and I never wanted Mini Blob to have to deal with that. I would rather do it all on my own than to put anyone through the same thing. Stepping back, I met Hunter’s pleading gaze.

“I’m sorry, Hunter,” I whispered. “I don’t think I can take that chance.” His eyes widened and then shuttered. I was screaming on the inside.

“Can you tell me why?” he clipped out.

I lowered my head and stared at the floor. “I have reasons I don’t want to talk about just now,” I answered. I glanced up after he didn’t say anything for a few moments. His jaw was clenched tightly, and his hands were balled into fists.

“I guess I deserve that,” he said finally. He sounded defeated. My arm lifted to cup his face before I stopped myself and let it fall to my side. He walked over to the steps of my porch and went down them. It took everything I had to stay standing still and not run after him. He turned his head to the side, but he didn’t look at me.

“I hope you have a beautiful life, Jen. You deserve happiness and love.” And with that, he loped across the yard and got into his truck. I still stood on the porch long after his taillights faded down the street. When I had the strength, I walked into the house to take a much-needed nap.

By the grace of God, I didn’t fall apart.

At least, not on the outside.

Beth came over as promised the next day, full of energy and excitement over the renovation plans and opening my business. I felt like such an old lady in comparison. I’d read on the internet the night before that my energy would start to return after the first trimester. I prayed that it would. I had so much to accomplish before I opened the inn for business.

“So what are you thinking as far as the quilts?” Beth asked as she browsed through one of the fifty copies of Southern Living and Southern Décor that she’d rounded up and brought over for us to get ideas from.

“I was thinking of doing one whole room in blue and cream like that set of plates hanging in the hallway,” I said as I flipped through my own magazine. “And maybe a spring green and cream in another room.” I glanced up. “I have no idea for the other three rooms though. Maybe one in a country rose color?” Beth nodded and wrote those on her list.

“You could do one to match a multicolored rag quilt. Kind of eclectic, but country and homey at the same time.” I smiled broadly. I liked that.

“I have just the thing for inspiration too,” I said as I stood. “I’ll be right back.” I darted up the stairs. Opening the linen closet, I rifled around until I found what I was looking for. I petted the handmade lap blanket and sank my face into it for a second, remembering all the love my momma had put into it when I was little. It still looked good… loved, but in good condition. Maybe it could find a place in a room, hanging over a chest or a chair. I smiled, making my way down the stairs and back to the kitchen.

“Do you remember this?” I said loudly as I came through the dining room. I stopped abruptly in the doorway to the kitchen, my heart stuttering in my chest. Beth stood at the table with my purse perched on top of it and opened. My prenatal vitamins, the pamphlets the doctor had given me, and my ultrasound picture were out on the table. Beth’s eyes were wide as she stared down at everything.

“Your cell phone was vibrating,” she murmured distractedly. I walked the rest of the way into the room and sat down heavily in my chair. Beth’s gaze met mine. I smiled crookedly.

“Surprise?” I said half-heartedly.

“Jen? What? When? How? Who?” Beth rambled before collapsing into her own chair.

“Pregnant? Yes. Eight weeks ago. The old-fashioned way. As for who… I think you can figure it out.” Gathering up the pamphlets and pills, I shoved them back into my bag. I picked up the picture of Mini Blob and sat it on the table in front of me. Beth still hadn’t said anything, but I watched as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. I knew the moment she figured out that her new brother-in-law was my baby’s daddy.

“Hunter!” She slammed her hand on the top of the table, fuming. I flinched. She jumped from her seat and began pacing across the kitchen. “Does he know?” she asked. I shook my head.

“And I don’t want him to know either,” I said vehemently. Beth groaned and continued her trek across the linoleum.

“When are you due?” she asked after a few minutes.

“Next March,” I answered immediately. Beth stopped her pacing and glanced over at the picture on the table.

“I’m going to be an aunt,” she murmured beneath her breath. I smiled at that. She grinned back and then came over to sit down next to me. “How long have you known?” she asked softly.

“Since the day after the wedding, when I went to the doctor.” I shook my head ruefully. “I hadn’t even realized I’d missed my period.” Beth picked up the ultrasound picture and ran a finger over it.

“You’re going to be a mommy,” she said, her eyes going misty. My own eyes widened as I tried unsuccessfully not to cry. “And that means I’m going to be an aunt,” she said once again. I hiccupped a laugh through my tears.

“What if I mess this up? What if I’m a horrible mom and I ruin Mini Blob’s life?” I wailed.

Beth laughed through her tears and sniffed. “You will be an amazing mom,” she said so sincerely that I started crying the ugly kind of tears. She came around the table and wrapped her arms around me. “You will do the mom thing better than any mom in the history of Mom-dom.” I snorted and then sniffled. “I’ll help you and we’ll figure this all out together, Jen.”

I nodded and took the paper towel she handed me. After I’d wiped my eyes and blown my nose, I tucked my picture back into my purse.

“And please tell me you didn’t refer to my niece as Mini Blob.”

“Hunter asked me to give him another chance yesterday,” I said softly. Beth’s eyes grew round. “He said he loved me and had made a mistake.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” Beth asked gently. I smiled sadly and wondered if everyone knew how I really felt about Hunter.

“It was… but now that I have Mini Blob to think about,” I began, “I just don’t know if I can take the chance that he’d leave once he found out about the baby, or worse, leave after the baby got here. You know… if things got tough.”

“You know he’s going to find out sooner or later, right? About the baby, I mean?”

I nodded. It wasn’t like I’d be able to hide it for long. “I know, but I just can’t tell him right now. I want to wait for the right moment.”

“There may never be a perfect moment to tell him he’s gonna be a daddy. But, you better just be sure you tell him before he finds out on his own.”

I nodded and picked up the ultrasound picture. Tucking everything back inside of my purse, I sighed. “What will Pastor and Mrs. Wright think of me?” I whispered. “What will everyone at church say when I start showing?”

It was the first time I voiced my shallow concerns out loud. I hated the thought of people talking about me, maybe even thinking poorly of Hunter. I could weather the dirty looks and the wagging tongues, but I wouldn’t stand for anybody bad mouthin’ the Wrights or the baby. I put a hand on my stomach protectively. Beth put a hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t you worry about that, Jenifer Collins. The Wrights are good people and if anyone has anything to say about you or the baby, they can come and talk to me,” she said fiercely.

I smiled through my tears. I had no idea what I’d ever do without my best friend. Reaching out, I put my arms around her neck. “Thank you,” I whispered.

“What are best friends for?” she answered. “What are favorite aunts for?” she added in for good measure.

I laughed and hugged her even tighter.

“Don’t you worry one little bit, Jen. You don’t have to do this alone. You have me, and I’ll always be here for you.”

For a moment, I truly believed everything was going to turn out okay.

The house renovations had been underway for a week before I thought I was going to lose my ever-lovin’ mind. Everywhere I turned, there was a Wright in my house. Even Beth was technically a Wright. All three bathrooms were finished quickly, and the men were already working on refinishing the hardwood floors and hanging a swinging door between the sitting room and the formal dining room that was soon to be my little bakery. I didn’t realize how tightly strung I’d become with Hunter and his family in the house every day until I finally snapped.

“Jen, all the upstairs and downstairs room have been painted. All we’re waiting on is what color you’d like us to paint your room and what changes you want made to that small, adjoining room.”

“I was thinking a pale yellow paint. Something really subtle,” I answered over my shoulder as I chopped lemons and mint for the lemonade. Mrs. Wright and Beth were sitting at the table shuckin’ corn for the evening meal.

“And I’d like to have the entire wall between my room and the adjoining room knocked down to enlarge my room,” I answered, my eyes on my task. I tried to avoid talking to Hunter as much as possible, and I’d even tried not to look at him if I could help it without seeming rude.

“That seems like a big change,” he said in a bit of a surprised voice. I glanced quickly over at Beth, who was trying very hard not to listen to our conversation.

“I need more space in my room,” I answered softly. I glanced up quickly into Hunter’s questioning gaze. He shrugged.

“You could use it when your business opens. If not as a small, extra guest room, then maybe for storing some of your momma’s things you won’t want anyone to use when the inn is open for business,” he suggested in a perfectly reasonable voice. My reasonability must have fled days earlier. I swung around to face him.

“I don’t need it as an extra room or as storage, Hunter Wright,” I shouted. “I need my room to be larger. Is that such a horrible thing?” I asked, seething, my knife, still in my hand, dripping lemon juice as I pointed it at him. The entire room went silent, and I suddenly realized exactly how much I’d overreacted. I turned and found Beth’s eyes wide, her mouth hanging open. Even Mrs. Wright seemed shocked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to holler, y’all,” I muttered as I threw the knife on the counter, wiped my hands on my apron, and pushed through the back screen door. A soon as I hit the fresh air, I began running. I ran out past the garden and clothesline until I reached the old oak tree in my backyard. Rounding it, I hid behind it as tears began streaming down my face. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t have him in the house and not go insane. Wiping my eyes on the hem of my apron, I then wrapped my arms around my waist. I was barely two months along, and I was already feeling like everything was going to be too much for me to bear. What if I couldn’t do it?

“Jen?” Hunter’s voice was close. I whimpered and drew further into myself. My tears had at least stopped.

“Jen, what’s wrong?” he asked softly. Concern radiated from his body. All I wanted to do was throw myself into his arms, tell him everything, and ask him to make it all better. Instead, I tightened my grip on my waist and shook my head.

“That’s a load of crap, Jennifer Collins. I know something is wrong. I’ve never seen you so emotional. You’re upset about something,” he insisted.

I laughed, but the sound came out brittle. It wasn’t a happy sound. “It’s nothing I can’t handle, Hunter,” I said after a moment.

“Let me help you. Talk to me, sweetheart,” he murmured, his hands coming up to caress my arms.

I flinched and pulled away quickly. I knew the instant I did it that I’d hurt him. “I want you to leave,” I said softly as I stared at my feet.

“Jen… you don’t mean that,” he said roughly, his voice letting me know he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.

I swallowed and took a deep breath before meeting his hurt gaze. “I do. I need you to leave, Hunter. I can’t have you here.” My voice sounded more assured than I felt. It sounded steady even though my heart was cracking on the inside.

He reached out a hand. “Jen, please.”

I moved back a step and stiffened my back even though that single word please nearly undid me. “I’m sorry, Hunter. I can’t. It hurts too much, and this is the way it has to be for now.”

He stared at me for so long I thought he meant to protest again, but something even worse happened. Taking a step back, his eyes suddenly went cold and distant. He nodded once before turning on his heel and leaving me alone behind the old oak tree.

As soon as I heard the back porch door shut behind him, I sank down to the soft grass and cried. When I made my way back to the house a long while later, everyone was gone for the evening… everyone except for Beth.

“You okay?” she asked.

I walked over and sat down next to her at the kitchen table. “I told Hunter I didn’t want him to come to the house anymore,” I answered. Beth raised her brow, but she didn’t seem shocked.

“I kind of figured. He lit out of here in some kind of a hurry with an impressive scowl on his forehead.”

I groaned. “The Wrights are going to hate me,” I said. Beth laughed as she handed me a tall glass of lemonade she must have finished for me.

“What?” I asked before taking a long drink.

“Jen, hun, the Wrights love you like a daughter. I guarantee they left here wondering what Hunter had done to you and how they could get him to make it up to you.”

I shook my head. “I’ve made such a mess of things,” I muttered.

Beth put a hand over mine on the table. “Don’t fret over this, Jen. It isn’t healthy for the baby, and the baby is top priority right now. Everything else will work itself out. Just you wait and see,” she said with a smile.

I smiled back. She was right of course. I needed to focus on the baby and getting the inn up and running. I’d worry about everything else—like the Wrights finding out they were going to be grandparents, about Hunter finding out he was going to be a daddy, and about how ill equipped I was to raise a child—after things settled down. This was going to be the easy part. I just had to make sure I told Hunter before anyone else found out. And I had to make sure I did it before I was as big as a house. I just needed a little more time to figure out how to break it to him.

“I can’t believe you’ll be opening in two weeks,” Beth said as she pulled down the attic stairs. She was right. Weeks had flown by and yet, when I was at home alone at night, thinking about Hunter and the last time we spoke, it seemed to me that time was crawling by intolerably slow. I hadn’t seen him since that afternoon when I’d asked him to leave and even though I knew it was for the best, I still missed him terribly. Not only that, but I was nearly out of my first trimester already, and I still hadn’t gotten up the nerve to tell him about the baby.

“Earth to Jen.” Beth waved a hand in front of my face. She was already halfway up the attic stairs. “You coming?” she asked.

“Yeah. Sorry, just wool gatherin’ I guess.” I climbed the stairs behind Beth. She had already begun sneezing. The attic was super dusty. Maybe I’d give it a good spring cleaning when I got a chance. If I ever got a chance.

“You’ve been doing that a lot lately,” she said over her shoulder as she moved a few boxes out of her way.

I sighed and shrugged. “I know. I’m sorry,” I answered.

“No need to be sorry, Jen. I just wish you’d let me in,” she said gently. “I want to help you, but I can’t if you don’t tell me what’s going on in that busy head of yours,” she said, smiling.

“Mostly how quickly my stomach is expanding and how much longer I’ll be able to keep it a secret,” I confessed, joining her to move a couple of old coats and piles of quilts that had seen better days.

“You thought any more about how or when you’re going to break it to Hunter?” Beth asked.

“Are you certain I should tell him at all?” I asked. “I mean, I could move to another state or join the circus.”

Beth snorted. “Seriously, though, it’s only going to get harder the longer you wait.”

She was right, but that didn’t make it any easier.

“I’ll tell him soon. I was thinking of taking a little day trip into St. Louis to do some shopping for the inn in a couple of days. I’ll go by and talk to Hunter then.”

Beth stopped and looked at me. “Really?” she asked in a surprise.

I took the last box out of her hand and nodded. We both looked down at what we’d uncovered. I ran a hand along the side of the bassinet that had once been mine and smiled softly.

“Yeah. It’s time, don’t you think?” I asked.

Beth nodded. “It is,” she agreed.

And just like that, I’d made a plan to head to St. Louis to visit Hunter in two days.

“Well, let’s get this downstairs and cleaned up so we can stow it in your room,” Beth suggested.

I smiled and got started. Beth knew it was better if I stayed busy. If I thought about it too much, I’d likely change my mind.

The bassinet cleaned up beautifully. I ran my hand over the carvings in the white wood. The cow jumping over the moon and the dish running away with the spoon. I rocked the bassinet with a large grin on my face.

“It’s perfect,” Beth said with a happy sigh.

I nodded and blinked furiously, refusing to let the water works begin again. Pregnancy hormones were hell on my mascara. “I think momma would’ve loved the thought of me using this basinet for the baby,” I said after a moment.

“She really would have,” Beth agreed.

“Now it just needs a fresh coat of paint, a new mattress, and a quilt.”

“It’ll look just like new.” Beth began looking around my newly renovated room. The guys had done a great job. New paint, a new throw rug, and a part of the wall that led into the extra room knocked down, and my room was a lot more spacious… spacious enough to add a bassinet, a chest of drawers, and a rocking chair for the baby. It was perfect. We already had the bassinet and the chest of drawers. All I needed was to find the perfect rocking chair and finishing touches and I’d be somewhat prepared to add a little human into my life.

Now to tell Hunter.

“Are you looking for anything in particular, hun?” I turned to the sound of the voice behind me and met the gaze of an elderly lady. Caressing the pink blanket in my hand, I smiled. I couldn’t get the pink, of course, but it had been so pretty, with all kinds of intricate embroidery, that I almost considered it there for a second. I let go of the blanket and turned to the shop owner.

“I’m looking for a baby blanket. Something neutral for a boy or a girl and some bassinet sheets,” I replied. I glanced around the store again. It had a lot of great things for decent prices. I spotted an old, large basket across the room and perked up.

“You know, I’m also looking for some things for my new bed-and-breakfast….” I said as I started walking. “Maybe I can find some good deals here.” I said it with a questioning voice, hoping the shop owner might be willing to negotiate on some of the prices.

“Well, you just tell me what you have your eye on and we’ll see what we can do,” the older woman answered with her own knowing smile. I flashed a grin and headed in the direction of the beautiful basket. It would be perfect to display some of my homemade muffins in for the bakery.

After sitting a few items on the counter, I followed behind the woman to see the baby blankets she said she had. Most of them weren’t exactly what I was looking for. Too fluffy, to girly, or just too new. But then I found a gem. I pulled out the little quilt and held it against my chest as I ran a hand along the edge. A simple edge finished in hand-stitched binding. It wasn’t what I’d originally pictured for the baby, with several colors, including pink, country blue, sea green, and a pale yellow all in different prints, but as soon as I held the quilt in my hand, I knew it had to be mine. It was old, but well taken care of. It had that worn, buttery feeling that quilts tended to get when they’d been loved and used. No stiff, scratchy fabric there. I ran my hand along the stitching once more and sighed. Such love and detail.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the older lady asked me.

I smiled at her and nodded. “It’s perfect,” I agreed. I folded the blanket back up, along with the two little bassinet sheets that I’d found. They would match well and were just as soft as the quilt.

“Is this going to be a gift or are you expecting?” the little lady asked as she began ringing me up at the front counter. I was the only customer in the shop, which was a shame. There should have been people beating on the doors of such an amazing little place. I put a hand on my stomach. I wondered if she could tell. When I raised my head to answer, I found the lady smiling at me as she put the blanket into a bag.

“No, I can’t tell by your tiny little stomach,” she answered my unasked question. “It’s just you have a little glow about you and the way you touched that blanket… well, I just kind of figured.” I smiled tightly. This wouldn’t do. If I couldn’t hide it from a complete stranger, how much longer did I think I was going to be able to do so in my own hometown? My own very small and nosy hometown.

The woman in front of me tutted. “Don’t worry about it, Hun. You’ll do great.” She shrugged and put the last of my purchases in the last bag. “And if you mess up something, you’ll figure it out easily enough and make sure you do better the next time. Motherhood is a wonderful experience. Terrifying and wonderful,” she said with a chuckle.

“Thank you,” I answered after a moment of silence. “I needed to hear that today.”

She smiled gently. “You’re welcome. Just remember to enjoy everything and to let go of those stupid little things that parents seem to worry themselves over. In the end, children grow quickly and years fly by… don’t waste them fretting over the unimportant things like ruined dresses and fancy preschools and whatever else parents put too much importance on nowadays, when you could be making mud pies and catching fireflies.” She shrugged as I stood there, soaking in everything this wise old woman had to say and I was lucky enough to hear.

“When it’s all said and done, grownups don’t remember the expensive clothes they wore as children or if their preschool was the best in the state… they remember the mud pies, the camping out in the backyard, and all the little things they did with their family that probably cost no money at all. Enjoy life, cherish your little one, even the pregnancy part. You were given that little miracle for a reason.”

I sniffled once and blinked quickly, taking the bags she handed out to me to set at my feet so I could pay her. She told me my total, and I frowned. It was a lot less than I’d calculated in my head while I was shopping.

“You sure you rang everything up, ma’am?” I asked, reaching for my bags.

“I’m sure,” she said with a smile. “I took a little off for the baby quilt,” she added. I started shaking my head. She’d already given me some price breaks; I didn’t want to rob the poor woman. Before I could open my mouth, she started talking again.

“Besides, I made that blanket some thirty years ago, so I think I can sell it for as much as I like,” she answered with a smirk. “I’m just happy it is going to be loved by a little one again after all these years.”

“You don’t have to take anything off. I’d be glad to pay the full price for the quilt… it is worth every penny,” I said softly.

She looked at me over the top of her bifocals. “Consider it a baby shower gift,” she said with a smile.

I would have argued more, but I could tell by the set of her jaw that she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Two stubborn Missouri women buttin’ heads wasn’t something likely to end well. Plus, I imagined her being able to give away that blanket was somehow as much of a blessing to her as it was to me. I handed over my credit card with a nod.

“Thank you for… everything,” I said with my bags in hand.

“Anytime, dear. Anytime.”

I left the shop with a smile on my face and the perfect quilt for the baby. All the other things I bought there were just an added bonus. From the shop, I went to the printers to pick up my new business cards and brochures. And from there, I ran a few other errands before I had gathered up enough courage to drive to my main destination—to tell Hunter about the baby. I was nervous as all get out as I drove when my cell phone rang, scaring the bejesus out of me.

“Beth, you nearly made me wet myself,” I accused in the place of my usual greeting.

“What are you doing?” she asked after she finished laughing at me.

“Driving. But I was in the middle of some intense focusing when you called.”

“Uh-huh. And what exactly are you trying to focus on?” she asked.

“Oh, you know, the usual. The words I’m going to use when I tell Hunter he’s going to be a daddy. The different ways he could react. The different ways I could react to him reactin’.” I groaned. It did sound a little crazy when I actually said it out loud.

“Uh-huh,” Beth replied. “And you’re sure you want to do this alone? I could be there in a hurry… for moral support,” she offered.

I smiled. Beth was the best best-friend a girl could ask for. “No. I think I need to do this alone,” I said.

“Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I am,” I said. “But thank you for the offer.”

“No problem. That’s what I’m here for,” Beth said. “By the way, the reason for my call. Matt said that Hunter will be at lunch about the time you get there. He said he usually goes to a small, local place near the office called Hot Diggity Dogs on Fridays, so he should be there.”

Hot Diggity Dogs, huh? I thought. Guess it was as good of a place as any other to find out you were having a baby.

“What does Matt think I’m doing in St. Louis?” I asked.

Beth cleared her throat. “Only the truth… you have some errands to run and then wanted to drop in and surprise Hunter.”

I felt a twinge of guilt. Now I had Beth keeping things from her new husband. The sooner I told Hunter, the better. “Thanks, Beth,” I said into my phone.

“No problem. Call me after,” she commanded.

“Will do. Tell Matt I said hi and thanks.”

“I will. Now, go get ‘em, momma tiger!”

I smiled after disconnecting. Momma tiger, indeed.

I grabbed the small gift bag out of the passenger seat of my car along with my small purse. Standing outside of my car for several minutes, I willed my feet to move forward and take me into the restaurant. If Matt was right, Hunter would just be sitting down to lunch and he’d be there for a good forty or so minutes, giving him plenty of time to process everything I had to tell him. At least, I hoped so. I just couldn’t make myself move. There was this horrible rock of uncertainty sitting in the pit of my stomach. Yes, he told me he loved me several weeks ago and it was before he’d known anything about the baby, but that didn’t mean he wanted to settle down with me… that he wanted a family. People said they loved each other all the time. Loving someone and being there for them didn’t always go hand in hand and Hunter, despite his declaration of love, had proven that.

I knew I had to tell him. I knew I didn’t want him hearing from gossips that I was pregnant, but I still had doubts. I was human. I was emotional. I was pregnant, damn it. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, gathering my nerve up for the last time. I was going to do this. No matter what, Hunter deserved to know. It would be a load off my mind no matter what happened. Even if we didn’t end up together, Hunter needed to know he had a child on the way. Well, my mind said that, but my heart felt otherwise. I knew it would kill me to see him with the baby if we weren’t together. But if it wasn’t meant to be, I was sure I would eventually find the strength to move past the hurt that would cause me… for the sake of the baby. I would have to. With a new resolve and purpose, I gripped the gift bag in my hand and made my way to the door of the little restaurant.

Hot Diggity Dogs was a busy little place. People spoke loudly, ESPN was playing on several flat-screen televisions, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I stood in line behind two groups that were being seated, stretching up on my tippy toes to see if I could spot Hunter. He had no idea I was coming. Maybe I should have called him ahead of time… met him somewhere more private. So many doubts and thoughts. Finally, back in the corner of the room, sitting at the bar area, I found him. He was drinking a coke and watching the big screen up on the wall. I watched as he held up his arm and glanced at his watch to check the time. I wondered for a second if Matt had told him I was coming after all.

When his head swung toward the front entrance, just a few feet from where I stood, partially hidden by the last group in front of me, I was sure he was expecting me. I started to raise my hand in greeting, to draw his gaze to me, when he smiled widely and stood up. He wasn’t looking at me. I turned, somewhat in a daze, and watched as a bombshell-gorgeous blonde passed by. My stomach fell just a little, just enough to make me feel queasy. Just enough for prickles of awareness to dance across my scalp. I watched as she strode across the restaurant toward Hunter. She slipped easily into his embrace, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek like she’d done it many times before. When she whispered something into his ear, he laughed, the carefree sound reaching me easily across the rambunctious room of people. He sat down and motioned for the bartender to bring the woman a drink. Her body leaned into his, and it caused the knife in my chest to twist in even deeper.

“Ma’am? Ma’am?” I pulled my tear-filled gaze away from the scene at the bar. “You ready to be seated? Is it just you?” The hostess stood there with a menu in her hand.

I took a step back. “It’s just me, but I don’t need a seat,” I mumbled as I hurried out of the restaurant.

The drive home from St. Louis wasn’t a long one, but if felt to me like it took ages. When I finally pulled up in front of the house, I was tired and hungry. Two things a pregnant woman should never be at the same time. I put my packages on my bed and changed into soft pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. Putting the baby quilt in a drawer, I took the rest of my purchases downstairs with me.

Besides the beautiful, old basket I’d purchased, I had also found several hand-embroidered table linens, a beautiful glass cake stand with a glass lid, some new baking dishes, and another vintage apron to add to my ever-growing collection that hung on an eclectic set of antique knobs on my kitchen wall. Instead of hanging the apron up on the wall with the others, though, I tied it around my waist and got to work. Nothing could get my mind off my troubles quite like baking. I preheated the oven, cranked up the sound on my iPod dock, and started pulling ingredients out of the cabinets. One peach cobbler, four dozen cookies, and three batches of jumbo muffins later, I sat down to call Beth.

“Well, you took your sweet time to call. I hope this means you guys had a good, long talk,” she started out. I blew out a breath and rubbed the white flour splotch on my hand until it was gone.

“Jen?” she asked after a moment. “What happened?”

“I didn’t tell him, Beth,” I said softly.

“What do you mean? I thought you were going to,” she said gently.

“I was. At least, I wanted to. But then….” The picture of Hunter with the blonde at the restaurant flashed in my memory, and I cringed.

“Then, what?” Beth asked.

“Then I saw him with someone,” I said softly.

Beth hissed in a breath through her teeth. “You mean….”

I nodded and closed my eyes. “Yeah. A woman.”

“Oh, hun, that doesn’t mean anything. He told you he loved you a few weeks ago. A guy like Hunter doesn’t get over something that quickly.”

“You didn’t see him,” I accused. “You didn’t see the way they acted together.” I blew out a breath. Beth waited on the line.

“He looked happy, Beth,” I said. “They looked like they belonged together. Both beautiful, successful people living in the city. No strings. No huge commitments. No baby to hold them back… not like me.”

As I said it, I knew it was what had been on my mind the whole time since leaving the restaurant. It was what hurt the most. Not that he had moved on so quickly after I told him I didn’t want him around, even though I guess I hadn’t expected him to get over me quite that quickly. No, that wasn’t what had slapped me in the face and stung so bad.

What it all boiled down to was the fact that Hunter was free. Free to do anything. Go anywhere. Be with anyone. He had no strings holding him down… not like me. I’d said it to Beth. I kind of felt trapped. I was already in love with the baby and I wouldn’t trade being pregnant right then for anything in the world, but I still had that small, dark thought that it wasn’t something I’d have chosen to happen to me. Yet, I had no choice but to accept it and own it. I knew those feeling were natural, but it didn’t make me feel even the slightest bit better when I had them. I just didn’t want Hunter to have them too. I didn’t want to be the one to attach those strings. He’d grow to resent me for it. Worse, he might grow to resent the baby for it, and I never wanted that to happen.

“That isn’t fair, Jen. It isn’t fair to you or to the baby. You should still tell him.”

I knew she would say that. But I had already made up my mind. “I’ve already decided that I’m not going to tell him,” I said.

“Jen….”

“And I don’t want the Wrights, including Matt, to know the truth either,” I told her.

“I don’t know, Jen… I mean, do you realize what this will mean for you?”

I swallowed. I already thought that through as well, about the time the second batch of muffins were baking. “I know, Beth,” I answered. “I’ll be completely and utterly alone. Pregnant in a small town with no one even knowing who knocked me up. People will gossip either way, but they would have gossiped just a little less loudly if they knew I was pregnant with a Wright baby.”

“Hunter would do the right thing by you, Jen.”

I clenched my jaw. “Hunter would do what is expected of him, and that doesn’t mean it is right by me,” I said a little more harshly than I intended.

“I didn’t mean…”

“I know, Beth. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at ya.”

“It’s okay, Jen, I just hate it that you’re hurting,” Beth said.

“I don’t think that can be helped right now,” I answered softly. “But it will get better in time, don’t you think?”

“I’m sure it will,” she said immediately. “And I’ll be here to help you in any way I can, you know that.”

I smiled. I did indeed know that. One person I’d always be able to count on was Beth. “Thanks, Beth.”

“What are best friends for?” she asked softly.

“Well, one thing you can be good for is coming over here tomorrow to see all the new stuff I bought,” I said quickly.

“Ohh, I can’t wait. I do love seeing your antique store finds.”

“Well, I do find some great stuff,” I said with a chuckle. “Plus, I kind of, umm, have a lot of stuff to send home with you,” I added. There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

“Oh, Jen. You baked all afternoon, didn’t you?”

I tried not to sound too miffed. “Well, I did want to try out a new muffin recipe,” I countered.

“What else did you make?” she asked. I could hear the smile in her voice.

“Just a cobbler… and a few dozen cookies… and a couple batches of muffins,” I admitted. Beth was giggling on the other end.

“Hey, well, at least you’re productive when you’re upset,” she said with a laugh.

“You’re just happy you get to reap the benefits,” I accused.

“Dang right!”

I was laughing now. Beth was no stranger to my emotionally charged baking.

“Beth….” She stopped laughing and waited. “I don’t want anyone to know that Hunter is the baby’s father. And I mean, like, ever.” Silence.

“Beth?”

“Okay, Jen. I’ll keep it a secret for you, but I’m letting you know now I don’t like it,” she answered. “This is gonna come back to bite you in the hiney; you mark my words.”

I grinned at her use of the word “hiney”. She was trying to watch her language. “Thank you, Jen,” I said sincerely. “I knew I could count on you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t think for a second that I don’t expect a lot of those muffins and cookies to be coming home with me tomorrow,” she said.

“Done,” I answered quickly.

“And you know, Elizabeth is an awfully nice name if you happen to have a girl…”

I laughed. I thanked God every day for putting Beth in my life. “Noted.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Jen,” Beth said. “And don’t worry, everything’s gonna turn out alright.”

“Okay, I’ll see ya tomorrow,” I answered before hanging up the phone. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning my kitchen and reorganizing the cabinets and drawers.

I sat on the edge of my bed a few hours later, tired, but in a good way. The gift bag I was going to give Hunter was sitting there. I opened it up and pulled out the things I’d bought to announce the pregnancy to him. A card, a DVD of Nine Months, a DVD of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, a DVD of the first show we watched on a date… Braveheart, a cigar, and the tiniest pair of cowboy boots I’d ever seen. I sighed, put everything back in the bag, and then shoved it under the baby quilt in my chest of drawers. When I finally made it to bed, I was exhausted. Exhausted enough to fall into a deep, carefree sleep.

“Jen, everything looks amazing!” Beth gushed. I was grinning from ear to ear. The whole place did look great. We were standing in the living room. There were two sofas, two armchairs¸ the piano, and a small window seat in the room. It all fit together perfectly, and some of it was furniture I’d already had that just felt wrong to get rid of. I’d taken down most of the personal pictures of me growing up, but I did leave two pictures of my momma and me on the piano. One of us when I was a baby and one of us when I was grown. Those weren’t going anywhere.

“Let’s take a tour,” I suggested excitedly. Beth hadn’t been by in a week, and a lot of the finishing touches were done in that time.

“Ohh, look at the swinging door!” Beth squealed. I pushed through it lightly and held it open for her. That swinging door had once hung in a saloon from the late 1800s, but I wasn’t going to advertise that interesting little tidbit. The guys had sanded it down and painted it to fit the rest of the house. The door led right into the bakery portion of the house, which used to be my formal dining area. Now it held two small, round tea tables and chairs. It also had a long, glass counter display box that took up most of one wall with just enough room for someone to step behind it and sell the baked good. A tiny cash register sat on the far corner of the counter. An eclectic collection of baskets and cake stands that I’d collected for the past few weeks lined the top of the rest of the counter. The window near the small tables had white lace curtains pulled back so guests could see out into the front yard. The front porch swing was right outside the window.

“It’s perfect,” Beth said after walking around the room.

“Let me show you the rooms,” I said after a moment. I showed her the few finishing touches upstairs that she hadn’t seen. A throw blanket here, an old vase there, even an antique toy truck I’d picked up for the multicolored room. It went perfectly.

“Ladies… we’re ready for you.” Matt’s voice reached us from downstairs. My eyes widened. Pastor Wright and Matthew were out in the yard working on last two things I needed done before the grand opening in a few days.

“They’re ready,” Beth said excitedly. “Are you?” she asked.

“I am,” I said, nodding my head. And I thought I was. We headed down the stairs, refraining from rushing down them like a couple of schoolgirls, but it was a very near thing. When we got outside, I walked quickly with Beth to the front lawn. I stopped, my eyes welling up as I took it all in. Matt and Pastor Wright stood there with huge grins on their faces. The sign stood proudly in my front yard, close to the road. It hailed my home proudly as the Countryside Inn and Bakery. The sign was wooden and distressed purposely to look a little old fashioned, just like my house. Beth wound her arm through mine as we turned to look at the house itself. A sign hung there too. From two chains, a smaller, identical sign to the one in the yard hung from the porch just above the stairs. It looked like it was meant to hang there, that it had always been a part of the house. It was perfect.

“Your momma would’ve been so proud,” Beth whispered.

I smiled and hugged her arm tightly. “Yes, she would have been,” I answered.

“Thank you so much, Pastor Wright, Matt,” I said after a moment.

“It was our pleasure,” Pastor Wright answered with a smile. They began getting all their tools together and loading up their truck while Beth and I just stood there staring at the house.

“So, you’re going to do this,” Beth said softly. I knew she wasn’t just talking about the inn.

“I am. It’s for the best,” I said. I could feel her eyes on me, watching me as I stood there with my chin tilted defiantly.

“Okay,” she answered after a moment and a sigh.

“Okay,” I agreed. Now to stick with my plan and everything would turn out hunky-dory.

“Well, this time next week, you’re going to be a busy lady with the inn opening up.”

I was grateful that Beth had decided to change the subject. “Yeah, getting up that early to bake each morning is gonna be hell,” I said with a groan.

Beth smiled widely. “My niece, little Elizabeth, doesn’t like early mornings?’ she asked in baby talk. She reached out a hand, but I slapped it away.

“Don’t you even dare, Elizabeth Michaels Wright!” I huffed. Beth chuckled, but smartly let her hand fall away before getting too close to my stomach. “And besides… it could be a boy.” Beth snorted in derision as I grinned.

“Beth! We’re ready to head out.” Beth waved over to Matt.

“Well, I gotta get going. I’ll be over the day before the grand opening to stay the night and lend a hand like I promised,” Beth said.

“Sounds good. We’ll see how much your taste testing comes in handy,” I said with a grin.

Beth put both her hand on her hips. “Quality control is an important part of any growing business,” she said matter-of-factly.

I laughed. “And you are definitely highly qualified in that department,” I joked.

Beth beamed. “I’m gonna take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” I agreed. “I’ll see you in six days then. Please thank Pastor Wright and Matt for me again.” Beth nodded as she left me standing in my yard to leave with the Wrights.

I walked slowly to the house and curled my legs up beneath me as I sat in my porch swing. This time next week, I am going to be a business owner, I thought. I laid a hand on my not-so-flat-any-longer stomach. In a few short months, I am going to be a mommy, I added.

Everything was about to change.

“I can’t believe today is the day,” Beth said again. I was rearranging the cookies and muffins in the case again. I couldn’t stand still. I’d been up since before the butt crack of dawn, baking and making sure everything was going to go perfectly that day. I hadn’t stopped for a second to even catch my breath. Breathing could wait until after the grand opening was over.

“Oh, God,” I muttered beneath my breath.

“What? What is it?” Beth asked in panic.

“What if no one shows up? What if they think the inn isn’t nice enough? What if they think my prices are too high or my new muffins suck?” Words poured out, and my head suddenly felt like it was going to explode from the pressure there.

“Whoa, Jen,” Beth said, coming over to pull me down into one of the small chairs in the bakery. “People are going to show up, I promise. Nothing this big has happened in Salem in so long time, they’ll show up just for something to do.”

I snorted. Leave it to Beth to say something so entirely ridiculous and… true.

“Your house was beautiful to begin with. Now… now it is truly a sight to see,” she added. Her words were heartfelt, and I knew she meant each one of them. I smiled at her in thanks. “And don’t get me started on your prices. You wanna be robbed blind, then that’s your business. But, I’m just sayin’ that if it were me, I’d raise ‘em… your banana nut muffins are good enough to make a grown man weep.”

“Thank you, Beth. I’m just freaking out a little here, I guess.”

“You’re entitled to. Just get over it quick, ‘cause it’s about that time,” she said quickly, standing up.

I glanced over at the clock… ten minutes ‘til opening time. Sweet baby Jesus. Standing up, I pulled my apron off. I was wearing a stretchy, black pencil skirt that hit just below my knees and a cream-colored, blouse with black polka dots and a scooped neckline. Using my apron to wipe off the white sprinkles of flour on my pumps, I then straightened up. It was time.

Beth looked me over, eyeballing my tummy area hard. “You ain’t got much more time to hide your baby bump,” she whispered.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m fully aware of that fact,” I said, smoothing a hand over my slightly bulging midsection. Mini Blob needed more room. Beth opened her mouth to say something else when the sound of vehicles drew our attention to the bakery window. Cars and trucks were pulling in. People were actually showing up. I turned to Beth with a huge grin on my face. Her face mirrored my excitement.

“Let’s go welcome your customers,” Beth said proudly.

I took a deep breath. “Yes, let’s,” I answered sounding more confident than I felt. We left the bakery area through the swinging door and opened up the front door to welcome people to the inn.

I was officially open for business.

“You know, I think I’ll take your final dozen chocolate chip cookies, after all,” Mrs. McGregor said with a devious grin. “I think the grandkids will enjoy them when they come to visit this evening.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I answered with a smile. “I’ll package them up for you. Did you get enough sweet tea? I think there’s still a little left if you’d like a fresh glass,” I added as I pulled out the nearly empty cookie tray from the display case.

“No, no, dear. I’ll be floatin’ away if I drink anymore.” I laughed lightly and handed her the box of cookies over the counter. She handed me cash and waited while I made change for her.

“The inn looks lovely, Jennifer,” she said sweetly. “Your momma would’ve been so proud of what you’ve done here.”

I smiled and handed her the change. “Thank you, Mrs. McGregor. I truly appreciate you sayin’ so.”

She patted my hand and then reached over to grab a business card. “You know, I’ve got someone coming to town in a few weeks or so who might need a place to stay. I’ll be sure to send him your way.” I smiled at the elderly lady. Old Mrs. McGregor had to be nearing eighty years old. I wasn’t sure how she got around so well, but I was sure that if she remembered, she’d send him my way.

“We’d love to have him here at the Countryside Inn,” I said politely.

“Alright, dear, well, I better be getting’ on. The old man will be wondering where I got off to if I don’t get home soon. Men are a helpless lot naturally, but one that’s been married to the same woman for over fifty years can’t do anything on his own, you know.”

I laughed lightly. “I wouldn’t know,” I admitted.

“Well, you will one day, dear. Don’t you doubt it, what with your pretty face and eye for business and bakin’… men’ll be lined up here at your door in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, just you take my word for it.”

I was grinning widely when I walked out the front door and to her car as she prattled on. Her daughter was there to drive her home. I was still smiling when I walked back into the house. The day was almost over, and I’d been going nonstop for hours. It seemed like the entire town and a few others had shown up to check out the inn, buy cookies, muffins and other goodies, tour the house, and sip on a free glass of sweet tea. I handed out more than twice as many brochures and business cards than I’d anticipated. I had two rooms booked for the next week, and my bakery case looked like a small tornado had blown through and cleaned it out. I was overwhelmed by the turnout.

When the final customer had bought what I had left in muffins and headed out of the house at exactly five minute past closing time, I was exhausted and giddy. Beth strolled up to me with a smile that said it all.

“What was that this morning about no one showing up?” she asked, scratching her head. “And something about no one liking your muffins…”

I rolled my eyes and sat down the empty muffin tray and basket. “Alright, I admit I was worrying over nothin’,” I said, taking the high road.

“Jennifer Collins, you were very near a freak out,” she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

I opened my mouth to object, but no one won an argument with Beth. She was a master; she should’ve been a criminal defense attorney.

“Well, I’d say the day was a smashing success,” I answered instead.

“You’re dang right it was!” Beth gushed. “Now, get your shoes on,” she commanded. “I’m taking you out to dinner.”

I was so tired and happy, I didn’t even argue. I just ran to pick up my pumps and slip them on. I was starving.

In hindsight, I should have seen what came next a mile away.

Even as we walked into the Italian restaurant, I had no clue. I was just happy to be out with my best friend and getting some pasta and breadsticks. I was still floating on a cloud of happiness from the successful opening day of the inn. I’d completely ignored all the warning signs until it was too late. And then there they were… shouting their congratulations and all that jazz while I stood in the doorway of the private dining room with my jaw hanging open. Not only had Beth managed to shock the crap out of me, but it looked like the entire Wright family had been in on it as well. Of course they had… Beth was a Wright now and they were her family.

“Congratulation, Jen,” Mrs. Wright said as she hugged me. “Everything looked perfect today, and the entire county is all abuzz about the Countryside Inn and the amazing bakery.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Wright. I’m sorry I didn’t get to chat with you while you were there, I was completely overwhelmed by the turnout.”

“Don’t you worry a second about that; I was just fine with Beth showing me around and hinting to the ladies from the church at how wonderful your muffins would be for tomorrow’s women’s meeting,” she said with a wink.

Ah-ha! “Well, I hope everyone enjoys them tomorrow,” I said with a grin.

“Oh, I have no doubt that we will… I’ve had your wonderful muffins before, you know.”

I laughed. “That you have. I hope Beth didn’t make y’all try all those trial muffins I baked the past few weeks,” I said. “I kinda went overboard in my quest for the perfect recipe,” I admitted.

Mrs. and Pastor Wright exchanged a glance.

“Jen, every single one of those muffins were delicious and they never lasted in Beth’s or our house for more than twenty-four hours.”

I smiled widely. I did love to hear that my muffins tasted good.

“You must be exhausted and hungry. Let’s order some food and drinks,” Pastor Wright said, moving our group further into the private room. A figure I hadn’t noticed over by Matt brought me up short. Hunter. With a hammering heart, I kept moving forward, hoping my face didn’t betray the emotions I was feeling. I glanced around the room to see if he brought a date. It seemed he didn’t though. At least there was that.

I walked around the table where everyone else had already begun to take their seats. I found the only empty one, and it happened to be right next to Hunter. I twisted around once I was seated to find Beth, scowling over in her direction. She was mouthing the words I didn’t know he’d be here at me. I sighed. It wasn’t her fault. I just wanted food. Hunter came over a few minutes later after talking to his oldest brother and his partner and sat down next to me. I was hyperaware of the small space between us.

“Congratulations, Jen. I heard the grand opening was a big success,” Hunter said softly from beside me.

I turned and smiled at him as naturally as I could. “Thank you, Hunter. That means a lot to me,” I answered. Hunter searched my gaze and opened his mouth to say something else just as the waiter entered, ready to take everyone’s order. I ordered a plate of garlic aioli pasta to go with my unlimited salad and breadsticks.

“And bring us two bottles of a good, red wine,” Pastor Wright said from the other side of the table. “We’re celebrating, after all,” he said. Everyone was looking at me. Beth’s eyes were wide and apologetic. She hadn’t thought this through, had she?

“Thank you, everyone,” I said. “I truly appreciate y’all coming out to congratulate and celebrate with me. The Countryside Inn and Bakery wouldn’t be what it is without your hard work the past few weeks. I’m grateful for each and every one of you,” I finished softly, fightin’ tears. Beth was smiling widely, and Mrs. Wright was dabbing her eyes.

“Should’ve saved that for the toast,” Matt interjected. Everyone laughed. That was exactly what I wanted to avoid.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there today,” Hunter said a few minutes later once all of our salads and drinks were served.

I was adding extra oil and vinegar to my salad. “It’s okay, Hunter,” I answered without looking at him. “I know you must be busy in St. Louis.”

“I am,” he acknowledged. “But I still should’ve made my way down earlier. It’s just that I wasn’t… I wasn’t sure you wanted me there after the last time we spoke.”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that,” I said after finishing my bite of salad. “I wanted to apologize. I didn’t mean to be so harsh. I was… I am going through some things right now, and I took them out on you.” I met his gaze and wished immediately that there was a lot more room between us. There was something between Hunter and me that I couldn’t quite understand. Something that made the rest of the world fall away when he was near me and looking into my eyes like he was now. Something that made everything else seem absolutely insignificant in comparison to what I was feeling for him in that moment. I swallowed and pulled my gaze away from his.

“Jen… you know I’m here for you, right?” he said after a moment. “I mean, if you ever need someone to talk to.” I turned away from him to spear a poor, helpless cherry tomato with my fork. “Or if you need someone to come around and left that heavy ass sofa of yours,” he added with a shrug and a chuckle. I smiled. He had helped take that sofa up to my bedroom once they had finished knocking down the wall and expanding it.

“Hey, I like that couch,” I said, chagrined. He smiled a small, crooked smile. One of those panty-melting smiles he was so very good at.

“Oh, I like it too,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “We made some good memories on that couch,” he murmured huskily near my ear.

I swallowed and turned away from his lips. They were very enticing lips. We made a lot more than memories on that sofa, I thought with a small snort. I was saved from having to explain myself when the waiter began bringing out the food and serving the wine. I pushed my wineglass out of reach and asked for a refill on my ice water.

“Don’t like the wine?” Hunter asked several minutes later.

I took a sip of my water and shrugged. “I have a slight headache and wine tends to just make them worse,” I said, not really lying. I did have the beginning of a headache, but it was more from the strain of having to hold myself so rigid and watch everything I said and did next to Hunter, rather than anything else. Hunter was staring at me. I could feel it. I just didn’t understand why I was under his scrutiny. I mean, he had a girlfriend, I wasn’t showing enough for anyone to be suspicious, and I’d been nothing but polite to him all night. Oy vey, I did have a headache after all.

“Huh. Beth has a migraine too. I wonder if it’s from how late you guys stayed up working last night for the grand opening,” he said.

I glanced over at Beth, who was looking a little pale and in pain. I scrunched up my brow in concern.

“She’s fine. Matt gave her something when you guys got here,” he said, reading my mind in the annoying way he did sometimes.

“She didn’t tell me,” I said.

Hunter snorted. “She’s kind of stubborn.”

I smiled at him. Indeed she was. “Still, I hope she’s okay. Do you think she needs to go home? I don’t want her to stay just because she wants to be here for me,” I said.

“I can tell her you’re worried about her and you command her to go home if she’s hurting,” Hunter offered. His eyes were searching mine, ripping away the barriers I’d placed there one by one.

I cleared my throat. “If you don’t mind….” I said. My voice was husky. Damn these pregnancy hormones! Hunter’s grin should’ve been illegal.

“Not at all, sweetheart,” he said.

He was across the room and whispering into Beth’s ear before I could even remember that he shouldn’t be calling me sweetheart anymore. From where I sat, I saw Beth argue, then nod, then argue, then shoot daggers in my direction as I did a little finger wave back to her, and then nod in obvious defeat before Hunter came back to sit next to me once again.

“She loves you,” he said seriously.

I snorted. I very seriously doubted the earful he’d just gotten had anything about love included, but I appreciated the little white lie. A few minutes later, Beth and Matt excused themselves from the group and said they were headed home early because Beth needed to lie down. I hugged them both and told Beth to take it easy. She scowled, but she hugged me anyway. Since she didn’t even argue, I knew she must have really been hurting. It wasn’t until dessert was over that I realized I didn’t have a ride home.

“Oh, Jen, I forgot you rode here with Beth,” Mrs. Wright said as we left the restaurant.

“I’m sure we…” Pastor Wright began.

“I’ll make sure she gets home,” Hunter said, surprising me. I searched his gaze for a moment and before I realized it, the Wrights were on their way to their vehicle, waving goodbye and telling me congrats for the last time as I was being pulled along by the hand toward Hunter’s truck.

“Hunter…” I began.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I won’t molest you between here and your house,” he promised with a small, tight smile and a Boy Scout salute.

“It isn’t that,” I started to explain.

“Oh, it isn’t?” he asked, a grin spreading across his face, promising mischief and a very, very good time. I swallowed and backed up until my back hit his truck door. One hand came up to the side of the truck near my head. The other came to rest on my waist. I was surrounded by him. His scent, the warmth of his body. I couldn’t think straight with him this close. I closed my eyes and turned my mouth away from his gaze, from the warmth of his breath as it whispered across my cheek.

“Hunter, please,” I begged. Just a whisper.

“Please yes or please no?” he murmured near my ear. He rubbed his lips along the edge of my earlobe and then down the side of my neck. A small kiss along my collarbone. Madness. I had to stop the madness.

“Please… no,” I forced out. A breathless plea. Hunter immediately stopped. His finger caressed my jaw and then tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear.

“Okay, sweetheart,” he answered softly before stepping away. My very wobbly legs barely supported me when Hunter opened the truck door for me and I had to climb in.

We drove in silence most of the way to my house. The awkwardness in the small space was suffocating. I didn’t know what to say to make it better. Hey, let’s make out didn’t seem appropriate. How’s your gorgeous girlfriend? And you’re my baby’s daddy didn’t make the cut either. We pulled into the driveway, and Hunter came around to open my door for me.

“The sign looks great,” he said, smiling as we passed it.

I smiled back. “Thanks. I think it does too. Your dad and brothers did a great job,” I said as we walked up the steps to the porch.

“Yes they did,” Hunter said, his voice serious.

I unlocked the front door and waved for him to follow behind me. “C’mon in, Hunter. I’d like to send a few things with you. I have some mini loaves of pumpkin bread I’d like you to have. I know they’re your favorite,” I said as I walked through the swinging door and through the bakery on into the kitchen. Slipping off my pumps, I grabbed a large container out from under the counter. I was already putting two mini loaves in the container and about a dozen pieces of peanut butter fudge when Hunter finally strolled into the kitchen.

I froze when Hunter stepped up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face into my hair. My heart began pounding. Surely, he’d notice….

“Jen… I miss you,” he murmured against my neck.

I breathed a little easier, but I was in the one place I couldn’t be. The place I wanted to be, but couldn’t allow. “I’ve missed you too, Hunter,” I confessed.

Hunter groaned and swung me around to face him. I had nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide from him or from my feelings. He tipped my head back until I had no choice but to meet his eyes.

“Tell me why, Jen,” he muttered as his lips touched my cheek. My eyes fluttered. “Tell me why this isn’t right.” He kissed my ear, just a tiny caress. My head dropped back. “Explain to me why you keep fighting what we have between us,” he said gruffly. His lips came down gently at first. Just testing, touching, and becoming familiar with mine again. But it didn’t last long. It never did. We didn’t need to become familiar with one another. My lips would always recognize his. My body would never forget his touch. My spirit recognized his spirit, and it was the missing piece that that made me whole.

“Remind me of all the reasons why we won’t work out,” he said softly.

I couldn’t. The same reason that said we wouldn’t work out was the exact same one that told me we had a fighting chance. The baby could break us or the baby could bond us. It was all a confusing jumble of contradictions. His kisses scattered what wits I had left to the four corners of the earth, and I melted into him. Too many fevered kisses and several buttons of my top undone later, Hunter’s cell phone rang, effectively snapping me out of the madness I was quickly slipping into. I put a hand up and gently pushed Hunter back. He took a step back, his eyes hooded in desire, his lips still perfectly kissable. I shook my head and grasped ahold of the only thing I could think of at the moment.

“Was that your girlfriend?” I asked, trying to put more space between myself and the man I wanted desperately. Hunter’s head whipped back like I’d struck him.

“Girlfriend?” he asked in a low, calm voice.

I turned and put a lid on the container of goodies I had been preparing for Hunter. “Blonde, long legs… beautiful?” I reminded him harshly. Still he stared at me like I’d grown two heads. “The woman you were with at Hot Diggity Dogs a few weeks back,” I prompted, my head starting to pound.

“You were in St. Louis?” Hunter accused instead, effectively dodging my question.

Uh-huh. “Yeah. I had some things to pick up for the inn, so I swung by to see you,” I said, not looking at him as I began straightening up my already immaculate kitchen.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, oblivious. Just like a dude.

“Umm, hello? The blonde bombshell you were kissing wasn’t enough of a clue?” I asked.

Hunter blinked. He looked angry and hurt.

I felt confused. “Can you tell me you aren’t seeing her? That I made a mistake?” I asked. Dear God, my voice had sounded hopeful. I hated myself for that.

“No, I can’t say that,” Hunter answered evenly.

I nodded, unable to trust myself to speak. “That’s what I figured,” I muttered a few seconds later.

“You should have come up to me, Jen,” Hunter said again.

I rolled my eyes.

“Sometimes life has a way of making me think that God is just playing one big, cosmic joke on me,” he said. He sounded as tired and emotionally drained as I felt.

“Listen, Hunter, I’ve had a long day and I have to get up really early to bake,” I started. I held out the container of sweets I made for him. Reaching out, he took it from me. He turned and took a step toward the kitchen door. My heart felt even heavier if that was at all possible. I felt like we were on a precipice and whatever we said and did in this moment was going to change everything between us. Hunter spoke first.

“I’ve decided to take a more permanent position in the family business,” he said. Hunter’s family not only owned farmland, but they also owned a thriving movie theater business that spanned several cities in Missouri. “I’m almost finished with my business degree, and I guess I should just go ahead and put it to good use.”

“That’s… great, Hunter,” I said. What did that mean exactly? I wondered.

“Yeah. I’ll be moving to St. Louis permanently tomorrow and doing a lot of traveling,” he said with his back to me.

“Wait. What?” I asked.

“I’ll be taking over most of the business. My dad wants to phase himself out of the movie theater business. He’s busy enough with the farm and the church as it is. He asked me tonight if I would consider taking over.”

My mind was spinning. Hunter would be gone from Salem on a permanent basis. I sucked in a sharp breath. It hurt even more when things worked out like I hoped they would. With Hunter gone, it would make things easier on me when people found out I was pregnant, easier to keep it from him, and easier to pretend I knew what I was doing. Still, to hear him say he was going to be gone permanently hurt me on a level I didn’t realize was possible.

“I don’t know what to say,” I answered truthfully. “I never thought you’d leave Salem.”

Hunter turned and smiled sadly. “Neither did I.”

“So, this is goodbye for now then?” I asked, suddenly unsure of everything I’d been so sure of a few hours before.

“This is goodbye,” he confirmed.

I walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. His eyes closed as I reached up to kiss him on the cheek. “I wish you the best, Hunter,” I whispered.

He took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled me to him in an embrace. “And I wish the same for you too, Jen,” he whispered back. He pulled back and walked away from me without looking back. I locked up behind him and got everything ready for the rest of my week at the inn.

Planning and organizing kept my busy.

Keeping busy kept my mind off everything I didn’t want to think about.

And that was all I could handle right then.

“To be honest, I have no idea how you’ve kept that a secret as long as you have,” Beth said, motioning to my rounded tummy.

I turned this way and that, looking at myself in the mirror. “Well, it’s cold out now, so I’ve gotten away with it by layering, wearing a sweater over my clothing, and avoiding going out of the house unless it’s absolutely necessary,” I said, running a hand over my stomach and the long-sleeved dress I wore. It was soft, comfortable, and it accentuated the one thing I’d been hiding for the past three months—my big, ‘ole baby bump. I was just sick and tired of it. Here I was a few weeks away from my final trimester and I hadn’t had any tummy pictures taken, I hadn’t bought any pretty maternity clothing, and I hadn’t enjoyed a single moment of my pregnancy journey… all because I didn’t want people to start talking.

“Well, they ain’t gonna misunderstand what that dress is trying to display,” she said with a wide smile. “Are you sure you’re ready to just let it all hang out there though?” Beth asked, eyeing me up and down.

I looked over at the stack of clothes we’d already tried on and the things I’d fallen in love with and was planning to buy. I put a hand out on my tummy when I felt a little kick. Baby Jedi was happy with the dress. I’d been working my rear end off for over three months since opening the Countryside Inn and Bakery, all while keeping my pregnancy a secret. It was exhausting and by god, I wanted to be able to waltz into the Piggly Wiggly in my pajama bottoms and maternity tee and purchase a jar of pickles and a container of ice cream without giving a hoot who saw me. Yeah, I was over it.

“Oh yeah, I’m ready,” I answered. “I’m ready to really begin enjoying this pregnancy before it’s all over, and I realize that I was so busy worrying about people’s opinions that I missed the entire experience.” I set my jaw and watched Beth in the mirror.

“Well, it’s about friggin’ time!” she squealed. “Get that dress. You look fabulously pregnant in it.” She jumped out of the chair she was sitting in and left.

“Where are you going?” I shouted.

“I’m going shopping for my niece finally!” she shouted back.

I went into the dressing room to change with a huge smile on my face. We were about to do some major damage in this mall.

“Beth, seriously, what are you going to do if it’s a boy?” I asked, eyeing the pile of pink baby clothes piled up on my bed. Beth snorted and held up another little outfit for me to fall in love with.

“Only a little girl would be so stubborn as to not even let us get a good look-see and keep us in suspense all this time,” she shot out.

Okay, I had to admit that was pretty good reasoning, but I suspected it was really just a lot of hot air so she could buy what she wanted. Auntie Beth had her heart set on a little girl to spoil rotten. Beth began folding the onesies and blankets and every other little thing she’d bought the baby, putting it all in the tall chest of drawers we’d bought a few weeks back. I sat on the sofa and glanced over at the bassinet. It still needed a fresh coat of paint. I guess I needed to carry it downstairs soon and get that done.

“So, what are you going to tell Matt when he asks you if you knew I was pregnant this whole time and if you know who the father is?” I asked after a moment. It had been on my mind since I’d made the decision to stop trying to hide my pregnancy.

Beth shrugged. “The truth,” she said simply. “That of course I knew the whole time, but that I made you a promise not to tell anyone who the father is.”

I sighed. “I’m really sorry about this, Beth,” I said again.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Jen,” Beth answered immediately. “You have the right to keep it to yourself. I may not like it and think you’re gonna regret it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t support you and your decision.”

I smiled at my best friend, nearly buried in a pile of tiny, pink clothes. “Well, after tomorrow, we won’t have to worry about keeping it all a secret any longer. Everyone in Salem, hell, probably half the state will know I’m pregnant,” I answered wryly.

“Yeah, about that….” Beth began. “You think this is the best idea you’ve ever had? I mean, deciding to let the cat out of the bag is one thing… but letting the cat out at church?” Beth raised a brow.

I huffed and rearranged myself on the sofa to get more comfortable. “I want it all out there and quickly, with no way I’ll be able to doubt that everyone knows,” I answered. “You know of any other place as good as a church for spreading gossip that quickly and effectively?” I asked.

Beth shrugged. “I suppose you’re right,” she admitted.

I smiled. “I know I’m right.”

“Okay, if the is how you want to announce to the world that you’re expecting then… I’m in,” Beth said.

“You ready?” Beth asked me as we sat in the parking lot of New Hope Community Church. I’d been attending Pastor Wright’s church since Beth started going on occasion with Matt. I taught Sunday school every other Sunday and helped with a lot of the children’s ministries. This Sunday, I wasn’t teaching my little kindergarteners; it was my week off in the rotation. I took a deep breath and nodded. It was now or never, and I was ready to put this behind me already.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I said with a shrug. We got out of my car and headed for the church together. When we entered, we both took of our jackets. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I hung my jacket over my arm that carried my Bible. I followed Beth into the church where most of the adult congregation was gathered and fellowshipping before services would start a few minutes later.

“Jen!” I heard a familiar voice call from a few feet away. “I was just telling…” McKenna’s voice trailed off when she saw all of me. My dress was a knee length, wine-colored sweater dress with a pretty, draping neckline. It also had little pleats stitched in just above my baby bump, meant to really highlight a pregnant tummy. And man, did it. It was adorable, soft, and comfortable though, so I’d chosen to wear it to church that morning for the exact effect it was having on several ladies as their eyes rounded when they realized what they were looking at. And boom goes the dynamite. McKenna Jacobs… the biggest gossip in three counties, possibly more. Just the person I needed to see. I clenched my jaw and stepped forward.

“McKenna,” I gushed, reaching in for a little hugs as usual, like nothing was different. I placed a hand on the top of my stomach as I spoke. “I was hopin’ I’d get a chance to talk to you before services.” Her eyes hadn’t left my stomach.

“Jen… when did…?”

I cut her off immediately. “I have those classroom cutouts for you that I promised to bring with me.” I put a hand out and patted her arm. “Don’t forget to get them from my car after church, hun,” I said quickly with a huge smile.

“Beth.” Matt waved as he walked up to us. His smile faltered once he realized there was some tension in the room.

“What’s going…?” His voice trailed off as he reached Beth’s side. His eyes widened as he saw my hand resting on my belly and all the women standing around gaping like he was just then. Beth elbowed him in the side, never breaking her smile. An oomph left his mouth as he rubbed his side, looking completely flabbergasted.

“Well, we better take our seats,” Beth said with a huge, sugary-sweet voice. She tucked her arm in mine and turned me away from the group.

“She just doesn’t know how to take it easy, ya know?” Beth whispered over her shoulder. “I keep telling her she’s got to sit down and rest every once in a while. It takes a lot out of you, growing a baby and all that… Or so I’ve heard,” Beth said with a grin.

“Just think, Matt,” Beth said loudly as we headed toward the pew where the Wright family usually sat. “We’ll be able to spoil this baby like it is our own… maybe we can hold off trying for one after all,” she added in a mock-whisper. Matt looked so lost that I actually felt bad for the poor guy. Beth had just confirmed I was pregnant in front of the whole church, showed her support and Matt’s, and managed to start another small thread of gossip that she was anxious for her own baby. That was going to take a teensy bit of the spotlight off my own scandal. Beth was freaking amazing!

“We’re going to be talking about this later, right?” Matt whispered into Beth’s ear as we sat.

I cringed. Poor Beth. Beth just patted his hand in answer and snuggled into his side until the class started. I had no doubt that by the time church was over that Salem would be abuzz with the news. Shrinking down into my seat, I frowned. A tiny little nudge from Mini Jedi brought a smile to my lips though. For the first time, I was able to lay a hand on my stomach without worrying about anyone seeing me. By the time Sunday school was over, I was grinning ear to ear. It didn’t take long for that to change though.

In between Sunday school and church services, I decided to hurry to the restroom. The baby seemed to press on my bladder in the worst way when I was seated. Eyes followed me as I walked, whispers did too, but I didn’t care… not too much, anyway. I was washing my hands when a voice broke up the happy thoughts I was having.

“Jennifer Collins.”

I cringed and turned to the sound of the most annoying voice on the face of the planet. Jill Mason and her super nasally, southern drawl scraped against my eardrums.

I grabbed a few paper towels and began drying off my hands. “Jill,” I acknowledged. Jill had been the bane of my existence in school. Not even Beth knew of the lengths Jill had gone to in order to make my life miserable. I thought she might have changed once we were all adults, but if anything, she became worse. No, she didn’t bully me anymore, but she didn’t waste an opportunity to be nasty either. Looked like today wasn’t going to be any different.

“Look who done went and got herself knocked up,” Jill said as she turned on the water in the sink next to me. “Goody-two-shoes Jen Collins.” She sneered at me. A few other ladies were in the restroom, some clearly finished, but they were hanging back to hear the gossip, to hear what I might have to say. I wasn’t going to give any of them the satisfaction though. I smiled as wide as I could without pulling a muscle in my cheek.

“Well, bless your little heart for noticing, hun,” I gushed, rubbing a hand over my baby bump. “Everyone keeps sayin’ I’m so tiny that they hardly realized I was pregnant.” Jill had never been pregnant before that anyone knew of, but it was a known fact that people regularly asked her if she was expecting, only to find out quite embarrassingly that she just had added quite a bit of pudge around her middle section since high school. Her face turned a mottled red sort of color as I continued on as if I were oblivious.

“I keep thinkin’ I need to wear a sign or somethin’ to announce I’m carrying this precious cargo around every day,” I said sweetly. “Thank you so much for making me feel better about my tiny baby bump,” I added in for good measure. By then, Jill looked like she was ready to blow a gasket. I took a step back, ready to make my exit and let my face cool off before the main church service started.

“Why, Jen, look at you!” came a sweet voice from behind us all. I twirled around in mortification. Mrs. Wright, the pastor’s wife and Hunter’s mother, stood there. She must have been in one of the stalls. She had to have heard everything. I could feel a blush working its way up my neck and across my cheekbones. Jill Mason grinned like she was the cat who ate the canary—smug and self-satisfied.

“Mrs. Wright…” I began.

“How did I not know you were expectin’ a little blessing?” she asked with a bright smile as she washed her hands.

I tried to find words, but they just wouldn’t come out.

She dried her hands off quickly and came over to me. “May I?” she asked.

I nodded, unable to even think straight. She placed a hand on my stomach and smiled at everyone in the ladies room.

“Babies are such a joy in a woman’s life, don’t y’all agree?” she asked, her voice dripping honey. All the women smiled and nodded. The baby decided just at that moment to bump into Mrs. Wright’s hand. She smiled even wider and rubbed her hand lightly over my stomach.

“That’s right, sweetie, Mrs. Wright is here to spoil you rotten to the core,” she cooed at my stomach. The baby rewarded her with another small kick and Mrs. Wright laughed, encouraging them to feel the baby moving all about in there. By the time we walked out of the ladies room, Jill had slunk off somewhere and I had been promised by a couple of women that they’d go through their old baby stuff and bring by all the things they had for me to see if I wanted any of it. Mrs. Wright never left my side, gushing over my “cute little baby bump” and the “precious little angel” I was expecting to everyone as we made our way back to our seats. Mrs. Wright had a way with people. They loved her, they looked up to her, and a lot of them wouldn’t have dared disrespect her enough to say anything against me or the baby when she was singin’ our praises. At least, not to her face.

“Jennifer Collins, you’re lucky I don’t tan your hide for not letting me know you’re expectin’,” she whispered fiercely as we took our seats on the pew.

I swallowed and nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” I murmured. “I’m sorry… I just didn’t know how to tell everyone. I wasn’t ashamed… just overwhelmed and confused,” I answered.

“All this time, you’ve been working all hours of the day at your new inn and all that baking you’ve been doin’…” Uh-oh… she wasn’t happy. “I could’ve been helping you.”

“I’ve been doing okay,” I said softly.

She snorted. “You’ve been doin’ better than okay… I know you’ve been running out of baked good halfway through the day and havin’ to bake a whole second batch just to keep up with demand. I know you’ve been gettin’ requests for catering jobs as far out as Dent County.”

My mouth popped open in a little O. “How did you…?” Beth. Of course, Beth had told her how well I’d been doing… and how much work I’d been puttin’ in. Truth was, I was exhausted. Between the baking, the catering orders, and the inn itself, I was wearing myself thin.

“The point is, young lady, you’ve got a lot on your plate. You need some help whether you want to admit it or not. That baby will be here sooner than you think. And just imagine trying to do all you’ve been doing lately when you’re as big as a house and can’t even bend over to pick up something you’ve dropped.” Mrs. Wright harrumphed when she saw the look on my face.

She patted my knee and smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll talk after church,” she said.

Pastor Wright walked up to the podium just then, asking us all to stand and join him in song. Mrs. Wright handed me a hymnal and carried on like any other Sunday morning.

“So, what do you think?” I asked, eyeing the girl as she glanced around the tiny room. We’d already toured the house and the kitchen. We were sitting at the small table in the bakery talking. I fingered the application she’d filled out. She smiled shyly.

“Are you sure you want me?” she asked. “Outside of babysitting and cleaning my own house, I don’t have a lot of experience. I mean, I’m not tryin’ to talk you out of hiring me or anything, but I don’t want to disappoint you either, Miss Collins,” she said.

I smiled at her. If I had any doubts at all, she’d just have obliterated them. Out of the handful of applicants that answered the part-time ad job I’d placed, Rachael was by far the best choice. She was shy and didn’t have a whole lot of self-confidence, but she was sweet, well-mannered, and I could tell we’d get along just fine. Plus, she did have babysitting experience, and I’d already told her that would eventually come in handy.

“I’m sure, Rachael,” I said with a small smile. “And please, call me Jen.”

Rachael smiled, took the hand I offered, and shook it.

“So, after school each day?” I asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” she answered. “I’ll be here just as quick as I can each day and whenever you need me on weekends, I’ll be available,” she offered with a grin. I smiled and stood. She followed me over to the counter where I put a jumbo chocolate chip muffin in a bag and handed it to her. She looked surprised.

“There’s a lot of perks to working here,” I said with a grin and a wink.

“Thank you,” she said again. “I’ll be here tomorrow then?”

I nodded. “Can’t wait,” I said honestly. She slung her messenger bag across her back and left with a small wave over her shoulder as she pushed through the swingin’ door. I heard her tell someone where they could find “the owner” just before the front door squeaked shut. I need to get those hinges oiled, I thought, adding it to my mental to-do list. I had a lot of things to get done. Christmas was right around the corner. I was gearing up for several different holiday catering gigs, and I hadn’t even had time to put up a tree in the front room of the inn.

“You need the hinges on your front door oiled,” a deep, masculine voice said.

“I was just thinking that…” I murmured without looking up from my notebook. I was scribbling as fast as I could. I had just thought of a new recipe and wanted to write down what I’d thought before I forgot. “I’ll be with you in just one sec, hun,” I said to the male voice in the room.

“Take your time, ma’am,” he said, his deep voice hinting at a grin.

I finished writing down the inspiration I’d had for a brand-new dump cake, snapping my notebook shut and slipping it into the pocket of my apron before turning a smile up to my guest.

“I’m sorry about that….” I started. The rest of my words stuck in my throat. A pair of the sexiest eyes I’d ever seen stared twinkling back at me. Blue eyes, the color of a crystal-clear sky set in a tan face with tiny laugh lines at the corner of full lips. The man’s hair was a bit shaggier than I was normally attracted to, but the dark brown waves looked… right on him. He held a black cowboy hat in his hand. I looked him up and down. A cowboy through and through it seemed. Tight fittin’ Levis, a button-up shirt you couldn’t find anywhere but in a western store, and a well-worn pair of black boots. Yee-haw!

“Can I help you?” I finally blurted out. His smile was slow, sensuous, and just a little crooked. Oh my.

“I’m hopin’ you can,” he said, his deep voice thrumming through the entire room. “I was told you might have a room available.”

I nodded and quickly looked away. What was wrong with me? Danged extra hormones flowing through my body. “I do. Would you like to take a look to see if it’s to your likin’?” I asked, meeting his gaze once again. I moved out from behind the case, and his eyes traveled over me from head to foot. A blush had begun. I looked like a house in my maternity jean skirt and plaid, long-sleeved blouse.

“I’m sure if it’s even half as charmin’ as everything else I’ve seen up to this point, it’ll do me just fine,” he said with a wicked gleam in his eye.

I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was blushing bright red by then. I decided to blame it on the pregnancy. “Just the same, I’d like to take you up real quick like. I don’t want you to be disappointed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, following me out of the room.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” I said as we stepped onto the second floor.

“Jackson Sharp,” he said as I opened the door that led into my biggest guest room. Jackson was a big man, and I figured he’d need all the room he could get. He walked into the room and looked around.

“This is the largest room I have,” I explained as he walked over to touch the homemade blue quilt on the bed. He glanced over at the small shelf and picked up a picture there.

“This room would suit me well,” he murmured. “Plenty of room and very homey,” he said, setting the picture down. “Family?” he asked, referring to the black-and-white photograph he’d been looking at.

I walked over and picked it up gently. It was a picture of a woman smiling and kneading dough on a floured tabletop. It was an old picture, but not that old. I just loved it in black and white.

“That was my mother,” I said softly. She looked so happy in the picture, so carefree and peaceful. No one would’ve known how much she had gone through. She was my hero.

“I see where you got your beautiful smile,” Jackson said from beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I laughed lightly. “Why, thank you, Mr. Sharp,” I said with a wink. “She was a beautiful woman inside and out.” I put a hand on my stomach as I walked to the door with a smile on my face.

“When is the little one due?” he asked casually.

“March,” I answered over my shoulder. “Not too much longer now.” Jackson smiled and followed me out into the hallway. He sure did take up a lot of room. I glanced over at the bassinet I’d pulled out into the hallway an hour ago, meaning to get someone to carry it down for me. I’d forgotten all about it. I didn’t have anyone else staying in the inn that week. Jackson Sharp would be the only one.

“I’m sorry about that; the inn is usually pretty clutter free. I meant to drag that downstairs to work on this weekend,” I said with a frown.

“You’re not going to lift that yourself though, are you?” he asked with a frown. “Your husband will do it surely,” he said.

I stiffened and looked away from his searching and concerned gaze. “I’m not married, Mr. Sharp,” I said shortly.

The poor man shuffled next to me, moving his hat from one hand to the other.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m a big idiot and tend to stick my very large, booted foot down my throat on occasion,” he said gruffly. “Please accept my apology.”

I waved my hand in his direction. “Don’t worry about it at all. I’m just a little touchy lately,” I offered up weakly. “I know you didn’t mean anything. Would you like to book the room then?” I asked with a smile. Jackson grinned and stuck a hand out. I put my much smaller one in his and shook it.

“I’d love the room,” he said.

“Good,” I said with a release of breath. “I’ve got homemade chili for dinner and some cobbler for dessert tonight. Sound good?” I asked from the second stair down. I turned back and found Jackson with his arms full of the baby’s bassinet.

“Sounds delicious, ma’am,” he said with a grin.

“Mr. Sharp…”

He shook his head. “It weighs nothin’ and I won’t rest easy thinking you’ll be lifting it down these stairs, so might as well not argue.” His eyes never left mine. There was no argument to be made there.

“Alrighty then, but you can stop calling me ma’am and start calling me Jen,” I said in a huff as I kept moving down the stairs. “And you be sure to knock your boots off before you enter the house,” I threw in for good measure.

“Yes ma’… will do, Jen,” he said. “I’d appreciate it if you’d call me Jackson as well,” he countered.

I nodded my agreement. “That only seems fair,” I said. Jackson took the bassinet out to the back porch for me and then paid for his room. I got him a key and a fresh set of towels for his room.

“Dinner will be at six. I didn’t make anything fancy seeing as how the inn is mostly empty this week, but if you need anything, feel free to ask or leave me a note downstairs. I’m usually here, though, so I doubt you’ll have a hard time findin’ me if ya need anything.”

“Thank you, Jen. I’ll see you at dinner,” he said before heading out of the bakery with a smile playing on his lips.

I used a bill on the counter to fan my face. It must have been a little warm in the house.

Jackson Sharp had been stayin’ at the inn for almost a week when I realized how much I was enjoying his company. It was nice to have a guy around. We ate breakfast with each other each morning and dinner with each other each night. Each afternoon, he’d show up just about the time my second wave of bakin’ was finished and carry all my trays out to the bakery case for me. It was useless for me to argue with him. He would just grab a cherry hand pie when he was finished and say the fringe benefits are well worth it with a cocky grin and a wink.

“I don’t know,” I said as I rubbed my hands together to keep them warm.

“It’s pretty big,” Rachael said.

I nodded. It was huge.

“You said to get a nice tree.” Jackson waved a hand to the ginormous tree with a grin. “So, I got a nice tree.”

“I don’t think it’ll fit,” I said seriously.

Jackson scoffed and motioned for Rachael and me to get out of the way.

“Watch and learn, darlin’,” he answered. I shook my head. Men were so stubborn. Jackson got the tree inside, situating near the piano and the front window. Rachael helped him hold it steady as he got it secured in place. Both of them wouldn’t let me even think about helping. I rolled my eyes and stood back, itching to do something.

Once the tree was just perfect, according to Jackson and Rachael, we all went over to the other side of the room to see how it looked. I turned my head just enough to catch a glimpse of Jackson’s smile. Oh lordy, I was going to have to say it. I sighed and crossed my arms over my stomach.

“Alright. You were right, Jackson Sharp. It’s perfect,” I admitted. Rachael was giggling, and Jackson had the good sense not to rub it in.

“So, can we start decorating it?” Rachael asked. I smiled over at her and nodded. She squealed and ran to get the boxes we’d brought out of storage earlier in the day.

“She is very excited to decorate that tree,” Jackson commented.

I snorted.

He glanced over with a questioning look. “What?” he asked. “What did I miss?”

I smiled and walked over to sit down on the sofa where we’d put a huge container of popcorn to be strung for the tree. Jackson followed me and sat down. I shrugged.

“If you think Rachael is excited about stringin’ popcorn and decorating that tree, you’ve got no clue,” I said as I began pushing popcorn kernels onto my needle and thread. Jackson picked up his own threaded needle and set to work as well. Stringing popcorn for that big a tree was going to take some time.

“So, clue me in,” Jackson said near my shoulder. I stiffened just a little at his nearness. Jackson Sharp was all man and completely overwhelming sometimes. Sad truth was that he had no idea.

“You,” I answered with a tiny shrug, not meeting his eyes.

“Me?” he asked. “You gotta give me more than that, darlin’,” he said gruffly.

I sighed. “She’s got a crush on you,” I said plainly. Jackson didn’t say anything for a few seconds. I stopped what I was doing and glanced over at him. He looked astonished. I laughed and slapped his knee.

“She’s a kid,” he said in horror.

I rolled my eyes. Truly clueless. She’s a teenager. Too young for you, but just old enough to wish she wasn’t,” I said softly. “And don’t you dare act weird around her. She’s a good kid and she’ll be a good woman one day, best not to crush her hopes,” I said seriously, but with a hint of mischief. Jackson had made himself an easy target.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare,” he said quickly. “I wouldn’t want to fall out of favor with the lady of the inn,” he added softly.

Heat rose to my cheeks but I batted his words away. He was playing around. No one could be serious about a woman huge and pregnant with another man’s baby. At least, I didn’t think they could. Rachael came bouncing back into the room before I could give it much more thought. For that, I was grateful.

“So, how about we watch a Christmas movie while we decorate the tree?” I suggested. “I have a stack of movies we can choose from.” Jackson and Rachael both seemed to think it was a great idea, so I got out my holiday movie collection and sat it on the table for them to choose from. I kept stringing popcorn while they laughed over each other’s choices and reenacted scenes from the ones they each had dubbed the “best Christmas movie ever”. I brought out egg nog and the special Christmas cookies I’d made for everyone, and we all settled on A Christmas Story as the movie of the night.

After a lovely evening of decorating, movies, and good conversation with friends, I sat back with a mug of hot cocoa and another gingerbread cookie. I sighed happily as I looked at the tree. It was trimmed in colored lights, silver bells with bows, strung with popcorn, and had a variety of bulbs and ornaments my mother had gathered over a lot of years. Tons of that messy, silver tinsel hung from the tree as well. A tree wasn’t complete without that stuff. A pretty, twinkling white star topped it. I smiled when I remembered Rachael trying to tell Jackson where to move it to make it “perfect”. I’d laughed so hard I’d almost wet myself. It had been a wonderful time. Now Rachael had gone home, Jackson went to pick up some stuff he needed in town, and I was there just enjoying the view of my Christmas tree.

Rachael was going to be an amazing young woman when she realized how beautiful and smart she was and how much she had to offer the world.

Jackson was going to make some woman very lucky one day.

And I… I was content.

It only took about three weeks after I showed up at church in my most baby bump-revealing maternity dress before something I’d been dreading actually happened. I knew it was just a matter of time, but once nothing happened after the first two weeks, I kinda got my hopes up. But sure enough, after three weeks post-church reveal and about ten days after Jackson Sharp had been stayin’ at the inn… it happened.

“I hope I’m not upsetting you,” McKenna said, biting her lip. The picture of innocence. “I just thought you should know. I’d want to know if it pertained to me,” she added in for good measure. I clenched my jaw and then took a second before I answered. I was putting away all my classroom supplies right after Sunday school class. The kids had been making macaroni art to take home with them. Ironically enough, they covered a large “P” for patience.

“Of course, McKenna,” I said after a moment. “Thanks for telling me. I appreciate it.” Pasting a huge smile on my face, I continued cleaning up the room. I glanced back over to where I left her standing. She hadn’t gone anywhere. She was hoping I had something to say out of anger or spite or whatever, but I wasn’t about to give her more gossip and hatefulness to spread around.

“You should head on over to the main building,” I said sweetly. “I’d hate for you to be late. I still have some cleaning up to do here before I can join you.” Without waiting for a reply, I strode off into the supply closet with my elbow macaroni, glitter, and glue bottles. When I came back out, McKenna was gone. Thank God.

I sank down into a kiddie chair and took my time getting a hold of my emotions. So, some of the mothers were talking about how they didn’t think it was right or moral that an unmarried, pregnant woman was teaching their children’s Sunday school class? That someone who was a godly and good example for their children should be doing the job. Ouch. It hurt a little more than I expected it to, even though I had expected it. I wasn’t sure even Beth had thought something like this would happen… but I had. I’d prepared for it even. Still… it stung.

I heaved myself out of the kiddie chair—that had been a mistake—and grabbed my bag and purse off the desk near the door. Turning out the lights, I turned to look over the classroom. I loved my time with the class twice a month, but I’d already planned how I’d react weeks back. Walking slowly back to the main building, I sat in the back pew of the church. The mom of one of my kids sat two rows ahead of me. She saw me sit down and turned around quickly to whisper something in her sister’s ear. Both of them had kids in my class. I snorted under my breath. As if. Shelly Yancey had her little boy five months after her own shotgun wedding, but you didn’t see me refusing to teach her kid or gossiping about that during services. I had no doubt they were some of the pot-stirrers, but it didn’t matter one bit. If parents at the church didn’t think I was fit to teach their kids, then that was that. Who was I to argue?

The services seemed to drag by intolerably slow. When they were over, I hung around until most of the church had emptied out before asking to speak with Pastor Wright.

“What can I do for you, Jennifer?” Pastor Wright asked from behind his large desk. I smiled at him. He was a good man and a great pastor.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to give up my Sunday school class,” I said.

Pastor Wright sat forward, seemingly shocked. His eyes widened though, and I knew what he was thinking immediately. He would have let me step down if he thought I was being bullied or because people were gossiping. He was a very good man. I didn’t give him a chance to ask me any questions though.

“It’s just that with the inn, I’ve got a lot on my plate,” I started. “I’ve been working almost every day, including Sunday evenings, just to keep caught up. Even with hiring part-time help, I’ve got a lot going on.”

Pastor Wright sat back in his chair. “Are you sure that’s it?” he asked, watching me closely. “I know you love teaching those kids, and I must say… you’re one of our best teachers. The kids adore you, and they learn a lot when they love a teacher like that.”

I smiled. I did love those little terrors. “I’m sure… well, besides the obvious, I mean,” I said, patting my stomach.

“Yes, I imagine that keeps you even more tired,” he said carefully. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

I nodded. I actually did know that.

“And if it’s something you don’t feel comfortable talking to me about, Mrs. Wright is always available. Night or day.”

I nodded again, feeling a little more emotional than I was comfortable with right then. “Thank you, Pastor,” I mumbled softly.

“We feel as though you’re a member of our family, Jen,” he said gently. “Take advantage whenever you feel the need, just like all our other kids,” he said with a smile.

I snorted. “I’ll remember that,” I said with a sniffle as I stood.

“See that you do,” he answered.

I left the church sad that I wouldn’t be teaching twice a month any longer, but kind of glad to get it over with. There was nothing else anyone could take from me, nothing else anyone could do or say to make me feel bad about who I was or my baby. I kind of felt… relief. It didn’t last long though.

By the time I got home, I was seething again.

Freaking jerks had no right to judge me! I thought. Where was their Christmas spirit? Evidently nowhere in sight even with Christmas only ten days away. I hoped they all got coal in their stockings.

I guess I didn’t realize exactly how upset I was until I found myself baking dozens of mini pies and muffins at midnight that evening. I huffed. It wasn’t like I had anything else to do, might as well get a jump on the Monday mornin’ baking. I set to work, oblivious to everything around me, just wanting to quiet my thoughts and emotions.

“Everything okay down here?”

I was so in the zone and deep in thought as I searched through my cabinets for the last dozen or so mini pie tins I knew I had somewhere, that I hadn’t heard Jackson enter the kitchen. I squealed like a little girl half scared out of her wits.

“Holy crap, Jackson, give a girl a heart attack why dontcha?” I said, narrowing my eyes in his direction.

“Sorry about that,” he answered with a slow grin.

My eyes widened when I realized what he was wearing… or rather not wearing. Low-riding pajama bottoms and no shirt. My mouth suddenly became dry. I shook my head and turned back to my cabinet.

“What are you doin’ down here anyway?” I asked. Jackson had been staying at the inn for almost a week now, and he was due to check out in a day or two. I had to admit I was gonna miss having him around. He was kind and funny, and we’d shared dinner and breakfast together every morning and evening. He was easy to talk to and a very steady sort of man. I liked that about him.

Jackson laughed.

I snapped out of my thoughts and glanced back over at him, trying with all my might not to stare at his very nice chest instead of his face.

“You’re kidding, right?” he asked. I frowned, not following. “You’ve been taking a lot of frustration out on those pans and cabinet doors for a few hours now,” he said with a smile.

“Oh my lord. What time is it?” I asked softly. Jackson walked over to me slowly. I stood from my kneeling position in front of my cabinets.

“Nearly five AM, I’d wager,” Jackson said, his eyes never leaving mine.

“Sweet baby Jesus,” I whispered out a breath. “I am so sorry, Jackson. I did not mean to keep you awake all night.”

He reached out toward me, and I stiffened. His smile widened, but my breath caught in my throat.

“It’s no big deal, darlin’,’ he said softly. “Let me just get some coffee in me,” he said, his deep voice vibrating along my nerve endings. His arm snaked around me as he pushed the power button on my coffee machine. I blushed and stepped out of his reach. It’d gotten too warm near the coffee pot suddenly. Jackson’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and he smiled widely.

“I can’t believe I baked straight through the night like that,” I said, glancing around the kitchen. Apparently, I’d decided in my haze of anger to fight to control it and get a jump on the day’s baking and then some. Hand pies, mini pies, cookies, muffins, fudge, and tons of other goodies lined every surface in my kitchen.

Jackson began laughing. I whipped around to face him, my cheeks aflame.

“Jackson Sharp, don’t you dare laugh!” I reprimanded. “Now what am I supposed to do with all this food?” I asked, a hand on my hip.

“Darlin’, you won’t have a bit of trouble selling off every last pie, you take my word for it,” he said as he walked slowly over to me. “You just flash everyone that beautiful smile of yours, let ‘em catch a whiff of the magic you make in your kitchen, and they’ll be eatin’ out of the palm of your hand.”

My eyes widened when his hand came out to touch my face. His thumb caressed my cheek, and a small dimple appeared along with his lady-killer grin.

“You’ve got some flour on you here,” he whispered huskily. I blinked once and then twice before my thoughts were coherent enough to understand what he said.

“What’s wrong, darlin’,” he asked gently, still cupping my cheek.

“I’m pregnant,” I blurted, blinking back tears.

“That you are,” he agreed.

“I gave up my Sunday school class so I wouldn’t cause any trouble for the pastor of my church after some people began talkin’,” I admitted, turning my face and eyes away from him.

Jackson turned my face back around gently and tipped my head back to meet his gaze. “They’re all just jealous,” he murmured.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Jealous of what?” I asked seriously. I put a hand on my stomach. “Of this?” I whispered.

Jackson placed his free hand on top of mine on my stomach. “Of course,” he answered immediately. “Jealous that you’re pregnant with a baby bound to be as beautiful as his or her momma, jealous that you’re smart, strong, and a successful business owner. And jealous because they know you’re the type of woman who doesn’t get beat down when life throws her a curve ball. Instead, you readjust your game plan and become the best one-man team in the US.”

I blinked up at him. “That was a very good sports analogy,” I said with a grin.

“Why, thank you, ma’am,” he answered with a chuckle.

And suddenly, I was aware that I was in the warmth of Jackson’s embrace. I was in my pajamas, and he was barely dressed. He must have realized the same thing at about precisely the same moment. He leaned in slowly, cautiously. I didn’t stop him. I knew I should, but I just didn’t want to. His mouth caressed mine gently, exploring. It was… nice. It was eye opening. I pulled back gently in a daze.

“I’m pregnant,” I whispered.

Jackson loosened his grip on me and put a little space between us. “I thought we’d already verified that,” he said after a moment. He searched my face before taking a step back, raking a hand through his disheveled hair.

I cleared my throat in an effort to clear my mind. “I’m going to grab a shower and get dressed for the day,” I said softly. Jackson nodded. “Grab one of those cherry hand pies I know you love to go with your coffee if you’d like,” I said with a small smile.

“A woman after my own heart,” Jackson said gruffly.

“Jackson….” I began, feeling like I had to say something. Anything. I didn’t want things to be weird between us. Not when it was his last few days at the Inn.

“You don’t have to say anything, Jen,” Jackson said gently. “Not a single word that wouldn’t tell me what I already figured out.”

I smiled shyly over at him before heading toward the kitchen door. “Thank you, Jackson,” I said. “For everything you said, I mean.” I was blushing ferociously by then. Jackson was back to grinning in his usual, devilish way.

He took two hand pies, set them on his plate, and picked up his cup of black coffee. “No, darlin, thank you,” he said.

Wicked, wickedly tempting man, I thought with a laugh.

I was still grinning when I stepped into the shower.

“You know, you don’t have to do this,” I said for the fourth or fifth time. My words fell on deaf ears. “You’re supposed to be a guest here, for cryin’ out loud,” I added in.

“Oh, I am,” Jackson said with a grin thrown over his shoulder. He was putting the second coat of white, baby-safe paint on the bassinet. “And believe me, I’m getting the better deal here.”

“How do you figure?” I asked, a brow raised in skepticism.

“Well, the room is a great price as is, but add in the cherry hand pies, the free coffee, the best breakfast and dinners in all of Missouri, and I figure I should really be paying a whole lot more for my stay.”

I harrumphed.

“Matter of fact, this doesn’t even make us even. I should probably start taking up odd jobs around the inn just to even out the scales.”

“Jackson Sharp, you are full of it,” I said with a laugh.

“Yes, I am, but let’s not discuss exactly what that might mean.” He stood up from his job and looked it over.

I joined him. “It looks beautiful,” I said softly.

“Looks ready for a baby,” he agreed.

I blew in my hands and rubbed them together. “Now, let’s get inside and grab a hot cup of coffee for you and cocoa for me in the kitchen.”

“Yes, ma’am. You don’t have to tell me twice,” Jackson said, following me back into the warmth of the kitchen.

Once we were seated and had hot, steaming cups in front of us, I glanced over at Jackson. “So, you finally talk some sense into old Farmer McGregor?” I asked after I’d thawed out a little.

“That man is the most stubborn old jackass in the entire state of Missouri,” Jackson said gruffly. “I swear, he has just been messin’ with me for the past week. There for a while, I didn’t think he even really intended on selling his farm equipment.”

I smiled. Sounded like old man McGregor. “But he is?” I asked, curious.

“Yup. We finally came to an agreement this morning. Old coot had the papers already drawn up and ready to be signed, sittin’ right there, pretty as you please,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

“I’m glad. I’d hate you have to go home empty-handed with nothing to show for all your time and trouble,” I answered.

Jackson sat his drink down and smiled at me. “The trip would’ve been well worth it either way,” he murmured.

I blushed and hurriedly glanced away from his intense gaze. “So, you’re leave in the morning after all?” I asked gently.

“Looks like I am,” he answered carefully.

“I’ve enjoyed having you here, Jackson. I hope you know you’ll always have a room here if you ever happen to blow back through Salem again,” I offered.

“I appreciate that, Jen.” He was quiet a moment. “If I had another reason to visit, I’d visit often…” he said softly.

I knew what he was asking me. I wasn’t stupid. I also wasn’t heartless. I liked Jackson a whole lot. Any woman who had half a brain could see he would’ve been an amazing catch. But… not for me. Sighing, I met his eyes. I put a hand out and laid it on top of his, squeezing it gently.

“I can’t give you any other reason.” My voice was soft, gentle, and yes… almost apologetic. Jackson looked a little pained and disappointed, but he was too good a man to say so.

“He’s a lucky man,” he said after a moment.

My mouth popped open to answer, but I clapped it shut quickly. He was right after all. I wasn’t over Hunter. I didn’t think I ever would be.

“And there’s a very lucky lady out there waiting for you, Jackson Sharp.” Jackson just shook his head and then continued sipping his coffee. Life was so surreal sometimes.

“I tell you what. You’ve been working like crazy lately. How about I take you out for a drive tonight to look at Christmas lights?” Jackson asked a few minutes later.

“Jackson….” I began.

He held a hand up. “Just as friends, I promise, Jen. I’m not going to pressure you. I just want to do something nice for you before I leave tomorrow morning.” I hesitated. “Consider it a Christmas gift,” he said sweetly.

I laughed. “Alright, I’ll go. But no funny business, Jackson Sharp, or I’ll take back that box of goodies I was plannin’ on wrapping up for your trip home,” I warned. Jackson threw his head back and laughed, a warm and pleasant sound. Some lucky woman, indeed, I thought.

“I wouldn’t dream of endangering that box of goodies by getting’ fresh, ma’am,” he said seriously.

I snorted and then eyed him over the rim of my mug of hot cocoa. “Alright. Later this evening then?” I asked.

“Sounds like a plan,” he answered.

I was sitting back, pretty relaxed as Jackson and I drove slowly down the snowy streets. George Jones was playing softly in the background.

“Thank you for tonight, Jackson,” I said. “I really did need a night out, and the lights were beautiful in the light snowfall.”

“My pleasure. I had a good time too. These little things remind me how much we take for granted, how many simple joys we let pass us by because we’re too busy trying to go places and get things in our lives.” Jackson shook his head.

“Mud pies and fire flies,” I murmured. Jackson smiled like he understood exactly what I meant.

“Mud pies and fire flies,” he agreed.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to stop before we head back to the inn?” Jackson asked.

“I don’t think so,” I answered. “Well… can we stop at the Piggly Wiggly?” I asked.

“Sure. Anything in particular you need? I can go in and grab it for you so you won’t have to get out of the truck,” he said as we pulled into the parking lot.

“Nah, I need to go in myself and see what it’ll be,” I answered.

Jackson raised a brow.

“I’m craving ice cream,” I admitted shyly.

Jackson glanced out the window at the falling snow and the twenty-something degree weather.

I shrugged. “I can’t help what I crave.”

Jackson smiled. “What kind of ice cream?”

I blushed again. “No clue, guess I’ll find out once I get inside and stare at the cooler,” I said with a grin before opening up my passenger side door. Jackson was chuckling under his breath as we made our way into the Piggly Wiggly with only a few minutes left before closing time.

“Vanilla?” Jackson asked.

I shook my head and scrunched up my nose. What a waste of calories… vanilla.

He smiled. “Okay, definitely not vanilla. Rocky Road?”

“No.”

“Cookies and Cream?”

“Nah.”.

“Strawberry?”

“Nope.”

“What about butter pecan?”

Ohhh, butter pecan. I grinned and grabbed the ice cream.

“Butter pecan for the win,” Jackson said as we headed to pay for our purchase. We walked outside, laughing, with the bag containing my ice cream. I stood in front of the Piggly Wiggly, staring out at the beautiful, snowy evening.

“It’s such a peaceful night,” I murmured next to Jackson.

“Yes it is. A perfect night.”

The baby picked that very moment to make its presence known with soft little kicks and wiggle. I rubbed my stomach through my heavy sweater and smiled up at Jackson. “I think the baby is saying it can’t wait for that butter pecan,” I said laughingly.

“Can I…?” Jackson asked softly.

“Of course.” Jackson put his hand gently on my stomach. I took his hand and moved it across my belly, just in the right place. The baby was showing off its Jedi moves for him. His eyes lit up, and he put a second hand on my stomach. He was smiling widely, seemingly in awe over what he was feeling. I bet he’d never felt a pregnant woman’s stomach before.

“That’s amazing, Jen,” he whispered. I was smiling when suddenly I heard someone say my name from a few feet away. It was a strangled sound, half disbelief, half anger.

“Jen?”

Jackson straightened up and took his hands off my stomach. We were both still smiling when I realized who it was that had called my name. Hunter.

“Hunter?” I questioned softly. It had been months seen the last time we’d seen each other, and I realized with a jolt that he wasn’t even looking at me, not really. He was staring at my stomach. I placed both my hands there out of habit. His eyes roamed over my face then, questioning, trying to comprehend everything. Then he looked over at Jackson, and fury flashed behind his eyes. He took two steps forward before Jackson moved to step halfway in front of me. Hunter stopped. His anger was a palpable thing hanging in the air between us. I was frozen in horror, unable to think of a single thing to say to diffuse the situation. Hunter looked ready to tear Jackson limb from limb, and Jackson looked ready to take up the challenge even if he had no idea what Hunter’s problem with him was. Oh man, this was a fine mess.

“Please,” I said after a moment. “Let’s just go, Jackson.” Jackson stiffened in front of me, but as I moved to walk around a patch of ice, he was instantly there, taking my arm so I wouldn’t fall before we reached the truck. Hunter had already turned on his heel and strode away back across the parking lot.

“So, that was the guy, huh?” Jackson asked as we walked into the house. I sighed. Jackson Sharp wasn’t one to miss a thing or mince words.

“That was the guy,” I answered, not even bothering to pretend I didn’t know what he was talking about. He followed me into the kitchen where I plopped down in a chair and removed my scarf and hat. Jackson grabbed a spoon out of the silverware drawer and handed it to me as he sank into a chair next to mine. He popped the lid off my ice cream for me. I sighed. Why couldn’t I be in love with Jackson? I took several self-loathing bites of ice cream before he spoke up again.

“He didn’t seem to know anything about the baby,” he murmured.

I sank lower into my chair and spoke around a mouthful of cold, creamy goodness. “How do you know the baby’s his?” I asked. Jackson snorted.

“I’m not even going to bother replying to such a ridiculous question,” Jackson scoffed.

“He hurt me,” I replied softly a moment later.

Jackson stiffened.

“Not physically,” I put in hastily. “He wasn’t there when I needed him the most. Something scared him, I’m not even sure what, but the fact of the matter is he ran and left me to face everything alone.” I scraped my spoon across the top of my ice cream and sighed. “Because of that, I decided I didn’t want to take the chance that he’d bail on the baby at some point if things got tough. That the baby would love him and then lose him.”

“Everyone gets scared of stuff sometimes,” Jackson said.

“I know. And I know I should’ve given Hunter a second chance all those months back when he asked for it. But, the truth of the matter is… it was my turn to be scared.” I glanced up at Jackson. He searched my gaze, seeing my heart there. The pain and the uncertainty. I didn’t let many people see all of what I was feeling. Not even Beth.

“And now?” he asked.

I sighed and took another bite of ice cream before answering.

“Now I’m pregnant with my pastor’s son’s baby, and I haven’t told anyone but my best friend and you. I wish I had pushed past all my fears and insecurities and given us a real chance. Now Hunter is seeing someone else and is a bigwig in his father’s company.” I set my chin in my hand and propped my elbow up on the table. “Now it’s too late to take it all back.”

“It might be too late to take it all back, but it’s never too late to try and set everything to rights,” he said.

“I don’t know,” I answered.

“What’s the worst thing that you think could happen if you told him?” Jackson asked.

“That he won’t want anything to do with the baby,” I answered.

“He won’t have anything to do with the baby if you never tell him anyway,” he said in a reasonable voice.

“I know. But what if I tell him and he feels trapped into taking responsibility? Trapped into doing things he doesn’t want to do?” I asked.

“If he sees that baby you’re carrying as just a trap, then you’re better off without him anyway.”

I searched Jackson’s face. What was this? Tough love or something? “And if he decides to give us a chance and it doesn’t work out? Even if I don’t let it destroy me… how can I keep it from hurting our child?”

Jackson sat back in his chair and took my ice cream from me. He took a few bites before handing the container back over. “It seems to me you’re suffering from the delusion that you can control the future if you just avoid anything that might end up hurting you or your baby,” Jackson said gently.

My mouth flew open, but he didn’t give me the chance to defend myself.

“Life is about taking chances, darlin’. Some of them are small and some of them are big ones. The question you gotta ask yourself is whether or not the risk is worth the end reward.”

I sat back, my mind racing with Jackson’s words.

“You can’t know for sure that this guy will never hurt you again. That he’ll never disappoint your little one. But, what you can know for sure is how you feel right now and how you’ll feel years down the road knowing you never even gave him the chance. Are you willing to feel this way for the rest of your life and possibly miss out on the love of your life to spare yourself and your child pain and suffering that might not have even happened?”

I stuck my spoon in my ice cream and sat back, crossing my arms across my protruding tummy. “Damn you, Jackson Sharp, for being such an optimist and romantic,” I growled.

Jackson grinned at me before stealing my ice cream once again. “If I’m going to be damned, it might as well come from the lips off a pretty woman calling me a romantic,” he said with a crooked grin.

I snorted. Of course he was pleased with himself. He did just turn my entire way of thinking about the baby and the pregnancy around with a few well-spoken and true words, after all.

“And if you ever just need me to open a can of old-fashioned whoop ass on your man for you to get him to see the light… well, I’m just a phone call away and happy to oblige,” he said with a wink.

“I appreciate that,” I answered with a huge grin.

“Anytime, darlin’,” he said. “Well, I better be heading to bed. Got to get all packed up and ready to head out tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, Jackson. Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“Goodnight, Jen,” he said softly as he left the kitchen.

“Night, Jackson,” I whispered into the silence. I sat at the kitchen table for a long time before turning out the lights and heading to bed. The inn was going to be closed for the week of Christmas, but I still had baking to do for some catering jobs and for the holidays.

And Hunter Wright was back in Salem for Christmas.

“So, your lodger left this morning?” Beth asked with a sideway glance.

I continued putting the sheet on the new bassinet mattress, ignoring her tone. “Jackson? Yeah, he left bright and early for Flat River,” I answered, shoving the mattress into place inside the bassinet.

“And you heard who is back in town, right?” Beth asked. “I mean, you’re beatin’ up that poor mattress, so I figure you might’ve heard.”

I stopped shoving the mattress in place and sat down on my bed, deflated. “I did more than hear he was in town,” I said after a moment.

Beth’s eyes widened.

“I kinda-sorta ran into him last night,” I confessed.

“Oh my lord!” Beth whispered. “And he noticed all of….” She waved her hand around indicating my stomach.

I rolled my eyes. “It was worse than that,” I admitted.

“Worse how?” Beth asked, setting aside the baby’s quilt.

“Well, Jackson and I had been out looking at Christmas lights,” I began.

“Holy sh—” Beth barely stopped herself.

“We stopped in at the Piggly Wiggly for some ice cream and when we came out, the baby started kickin’, so Jackson asked if he could feel it.” Beth groaned loudly. “He walked up while we were laughing and Jackson was cradling my stomach with both hands.”

“What did he say?” Beth asked, her eyes wide.

I shrugged as I played with the edge of my pillowcase. “Nothin’. He just walked away,” I said softly. “He looked angry and… hurt.”

Beth whistled between her teeth and shook her head slowly. “Well this is a fine mess.”

“I don’t see how it matters,” I said softly. “It’s not like he doesn’t have a girlfriend back in St. Louis or that we haven’t really been together for the past six months.”

“I told you, Jen. Men like Hunter Wright don’t tell women they love them if they don’t mean it.”

I started to reply when Beth held up a hand and cut me off.

“I’m not sayin’ he ain’t an idiot for leavin’ you high and dry, for not standin’ by your side when you needed him there for you, but everyone gets scared sometimes and everyone deserves a second chance. Hunter deserves to know that baby is his.”

“He bailed on me at the first sign of trouble,” I murmured.

“He did,” Beth said.

“He didn’t even call me or come see me until after your wedding,” I added.

“No he didn’t,” Beth agreed.

“He did tell me he was sorry and that he loved me, but that doesn’t excuse any of it,” I growled.

“No it doesn’t.”

“He deserves a swift kick in the pants,” I muttered.

Beth chuckled. “Don’t they all?” she asked.

“He may bail on me… on the baby later on down the road,” I voiced.

Beth came over and sat on the bed next to me. Taking my hand in hers, she squeezed it. “He may,” she answered.

“But he should be told he’s gonna be a daddy,” I huffed.

“Yes he should.”

I smiled wearily and squeezed Beth’s hand back. “I guess I know what Hunter will be getting for Christmas,” I said weakly.

Beth smiled and patted my hand. “I’ll be here for you no matter what, but I think you’re making the right choice,” she said softly.

Glancing up, I searched her face. I sighed deeply and sat back into my pillows. “I still love him,” I confessed softly.

“Yes you do,” Beth agreed with a tiny smile.

“Life is so complicated.”

“It is,” Beth said. “But it is also unbearably beautiful despite the complications at times.” She reached over and laid a hand on my tummy. “This is one of those times.”

“Thank you, Beth,” I said after a moment.

“Pshaw! That’s what I’m here for. Now, get up. Let’s get some food and go shop for an outfit for the Christmas Eve party.”

I groaned. The annual Wright Family Christmas Party.

Well, this was gonna be fun.

“I don’t know, Beth,” I said once again. Beth grabbed my arm and pulled me along the walkway that led up to the Wright’s front door. I clutched my bag tightly on my shoulder. I was second-guessing even more than Beth imagined. I’d re-wrapped the “Surprise, we’re pregnant!” gift I’d put together months before in Christmas wrap and planned to give it to him if we got a chance to talk alone.

“You look beautiful. Everyone knows you’re pregnant and you were invited, Jen,” Beth said. “You can’t skip out on this. Plus, you provided most of the desserts, so you should be able to enjoy a few of them,” Beth added in with a smirk. I rolled my eyes as we made it to the front door. It swung open just as we stepped onto the porch.

“Beth, Jen, we’re glad you’re finally here. Everyone’s been asking for you two,” Mrs. Wright said.

“Jen takes forever to do anything now,” Beth said with a wink.

I gasped. “Beth!”

“Now, now, I’d watch out what you say, Elizabeth,” Mrs. Wright said with a smile. “One day, you’ll be the one on the other end of all the pregnant lady jokes and then you’ll wish you’d been nicer.”

Beth laughed. “Yes ma’am,” she said with a grin.

“Now y’all come on in. Everyone else is here already and you know the guys… they’ll be actin’ like they’re starving if we don’t feed them soon.”

I grinned and followed them into the large farmhouse. I did love the Wright family and when they were all together under one roof, I felt my heart fill up. I’d always wished I had a large family. I had no family now except for Beth, but by extension of her marrying Matt, I’d been adopted into all the Wright family shenanigans. And I loved it.

“The girls are finally here,” Mrs. Wright announced as we entered the family room. Hugs and laughter surrounded me.

“Merry Christmas, Jen,” Matt said as he kissed me on the cheek and then put an arm around his wife. “You both look beautiful tonight.”

I grinned at Beth, who was beaming at her husband. They were so happy, and I was happy for them. And then Hunter was standing right in front of me, his eyes searching mine. He wore loose-fitting blue jeans and a black, long-sleeved shirt. He looked tired.

“Merry Christmas, Jen,” he murmured as he kissed me on the cheek softly.

“Merry Christmas,” I whispered. The words barely left my lips before Hunter had turned and walked away. I glanced over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of Beth’s look. I ignored her and let myself be pulled into the dining room by Mrs. Wright.

“Let’s eat before the men begin to get grumpy,” she said cheerfully. “Afterwards, we’ll open gifts.”

“Thank you for inviting me this evening, Mrs. Wright,” I said as we walked into the dining room arm in arm. Mrs. Wright made a sound of dismissal in the back of her throat.

“You’re a part of this family, Jennifer Collins,” she said softly. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “And if I’m not mistaken, so is that little one you’re carrying,” she added gently.

My heart thumped so hard I was sure the entire house heard it. My head felt fuzzy, and I was sure my mouth was hanging open unattractively. “How did you…?”

Mrs. Wright patted me on the arm and led me to my place at the table. I could hear everyone else as they began to enter the room. I met Hunter’s questioning gaze from across the room. He had to be wondering what his momma and I were discussing off by ourselves.

“It didn’t take a brain surgeon,” she whispered. “Once I realized how far along you were, how you were acting when Hunter was at your house during the beginning of the renovations, and how you’re normally such a cautious young woman… well, it was an easy conclusion.”

“Mrs. Wright, I…”

She then shocked me by pulling me into a hug to whisper into my ear. “No apologizing, Jen. Just know I’ll love that grandbaby of mine no matter what and no matter how bullheaded that son of mine becomes.” She pulled away and patted me on the back softly as everyone joined us at the table.

Hunter approached us cautiously, eyeing me and his momma curiously as she went about organizing everyone around the table the way she wanted them and laughing with Pastor Wright. I didn’t dare meet Hunter’s gaze until I’d gotten my own emotions under control.

“What was that all about?” Hunter asked as he took a seat next to me. I was spared having to answer when Pastor Wright called for everyone to bow their heads as he blessed the food. What came next was one of the things I loved most about the Wright family. Noise. Chaos. Love. Usually, I wasn’t one for all the craziness, I like everything orderly and in its place, but there was something about loud laughter, joking, and passing food around the table haphazardly that all added up to the perfect family dinner. Joy… that was what it was. I could feel the joy in the room as I ate and soaked it all in. There was nothing else like it in the world.

“Hunter… about last night,” I said softly halfway into the dinner, while everyone else was talking amongst themselves.

“Yeah, about that.” Hunter sat his fork down and turned to me. “I’m sorry I overreacted and just took off like that.” I looked up from the little bit of food left on my plate. Hunter looked uncomfortable talking about it. I knew how he felt.

“I was just shocked to see you…” He motioned to my stomach. “And with someone else,” he added, his jaw clenched. A muscle twitched in his cheek. Evidently, he was still a little angry about it.

“I know. And I’m sorry you had to find out like that. I’d hoped to seen you sooner so it wouldn’t have come as quite as much of a shock as it did,” I said.

“And he treats you well?” Hunter asked through gritted teeth.

I searched his face, confused.

“The guy you were with, the baby’s father. He’s good to you? Makes you happy?” he questioned.

My eyes widened, and I took a deep breath. “He’s not the baby’s father,” I whispered. Hunter’s head swung around, his eyes widening as he let what I said sink in. “We weren’t together-together last night either,” I offered. “Jackson was just a friend who took me out to see Christmas lights.”

Hunter shook his head. “I saw the way he looked at you,” he accused.

I shrugged, not knowing what else I could say. “He wanted there to be more between us, but I didn’t,” I said. “He was staying at the inn, but he left this morning.”

Hunter’s mouth popped open, but he quickly closed it. I could see all the emotions he was sorting through as they crossed his face. Anger, relief, hurt, and confusion.

“If he isn’t the father…” Hunter began. I tensed up. This was the question I’d been dreading from the beginning. The one that could cause so much pain, so much damage, or so much… joy. “…then who is?”

I sighed and turned to him to answer just as Pastor Wright stood and announced that we were all moving into the family room for eggnog and to open presents. The noise tripled as everyone stood from the table. Hunter’s oldest brother, Daniel, had his arm around me and was leading me out of the room before I could reply. We followed everyone else to sit around the Christmas tree.

Besides making the desserts and individual goody tins for everyone to take home, I also wrapped a small, personal gift for everyone. I guess I just hadn’t thought I was going to receive one from everyone in return. Soon covered in lovely gifts from Beth, Mrs. Wright, and everyone else in the Wright household, I had let my mind drift away from my problems and what I was going to say to Hunter once we were finally alone and able to talk. Instead, I let myself enjoy the evening, laughing with everyone and soaking in the best Christmas Eve I could’ve wished for. If my momma had been there, everything would have been absolutely perfect, but with my hand on my tummy and a joy in my heart, I knew she had to be looking over me right about then. When a second gift from Beth and Matt landed on my lap, I glanced up into her grinning face, confused.

“I already got a gift from you guys, Beth,” I warned.

“I know,” she said quickly, moving to sit back down between Matt and Keith on the large sofa. “This one isn’t for you.” Beth was positively beaming.

The entire room was watching me, including Hunter from his seat across the room, so I sucked it up and opened up the pretty wrapping. I sucked in a breath and blinked back tears. I ran a finger along the edge of the beautiful, large frame. Beth had taken copies of the baby’s ultrasound, the photos we’d taken the previous week of my pregnant belly, and a gorgeous poem about motherhood and had them placed in a keepsake frame.

“Thank you, Beth, Matt, it’s beautiful,” I said softly.

“Well, might as well open this one too then,” Daniel said with a wide smile, placing a large gift bag on my lap. “Keith and I couldn’t help ourselves,” he said with a wink over at his partner. The bag was filled with lotions, socks, onesies, and tons of other helpful baby stuff. It also included one of those baby books you could fill up with all the baby’s “firsts”.

“And while you’re at it, here’s a gift for the baby from Pastor Wright and me,” Mrs. Wright said.

I was shaking my head. “You guys, this is all too much… I don’t know what to say.” I fingered the wrapping paper on the stack of gifts Mrs. Wright had piled near my feet.

Daniel snorted. “You don’t have to say anything, sweetie. Don’t let anyone fool you,” he said with a crooked grin. “We all just used your pregnancy as an excuse to buy all the tiny things we never get a chance to and we wish we could more often. Believe me, it’s more about us than you,” he explained. Everyone laughed and nodded in agreement. His eyes were twinkling and I knew he was playing it off… wanted to give me an out from becoming a blubbering, emotional mess.

“Well, I don’t know,” Pastor Wright said after a moment. “It has a little to do with you. We all love you, Jen, and we wish you and that precious little bundle the best,” he said. Mrs. Wright nodded, wrapping her arm around her husband’s waist.

“Now open the presents!” Beth commanded. Everyone laughed and added in their own commands. I was smiling like an idiot when I began to open the rest of the baby’s presents. Diapers, toys, clothes, and more. The Wrights had truly gone overboard. But when I opened the final gift, my eyes swam with tears. I lifted the beautifully hand-knit blanket, hat, and booties out of the gift bag and sat them on my lap. A pretty, gender neutral sea green, I knew they would match the baby’s quilt and bed just perfectly. They were absolutely breathtaking, and I knew Mrs. Wright must have taken a lot of time working on them for the baby. The details were exquisite.

“You shouldn’t have,” I murmured with a sniffle.

“Of course I should have,” Mrs. Wright said gently, her eyes saying everything she couldn’t. Anything for her grandbaby.

“Thank you so much, everyone,” I said through my tears.

Beth wiped away her own tears and then shook her head. “How about some of that eggnog?” she broke in. “Just make sure it’s the non-alcoholic for the preggo lady.” Everyone laughed, and I was glad to have a moment to get my emotions under control.

The rest of the evening went by quickly and before I knew it, I was headed back home to spend Christmas Eve all by myself.

It was after ten when I finally made it home and changed into my nightgown.

It was approximately fifteen after ten when I realized the gift I’d wrapped up for Hunter wasn’t in my bag where I’d placed it.

It was about seventeen after ten when I realized the gift must’ve fallen out of my bag in the Wrights’ living room while unwrapping gifts… and that I’d left it behind.

It was exactly eighteen after ten when I realized that Hunter Wright was about to find out he was my baby’s daddy. And it was at exactly that same moment I muttered a few choice words that I’ll never ever admit to actually saying so long as I live.

It was Christmas morning, and someone was knocking on the front door. Scratch that, they were most definitely banging. I debated pretending I wasn’t home for a moment, but I quickly discarded that idea. My car was out front, and it was Christmas morning after all. I glanced over at the back door in the kitchen. Make a run for it? I looked down at my fuzzy, white house slippers and protruding tummy. Nope. I took a deep breath and headed for the front of the house, where the banging had gotten louder and more frantic.

“Jennifer Collins, come open this door.”

I cringed. Hunter sounded angry. I got to the door and pulled the sheer curtain away from the glass window. Hunter’s eyes met mine. They were as wild as his hair, which looked like he’d ran his hands through it no less than a hundred times that morning. He was wearing jeans and a gray T-shirt in twenty degree weather. I unlocked the door and pulled it open.

“Come in and get out of the cold, Hunter,” I said. I stepped back to let him enter and shut the door behind him.

“I need to talk to you,” he said gruffly.

“So I gathered,” I answered with a sigh as I headed back into the kitchen. I poured a large cup of coffee, adding two spoons of sugar and a splash of milk before handing it over to him.

“You should’ve been wearing a jacket,” I admonished. “You’re gonna get sick running around in the snow in short sleeves.”

“I don’t care about that,” Hunter said angrily. I sat down at the table and waited for Hunter to do the same. A growl accompanied by mutterings I chose not to understand accompanied him as he sat roughly into a chair across from mine.

“You got my gift?” I asked. Hunter’s eyes met mine; he was still processing, still kind of in denial and shock. I glanced down at my hot tea. “I didn’t mean to leave it there. I’d planned to give it to you myself when we got a moment alone to talk.” Hunter ran a hand roughly through his hair, his arm muscles flexing from the force.

“You’re sure?” Hunter asked.

Jackass. I narrowed my eyes. “That I’m pregnant?” I asked, a hand on my enlarged belly. “Pretty freaking sure,” I snapped.

Hunter’s gaze softened.

“And if you meant if I’m sure it’s yours, I’ll kick your behind right back out in the snow without a second thought, Hunter Wright,” I promised with a glare. Another angry swipe through his hair. Looked painful.

“I’m sorry, Jen. I didn’t mean that. I have no clue what I meant; it’s just a lot to take in. I’m trying’ to understand,” he said quickly. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

My heart clenched painfully. Before he had a girlfriend and a great job traveling around, he meant, I thought.

“I had a lot of reasons. Some were good reasons, I thought,” I said. “Others maybe not so much, but I did what I thought I had to do at the time.”

Hunter stared at my stomach for a while. “How long have you known?” he asked softly.

Putting a hand on my stomach, I rubbed it back and forth. I stood slowly, and Hunter jumped out of his seat as if he suddenly realized I might need help. I rolled my eyes.

“Come on. Let me show you something,” I said as I left the kitchen. Hunter followed me up the stairs and into my room without saying a word. Walking over to the baby’s bassinet, I laid a hand on the soft blanket Mrs. Wright had knitted that hung over the side. I turned around toward Hunter. He was looking around my room, his eyes taking everything in. We’d argued over this room the last day he’d been helping with the renovations. Well, I’d argued—Hunter had just taken the brunt of my anger and confusion.

“The room expansions… they were for the baby,” Hunter murmured. He walked over and ran a hand along the tall chest of drawers, which had tons of baby products laid out on the top and was filled with newborn necessities. He moved across the room to stand next to me and stare down at the bassinet, newly painted with a fresh mattress inside, a beautiful old quilt, and Mrs. Wright’s gifts inside. His eyes met mine, and I couldn’t read them. There was too much going on in his mind, too much to sort through. I sat down on the edge of my bed and waited for Hunter.

“I knew the day after Beth and Matt’s wedding,” I whispered.

Hunter’s eyes widened as he remembered back. “When Beth had me come check on you and you’d been crying….”

I nodded, looking down at my lap. Hunter was starting to piece everything together on his own.

“The way you were acting when I was here during renovations.” He clenched his jaw, hurt, and then anger flashed. He stood there, thinking back, probably doing what I’d done countless times—replaying all those times we’d spoken, all the times we’d been together since the wedding.

“And St. Louis?” he asked softly after a few moments.

I sighed and leaned back into my pillows. My back was killing me.

“I’d gone to get a few things for the inn, like I said,” I answered. “And then I was planning on seeing you… to tell you about the baby. I’d bought the gift you found last night that day and was going to give it to you, but then…”

Hunter sighed deeply and shifted on his feet. “But then you saw me with Tabatha,” he filled in.

Tabatha. So, that was her name. I tightened my lips and turned my face away from his searching gaze. I nodded. And then Hunter… chuckled. I whipped my head back around, not sure if I should be angry or worried.

“Hunter Wright. You stop laughing right this instant,” I commanded.

“We weren’t together then,” he said.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“Tabatha and me. We weren’t together. She had been hinting around that she wanted to date, but we weren’t at that time.” He shook his head and picked up the baby’s knit blanket.

I replayed everything I’d seen that day in St. Louis. Had I overreacted? Been so blind by my own hurt and disappointment that I’d read more into the situation than was truly there? I swallowed down the thick knot that had formed in my throat.

“That doesn’t matter now. You guys were dating when I saw you on grand opening day of the inn,” I said softly.

Hunter nodded. “We were then, yes,” he answered.

“So it doesn’t really matter at this point, does it?” I asked thickly.

Hunter smiled and sat the baby’s blanket back in the bassinet. “I said were,” he whispered.

“Were?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what you think it does. We were dating. Past tense. As in, not presently.”

His eyes watched mine, waiting for me to say something. I had no idea what he expected me to say. I had no idea what I should say, so I didn’t say anything. My mind was having a hard time keeping up with everything I was feeling.

“And you and this Jackson?” Hunter asked after a moment. His gaze was intense.

I licked my lips. I needed a drink… of water. Yeah, a drink of water. “Jackson?” I asked with a raised brow. “Jackson is just a friend like I said. Just a good man who stayed at the inn as a guest.”

“He wanted more,” Hunter said.

“He did,” I confirmed, watching Hunter from my spot on the edge of the bed.

He walked over to me. “But you didn’t?” Hunter asked softly. I fidgeted, smoothing out the fabric of my T-shirt over my baby bump.

“No, I didn’t,” I answered finally.

Hunter knelt down in front of me, just inches away from me. “Why didn’t you?” he asked seriously. A muscle ticked in his cheek. “He seemed like the type of man who would’ve taken care of you… of the baby.” His eyes flashed dangerously and I suddenly felt surrounded by him, caught up in the turbulence of his intensity and of my own emotions.

“He was that type of man. A good, honest man who wouldn’t have blinked twice about taking care of another man’s baby as his own,” I answered softly. Hunter turned his face away from me, but not before I saw the anger there.

“So, why didn’t you let him?” he asked harshly. “Love you. Take care of the baby.”

I reached out a shaking hand and caressed the side of Hunter’s face, moving it until his eyes met mine. “Because he wasn’t you,” I whispered. “And I didn’t love him, couldn’t love him, because I’m still in love with you.” I leaned forward and let my forehead rest gently on his.

“I’m sorry, Hunter,” I said. “I should have told you before now.”

Hunter shook his head gently and brought a hand up to cup behind my head. “Jennifer Collins, I’ve loved you for a long time now,” he murmured against my cheek. His lips skimmed across mine and then he kissed me gently, showing me without words how much he missed me, how much he loved me.

My heart was pounding in my chest. This. This felt so right. Hunter pulled away. He was smiling. His eyes widened, and he sat back on his haunches. Holding a hand out slowly toward my stomach, his eyes asked for permission. I nodded. He rested his hand lightly on my belly and then added his other hand a second later. He still looked flabbergasted, kind of like his entire world had been rocked off its axis. Welcome to my world, I thought with a tiny smile.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Hunter asked, his voice thick with emotion.

“It is a little surprise,” I answered. “The baby wouldn’t let us catch a glimpse to find out what we are having,” I added.

Hunter raised a brow and glanced back down at his hands resting on my huge stomach.

“Of course, Beth is convinced it’s a girl.”

Hunter chuckled softly.

“She’s already bought a truckload of pink clothes and has been referring to the baby as Little Elizabeth.”

“Sounds like Beth,” Hunter muttered.

I grinned. Sure did.

Suddenly, the baby kicked gently against Hunter’s hand. His eyes widened into saucers and a smile spread across his face. “Did you feel that?” he asked in awe.

I nodded, not having the heart to voice the duh that immediately sprung to mind. Hunter rubbed his hand back and forth until the baby kicked again. He laughed and bent forward to place a small kiss on my stomach. I blinked away the tears that formed in my eyes. Such a gentle touch, a kiss for his unborn child, such reverence. I’d been wrong to keep the pregnancy from him.

“Let’s get married,” Hunter blurted.

Maybe I hadn’t been wrong after all.

“Jen, calm down,” Hunter said, which, of course, only infuriated me all the more.

Calm down. As if.

“Hunter Wright, you’re lucky I didn’t clunk you over the head with something hard. Of all the idiotic, boneheaded ideas,” I yelled. I slammed a pan down on the stove, adding a pad of butter and a little oil.

“What are you doing?” Hunter asked as he paced back and forth in the kitchen behind me.

“What does it look like I’m doin’?” I asked sharply. “I’m making breakfast. I’m hungry. And I’m angry. And when I’m angry, I cook, okay?” I asked, miffed.

“Okay,” Hunter said, his hands raised in surrender.

“You’d know that if you really knew me at all,” I shot out.

“I do know you,” Hunter countered. “I know that I love you. I know you love me, and I know you’re havin’ my baby.”

I groaned and cracked several eggs into the sizzling pan. “That’s not enough,” I answered, popping bread into the toaster.

“Of course it is and once were married, you’ll see how right I was,” he offered up.

Oh, wrong thing to say buddy, I thought. I swung around with my spatula in my hand and pointed it at him.

“You think for one second that’s enough and that I’m actually gonna marry your sorry behind just because you love me and I love you and we’re havin’ a baby, then you’ve got cotton between your ears, Hunter Wright!” I shouted. Hunter looked more confused than ever, and I had to turn around and flip the eggs before I threw my spatula at him. I’d never been angrier at him than I was right then. Hurt? Yes. Angry? Not even close.

“Sweetheart, once you calm down, you’ll see that what I’m sayin’ is right,” Hunter said with a nod of his head. “Once your pregnancy hormones stop making you crazy and you get some food in you, you’ll realize what I’m telling you is what has to happen.”

“Hunter, I swear on all that is holy, if you don’t stop your yammerin’ right this instant and sit down, you’re gonna regret ever getting’ out of bed this morning,” I promised through clenched teeth.

Hunter wisely decided to do as I suggested. I let my thoughts and emotions swim around my head as I continued making breakfast. I knew Hunter would try something like this, and yet it still took me by surprise. Surprise that any man in his right mind would propose like he had. Hunter was about to get a dose of reality. Even if I wanted to marry him, even if I loved him with all my heart, even if he felt the same way about me, marriage wasn’t the answer to all our problems. And I refused to use marriage like a big ‘ole Band-Aid to cover up the ugly problems and the old wounds that still festered.

A few minutes later, I sat a plate of eggs, corned beef hash, and toast, along with a glass of orange juice, in front of Hunter. I sat down across from him with my own plate and glass. Hunter clenched his jaw in frustration when he realized I wasn’t going to talk just then. I couldn’t. Not yet. I had to let myself cool down a bit, and I was starvin’. Hunter shook his head and began eating too.

Once we were both done, I got up to clean off the table and do the dishes. Hunter stood with a sound of frustration and took the plates from my hands. I cleaned off the table as he did the dishes in silence. I grabbed two saucers, served some fresh apple cobbler onto them, and headed into the living room. Hunter followed, his eyes telling me he was clearly not pleased with being put off. We both ate in the living room where the Christmas tree sat. It was Christmas morning after all.

“I’m not going to marry you, Hunter,” I said calmly a few minutes later.

But—” Hunter began.

I cut him off. “Almost everything you said is right,” I said. “I do love you, and I believe you love me too. And we are having a baby together.” I took his hand and placed it on my stomach.

“Then what’s the problem?” he asked in confusion.

“First of all, did you even wonder why I decided not to tell you about the baby straight out?” I asked. Hunter frowned. “It wasn’t because I thought you wouldn’t be a good daddy or that you wouldn’t want anything to do with our baby,” I assured him.

“Then why?” he asked.

“Because you hurt me, Hunter,” I said truthfully. “You hurt me more deeply than you know. When you left without saying a word right when I was at my lowest and most terrifying point in life, I was shattered. I felt abandoned and alone.”

Hunter flinched away from my words.

“I don’t even know why you did it,” I confessed. “But then I found out I was pregnant, and suddenly you were in my life again at the exact moment everything had been turned upside down. And the only thing I could think was that I never wanted the baby to feel alone. To feel unwanted if things got tough. I didn’t want to be left to face life’s most difficult moments alone when I counted on you. I wasn’t sure if whatever caused you to bolt could happen again after the baby came, and I didn’t want to take the chance that it would devastate our baby like it had me.” I swallowed and looked up into Hunter’s eyes. He looked pained, sick even, but he needed to hear all the truth. He needed to understand everything.

“We don’t know everything about each other, Hunter. And I’m not sayin’ we have to, but we do need to get to know each other a bit more before we even talk about something as important as marriage,” I suggested softly.

Hunter was very quiet, letting everything I said soak in. After a few minutes, he sat back and met my gaze. “Alison Carter,” he said softly.

I scrunched up my forehead. Alison Carter sound familiar somehow, but I wasn’t sure why or why Hunter was mentioning her right then. Hunter ran a hand over his face, clearly worn out.

“Her brother, Logan, and I were friends. Alison was a year younger than us and a girl, but that didn’t keep her from hanging out with us any chance she got. She hated everything girls were into, and so she didn’t fit in. She enjoyed boy stuff way too much,” he said with a sad smile. “Our families got together often to cook out, go swimming, you know, the usual stuff. Soon, I realized I’d fallen in love with Alison. My first real, honest-to-God crush.”

I swallowed slowly and relaxed beneath Hunter’s hand as he rubbed it back and forth gently in soothing circles. “How old were you?” I asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess about sixteen. Still a boy, but growing into a man,” he answered sheepishly.

“What happened?” I asked softly.

“One summer, we were all hanging out at the river. Most of our family was there barbequing. We were all having a good time, laughing and listening to music. Several of us kids were out in the water. I was watching Alison’s brother showin’ off on the bank, getting’ ready to jump in, when I turned to Alison, who had been swimming close to me.” Hunter swallowed. “I don’t even remember what it was I was going to say… but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t there. I called out her name, looked all around, and then I began to panic. I screamed for her, hollered for help. I dove under the water looking for her until I could barely breathe myself. I couldn’t find her anywhere. None of us could. My dad and Daniel had to drag me out of the water.”

I put a hand to my mouth, horrified for him, for what he’d gone through.

“They found her body down river that evening. Something about her having a seizure; some kind of medical condition caused it that they never even knew she had,” Hunter murmured. “I was never the same after that,” he confessed.

I lifted the edge of the arm of his T-shirt, revealing the only tattoo he had. A rose being squeezed by thorns with drops of blood dripping down. The initial A.C. and H. W. were on either side. Hunter Wright and Alison Carter.

“I got that after I turned eighteen, about nineteen months after Alison died,” Hunter said.

“I’m sorry, Hunter,” I whispered. Hunter sat back once again and pulled me with him. I let my head fall on his chest. I remembered hearing about the drowning now that Hunter brought it up. It happened only a county over, and I was pretty sure my momma had sent flowers and food to the family. I’d had no idea Hunter had known, had loved, the girl who died.

“It’s not an excuse,” Hunter promised. “But, that’s why I left. I got scared. Plain and simple. I was terrified I’d lose the only woman I’d ever truly loved. That history was bound to repeat itself. I’m sorry for that, Jen.”

“It’s okay, Hunter. I get it, I do. But you see now what I mean, right?” I asked. “About us not knowing all that much about each other? And that rushing into marriage, no matter how much we love each other, no matter how much I want to, could be disastrous?”

Hunter pulled me closer and sighed deeply. “I know I don’t want to hurt this baby and that I want to be a part of yours and the baby’s life in whatever capacity I can,” he answered slowly. “Don’t get me wrong, I plan to marry you, Jen, so you might as well just get used to the idea, because I plan to work very hard from here on out to make you see just how good we will be together.”

I couldn’t help myself. I was grinning. “I can live with that,” I answered softly.

“So, what happens now?” Hunter asked.

I melted into him, suddenly tired from staying up all night worrying about that stupid present. “Now we have a baby,” I answered easily.

“And what happens between us?” Hunter murmured as he kissed the top of my head. “Where do we go from here, since everything is all out of order?”

Man, was he ever right about that. I thought for a moment. “Well, there’s a nice little movie theater downtown,” I said with a small smile. “I hear the owner may be able to hook us up with some free tickets and all the boxes of Whoppers this pregnant girl can eat. I also heard it’s a good spot for first dates and makin’ out.” I peeked up into Hunter’s face.

He looked half amused and half surprised. “Jennifer Collins, mother of my unborn child, are you asking me out on a date?”

I grinned impishly. “Yes, I think I am,” I answered with a laugh.

Hunter watched me for a while before answering. “I think a date would be perfect,” he answered softly. He nuzzled my ear, making me squirm and giggle. “Especially the making out part,” he murmured.

I swatted his chest.

The curtains in the living room were pulled back, revealing the snow-covered front yard. We sat there watching the snow as it fell, blanketing the world outside in a fresh layer of beauty. It reminded me of new beginnings and of fresh starts. Something Hunter and I were lucky enough to have together.

“Merry Christmas, Hunter,” I said.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

“So, dating, huh?” Beth mentioned.

“Yup. Dating.”

“This is good, right?” Beth asked, eyeing me over the apples I’d tasked her to core and peel.

“I think so,” I agreed. “Time to really get to know each other before the baby gets here and see if we can work everything out together.

“Makes sense,” she said. “And Hunter was good with the idea?”

I snorted as I continued peeling my own pile of apples. “Once I got it through his thick skull that I wouldn’t be marrying him, yeah, he was good with it.”

Beth’s eyes were round. “He asked you to marry him?”

“Demanded, more like it. Me in my pajamas, him just back in town and speaking to me after months, and he decided marriage was the answer,” I huffed, peeling the apple in my hand a little too harshly.

“Men can be such knuckleheads sometimes,” Beth muttered.

“Preachin’ to the choir,” I said with a sigh.

“But everything is good between you guys now, right?” Beth prodded.

I smiled. “It’s very good,” I confided.

“I’m so glad, Jen,” Beth said.

“Yeah, he went home on Christmas afternoon and told his family, except for Matt, of course,” I said. Matt had been home with Beth, and Beth had let him in on the family gossip.

Beth was grinning. “Matt was so shocked that he didn’t say anything for an hour,” Beth said with a shake of her head. “I have no idea if the biggest shock was that you were pregnant by his baby brother or that he was old enough to be an uncle.” Beth and I both laughed.

“Hunter said his father had the same reaction. He said Daniel just laughed and congratulated him, Mrs. Wright cried, and his father was just shocked he was going to be called grandpa soon,” I said with a chuckle. “Of course, Mrs. Wright knew even before Hunter. I swear I will never try to keep something from that woman again.”

Beth clucked her tongue. “A fruitless endeavor. Mrs. Wright is a sharp woman. She had to be while raising three boys… She’s the only woman in that family.” Beth and I both shuddered.

“I’m just glad everything is out in the open now.” I sat my peeler down and cut few pieces of apple to nibble on. “It took entirely too much energy keeping all those secrets.” Beth swiped a few pieces of apple for herself.

“And what about Hunter’s job with the company?” Beth asked.

“He’s going to keep running it in St. Louis for now. But he’s going to cut back on trips until the baby is born, and then try to work mostly from their home office here and commute when he needs to.” I shrugged. Hunter said he hated the traveling and was glad he was going to have an excuse to work more closely to home. He was a homebody. He’d only agreed to the traveling because he thought we were over.

“And the business here seems to be doing great,” Beth said with a wide smile.

“It’s doing real good. The inn is super slow right now, but that’s to be expected. The bakery is doing enough to make up for it.”

“You seem happy with how everything has turned out,” Beth said softly.

I smiled. “I am. I guess I should be all stressed out or freaked out or whatever, but I think that time has passed. I feel good about where I am right now and where mine and Hunter’s relationship is,” I answered with a shrug. “That will probably change just as soon as I’m headed into the delivery room.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll remind you of this very moment when you said you were all calm and whatnot,” she said.

I laughed and nodded my head. “And you would too.”

“So, when will you be seeing Hunter again?” she asked.

“He’s going to be in St. Louis for a day or two, and then we’re going to go out for lunch and do some shopping for the baby together this weekend.”

“Wow. He must really love you if he’s letting you drag him out shopping,” Beth said with a romantic sigh and a dramatic flutter of her lashes. I rolled my eyes and tossed an apple peel at her.

“And after that?” she asked.

“And after that, we’ll see,” I said. “Though I happen to know Hunter has a pair of Super Bowl tickets burning a hole in his pocket, so we might take an overnight trip for that.”

Beth raised a brow. “Ooh la la,” she murmured.

I rolled my eyes at her again. “I don’t want to rush this. I want us both to really get to know each other and to realize what we’re getting into here,” I explained. “And I never want to be proposed to again in my pajamas, looking like a tired, beached whale all because that is what we think is expected. I want it to be right.”

Beth blinked a few times and then turned her face back to her job. “I should kick Hunter’s rear end for you for that messed up proposal,” Beth muttered darkly.

“Awe, don’t go givin’ him a hard time. He was dealing with everything the best way he knew how,” I said. “And I gotta say… he took a lot in in a short amount of time and handled it pretty well. I could’ve done without the impromptu proposal, but it could’ve been worse.”

“That’s very true,” Beth agreed. “Still, I thought the guy had more game than that.”

I laughed. “Well, he loves me, I love him, and we’re both dedicated to being there for the baby,” I said. “What more can I ask for?”

“What more could any of us ask for?” Beth said with a small smile.

I started chopping the apples for hand pies and apple crumble.

It was a beautiful day for baking.

I look like a freaking blimp, I thought as I stared at my reflection. I was wearing a red halter-topped, baby doll dress with a flirty hemline that hit just above my knees and a little, pink sweater. I didn’t know in that moment if I’d kiss Hunter or hit him if he brought me a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. I ran my hand over the top of my stomach and turned to the side. Not much longer now, little one, I whispered. Only four weeks left before my due date.

“Jen?” I heard the door shut behind Hunter as he entered the house downstairs. I grabbed my small purse off the bed and gave myself an once-over in the mirror. I huffed. Well, I was as good as I was going to get.

“Coming,” I yelled down. I came down the stairs, excited for our big night out and our first Valentine’s together. We’d gone out together twice a week since Christmas—to the movies, out to eat, shopping, sometimes just out for long walks and to talk. Things had been going well, and I was starting to feel like we were on the right path. When I made it to the bottom of the stairs, Hunter came up to me with a look of absolute love and longing on his face. I could feel myself blushing. It never ceased to amaze me that as huge and unattractive as I sometimes felt, Hunter could wipe all that away with a single glance.

“You look beautiful,” Hunter murmured. He held out a hand filled with pink roses and baby’s breath. I grinned, reaching out and bringing them to my face to breath in the intoxicating scent. Hunter brought his other arm from behind his back and held out a small, plush puppy with floppy ears and a large, heart-shaped box of chocolates.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart,” Hunter said softly. I smiled up into his eyes and closed the space between us. Hunter took his time showing me exactly how much he’d missed me. And how much he loved me.

“You keep kissing me like that, and I’ll be wanting to stay here instead of going out,” I murmured against his lips. Hunter pulled back and grinned wickedly.

“Oh no you don’t, Jennifer Collins. I get to be seen out on the town tonight with the prettiest girl in all the world. You can’t take away braggin’ rights from a guy on Valentine’s,” he said with a wink.

I slapped a hand on his chest. “We’re just going to have dinner and see a quick movie then,” I said. “Because this baby insists on sitting right on my bladder lately and doesn’t give Mommy a rest.” Hunter bent down in front of me and put his hands around my stomach. I rolled my eyes as he spoke to the baby. He’d been doing it a lot lately, saying he was determined that the baby’s first word was going to be Daddy.

“You hear that?” he said with his lips near my stomach. “Mommy says you’re not letting her rest, but Daddy says when you come out that you can play, kick, and wiggle as much as you want and he’ll be right beside you, not bothered in the least.”

I glanced down at the top of his head. My heart swelled each time I saw him like this, bonding with his baby. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the highlight of his day, of his week, was when he was with the baby and me, and that knowledge kept me going day after day despite my comfort and despite being well over the pregnancy honeymoon phase. Hunter continued on his little banter with the baby for another minute or so before standing. He had a black dress shirt on with the sleeves rolled back and pair of black slacks. He came straight from his office in St. Louis to pick me up.

“Suck up,” I muttered.

Hunter threw his head back and laughed. “I have to get my time in when I can. You get her to yourself twenty-four hours a day,” he said.

I raised a brow. “Don’t I know it,” I answered. “And… her?” I asked, teasing.

Hunter shrugged. “Beth has finally gotten to you,” I said with a tsk.

Hunter reached over and gave me another breath-stealing kiss. “The only person that has ever gotten to me is you, Jennifer Collins,” he said huskily. He stepped back and took my goodies from me. “Now let’s go before I let you talk me into stayin’,” he said with a wink.

We had dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant just outside of town before we headed for the movie theater. We went in through the front without tickets and stocked up on all kinds of goodies before heading to our theater. There were a lot of perks to loving Hunter, but owning movie theaters was high on the awesomeness list.

“There’s no one in here,” I whispered as we found the best seats in the whole room. Front and center, midway back. Close enough to see everything, but far enough away we didn’t get a kink in our necks. I settled back into my super comfortable chair while Hunter settled beside me. He was fidgeting with the goodies we bought, turning off his phone and wiping his hands on his pants. What the heck? Twitchy much?

“You need to go to the bathroom?” I asked with a crooked grin. Hunter rolled his eyes at me. “And where is everyone?” I glanced around the theater. It was Valentine’s night, surely other people in Salem thought a movie date was a good idea that night.

“I reserved this specific theater just for us,” Hunter said. He laughed at the expression on my face.

“You reserved us an entire theater?” I asked, gobsmacked. Hunter reached over and pushed my jaw up. I took the hint and closed my pie-hole.

“It pays to be the owner,” he said by way of answer.

“I guess so. And by extension, to be the sweetheart of the owner,” I said.

“You’d be right about that, sweetheart,” he murmured.

The lights begin to dim, and the regular movie theater commercials began playing. I leaned over, resting my head on Hunter’s arm. I was a lucky lady.

Once the normal, buy your goodies in the lobby and don’t be a jerk, turn off your phones commercials were over, the good previews would begin. I relaxed into Hunter. Previews were one of my favorite parts of going to the movies. But instead of a normal preview popping up, something else caught my attention.

On the screen, a few simple words, set in a scenery of black and white, appeared, making my mouth pop open and my heart hammer in my chest. I sat up in my seat, letting go of Hunter’s arm.

“Once upon a time, a beautiful princess was born.” A baby picture appeared then. One of me when I was a newborn, one that had been in my mother’s room for as long as I could remember. I blinked in confusion and glanced over at Hunter, who was smiling. He pointed back up at the big screen. What the heck?

“Her mother named her Jennifer Collins.” Another picture of me appeared, but this time, my mother was in the picture as well, smiling and holding me in her lap. I clasped a hand over my mouth, blinking back tears of surprise.

“Jennifer grew in beauty and grace and everyone loved her, for she was a kind and generous little girl.” More pictures now. Pictures of my mother and me when I was growing up. Pictures of Beth and me after we’d become friends in grade school. Pictures of me in school and at church.

“One day, Jennifer grew up and became a lovely young woman. She was strong, smart, and a friend to everyone she met.” Pictures of me helping out at church and of Beth and me at her wedding. Pictures of Hunter and me the past summer and even more recently.

“When Jennifer became a mother, her grace and beauty multiplied tenfold. And so did everyone’s admiration of her.” Tears were running down my cheeks now. Pictures of me pregnant, ultrasound pictures, pictures of Beth patting my stomach, and of Hunter kissing it and kissing me.

“Then one day, Hunter Wright (the handsome prince) came back into Jennifer’s life after making the worst mistake of his life by running away.” Pictures of Hunter pouting and one of him obviously begging for forgiveness. Pictures of us together I hadn’t even know someone had taken. I was laughing and crying at the same time. Hunter pressed a napkin into my hand as I watched the screen.

“The handsome prince, Hunter, became a father when Jennifer became a mother and he wanted nothing more in this world than to welcome their new baby into a family when she was born.” Pictures of Pastor and Mrs. Wright holding up a sign that read: “Welcome to the family, Grandma and Grandpa love you.” A picture of Daniel and Keith holding up a sign that read: “Welcome to the family. We’re your favorite uncles.” And finally, a picture of Matt holding up a sign that read: “Welcome to the family, little Elizabeth,” and Beth holding up one that read: “Now put the man out of his misery, Jen!”

I snorted. Leave it to Beth. The final picture faded away, and another screen popped up.

“You see, Hunter realized his life was incomplete without the lovely Princess Jennifer by his side. He wanted her to know that he loved her more than he had loved anyone his entire life and that his love for her and the baby she carried was stronger than his fears.” A picture of Hunter on his knee, holding a dozen roses and a ring box.

And then a final screen.

“Will you marry me, Jen?” was all it read.

The lights started to come on slowly, and I glanced over to Hunter beside me. He was kneeling on the floor next to me, holding out a ring in a small, black box. Tears were pouring down my face and I was sure I looked like a hot mess, but it didn’t matter right then. All that mattered was Hunter.

“Jen, I’m not asking you to marry me tomorrow, or even six months from now. I know I hurt you, and that we have a lot of learnin’ about each other left to do,” he began. “But I want you to know that there’s nothing on this earth that’s going to pull me away from you and our baby again. I’m here for the long haul.” Hunter smiled crookedly and pulled a pretty white diamond ring out of its box, holding it out to me.

“Say you’ll marry me… eventually… Jen. Say you’ll let me love you until the end of time,” he said gently. “Say you’ll make me the happiest man in the world.”

I sniffled and wiped my eyes on another napkin. “I love you, Hunter Wright,” I answered softly. I smiled crookedly. “And I guess you’re really gonna be stuck with me now,” I answered softly.

Pausing, I watched Hunter’s eyes widen. He was terrified.

“Yes, Hunter, I’ll marry you… eventually,” I said with a wink.

Hunter whooped loudly, standing up and gathering me gently in his arms. My stomach took up a lot of space and he laughed, reaching down and enveloping my belly in his arms.

“You hear that? Mommy is going to marry your daddy,” he whispered hoarsely to my tummy. “How lucky is Daddy, huh?”

Tears streamed down my face. Joy and love shown from Hunter, and I felt so very blessed. Soon, I was aware of a lot of banging from close by. Hunter grinned crookedly and nodded to the movie booth. I glanced behind us.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we have an audience,” Hunter said offhandedly, with a small, roguish smile.

My eyes rounded. What in the world?

A few moments later, the theater was filled with everyone I loved. Beth and Matt, Pastor and Mrs. Wright, and Daniel and Keith. I gasped as I was surrounded by Hunter’s family… and now my family. Mrs. Wright was crying and so was Beth, but everyone was congratulating us and clapping Hunter on the back.

It was chaos.

It was loud.

It was perfect.

“Are you sure you should be doing this as big as you are?” Hunter asked.

I turned to him and stared him down with a withering glare. “I’m sure I did not hear what I think I just heard,” I gritted out.

Hunter winced. “What I meant was, can’t this wait until after the baby is born, sweetheart?” he amended sweetly.

I blew out an exaggerated puff of air, moving the hair hanging in my eyes. “When am I gonna find time to get all this done after the baby arrives?” I asked. I looked around the kitchen. Pots and pans were everywhere, drawers and cabinets had been emptied out, the curtains had been taken down, and I had one hand full of newspapers and the other gripping a bottle of window cleaner.

“Jen, the baby is going to be here any day now. Your due date is tomorrow, and the doctor said your body is getting ready to deliver.” Hunter looked around at the mess I’d made and shook his head. “I’m just not sure you should be doing all this work.”

“Well, the spring cleaning ain’t gonna do itself,” I said, spraying the windows over my sink. “I mean, did you see the dirt come off that ceiling fan?” I asked, waving toward the once-dirty ceiling fan in the center of the room.

“Your kitchen was immaculate before, sweetheart,” Hunter reasoned. “I could do all this for you. Why don’t you go and put your feet up or somethin’?” Hunter suggested.

“I can’t, Hunter,” I answered. “I realize I’m acting kinda crazy… but I’m feelin’ kinda crazy right now.” I sat the bottle down on the counter and wiped the window with my newspapers.

“You ever feel like you’re about to crawl out of your skin?” I asked. “Like something’s about to happen and you have no control over it whatsoever, so you grasp onto all the things you do have control over?”

Hunter nodded and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

“Well, this is the only thing I have control over right now, and I’m graspin’ the hell out of it,” I explained. “I just want everything perfect for the baby’s arrival. I’ve got reservations for the inn every single week for the next three months and all the baking that will be waiting on me once I’m back from maternity leave… I just don’t want to have to worry about cleanin’ and such on top of everything else.”

Hunter came over and stood in front of me. He pushed the hairs that had escaped my messy bun out of my eyes and grinned at me. “Okay. I get it. We’ll get this done today then. I’ll make sure of it,” Hunter agreed. He leaned forward and kissed me on the tip of my nose. “But if you try climbing a ladder again today, I’m going to tie you to a bed until the baby decides to come,” he threatened.

I swallowed and nodded my head. “It’s a deal,” I said with a tiny salute. Hunter gave me a small kiss and then turned on his heel to finish scrubbing out the drawers and cabinets. I returned to the windows.

“The baby’s been awful calm in there today,” I said, rubbing my tummy. “She’s hardly kicked me at all.”

“Well, the doctor said that would happen once we got closer to your due date since the baby’s startin’ to run out of space and all that,” Hunter answered.

I sat my cleaning supplies down and started washing my hands off in the sink. “I’m going to go grab the curtains off the line,” I said, heading for the back door.

“Okay.”

I took a deep breath as I walked outside. My backyard was the epitome of spring. Flowers startin’ to bloom, a nice, warm breeze blowing through. I closed my eyes when I reached the clothesline. I loved this time of year. I loved spending time out here in my garden and even hanging my linens to dry on the line. There was something serene and cleansing about the whole process. Maybe it was because my momma had loved it, and I had so many fond memories of us together hanging clothes and talking. Maybe it was the time alone and the fresh, country air I enjoyed most. Whatever it was, it made me smile. I reached up and took the clothes pins off the kitchen curtains. I held them to my face and inhaled. Clothes even smelled better when they were fresh off the line.

A dull ache in my lower back knocked the smile right off my face. I’d been feelin’ that all day. I hadn’t told Hunter. I didn’t want to worry him. I was sure it wasn’t anything anyway. Just random pregnancy pain, and man, had I had a lot of that the past few weeks. I began walking up to the house when another dull ache in my back, combined with a sharp pain shooting around my lower abdomen, took me by surprise. I gasped and laid a hand on my stomach. Ouch. I came back into the house a whole lot less cheerful than when I had went out.

“Can we hang these real quick?” I asked, pasting a smile on my face.

“Sure,” Hunter said, coming over to help me put them on the curtain rod and then hanging them up for me.

“I’m almost done with these cabinets. I’ll start putting everything back in the drawers as soon as I’m done,” Hunter said with a smile.

I smiled back and then turned to get myself a glass of ice water. Maybe I did need to take it easy. After the kitchen was finished, I’d talk Hunter into a movie up in my room. I could relax on the bed for a few hours.

“How about a movie after this?” I said, voicing my idea as I walked across the room to sit down for a second.

“Sounds great,” Hunter said, not looking up from his work. Another pain came, hurting enough to stop me in my tracks and pulling a small gasp from my lips. Hunter stilled, his head whipping around to find me standing in the middle of the kitchen, clutching a glass of water with one hand and my stomach with the other.

“Jen?” Hunter asked quickly. “What is it, sweetheart?” He dropped what he was doing immediately and rushed over to help me to the table. The pain was gone by the time I sat down. Hunter was kneeling next to me, his brow creased in worry. I laid a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s over now. I guess I did overdo it,” I said with a small, apologetic smile.

Hunter searched my face, clearly not even close to being satisfied with that answer. “How long have you been in pain?” he asked seriously.

I shrugged. “I just had some dull aching in my lower back today,” I answered honestly. “The sharp pains didn’t start until I went to get the curtains off the line.”

“Okay. So, what do you need me to do?” he asked. “You need something to eat? A pillow for your back? We should get you upstairs to rest.”

Smiling, I reached over to kiss him lightly on the lips. I felt like it’d been an eternity since I met Hunter Wright. I was sure I’d love him for at least that long. “I’ll go upstairs if it will make you feel better,” I said softly. I stood from my chair with his help and walked out of the kitchen.

“Maybe I’ll watch some HGTV for a while or something,” I said as we entered the living room.

“Sound like a plan,” Hunter said distractedly.

I raised my foot to climb the first stair to go upstairs when another pain hit me with enough juice to take my breath away. Son of a….

“Jen?” Hunter grasped me around the waist and led me over to an armchair. “Jennifer Collins, speak to me, sweetheart,” Hunter begged.

I realized I’d sucked in a breath and was concentrating so hard to get through the pain that I’d tuned Hunter’s voice right out. “I’m fine,” I gasped out. “I’m fine.” I glanced up at Hunter, gave him a little smile, and shrugged.

“It looks like you better grab my overnight bag from upstairs,” I said. Hunter’s eyes widened into two saucers. “My phone and purse too.” Hunter stood there staring at me, a deer in headlights. I clucked my tongue.

“Not to freak you out any more than necessary, but you’d better get a move on, babe,” I nudged. Hunter snapped out of his frozen state and took the stairs two at a time. I heard doors slamming open and winced. I sure hoped he didn’t break anything. He was back downstairs just about the time the next contraction hit me.

“Get the car, Hunter,” I gasped. “And call Beth and your momma. We’re about to have a baby!” Hunter had his phone in his hand and hit call before the words had completely left my mouth. He was on his way out the door when I heard his words to his brother Matt.

“It’s time. Operation I’m Gonna Be a Daddy is a go!”

Even through the pain, I couldn’t help but smile.

“You can say it now,” Beth whispered from her coveted spot on the edge of the bed. She was holding the baby, not even looking at me.

I rolled my eyes. I knew this was coming. “I don’t know what you mean,” I said.

Beth glanced up from the bundle in her arms and raised a brow before quickly looking back at the baby. “Don’t play coy, Jennifer Collins. You know exactly what I mean,” she answered back.

Mrs. Wright, the only other person in the room at the moment, snorted. “Better tell her what she wants to hear, Jen,” she said. “She ain’t gonna let you rest until she hears it.”

I harrumphed as well as I could while wearing a hospital gown and reclining back in a bed. “Fine,” I said finally. “You were right,” I answered.

Beth grinned, but she still didn’t look at me. She was mesmerized by the little one in her arms. We all were. Mrs. Wright had to threaten Hunter and the rest of the Wright guys out with things only a momma could threaten them with to make them go get some food and for Hunter to get a shower before coming back to the hospital.

“That’s right,” Beth cooed at the baby. “Your Auntie Beth knew all along you were a little princess.”

I shared a glance and a small smile with Mrs. Wright. And Beth had been right, of course. Exactly six hours and twenty-two minutes after we made it to the hospital, little Elizabeth Grace Wright was born, weighing in at seven pounds and eleven ounces. Named Elizabeth for Beth, of course. And Grace for my mother, Evelyn Grace Collins. She was all of twenty inches long and the most beautiful baby in the entire universe. And she’d been told as much a hundred times in the past twenty-four hours since she’d made her debut into the world.

“When will they let you go home?” Mrs. Wright asked.

“As long as everything looks good with the baby and me, it looks like we’ll be discharged tomorrow morning,” I answered. And it wouldn’t come a moment too soon. I was ready to get out of the hospital and get back to the comfort of my own home. I’d never been a fan of hospitals… too many bad memories.

“You guys did good, Jen,” Beth murmured, holding a hand out to me.

I smiled and grasped her hand in mine. “Thank you, Beth,” I whispered, fighting the tears. There’d been enough of those the past few days.

“We should go and let Jen and the baby get some rest,” Mrs. Wright suggested.

Beth sighed and placed a gentle kiss on the baby’s tiny head. “Yeah, I guess I’ve kept them awake long enough, hogging up all the baby snuggles,” Beth said. She handed the baby to me and stood next to Mrs. Wright.

“We’ll see you back at the inn tomorrow,” Mrs. Wright said softly. I nodded at her and Beth. The baby was snuggling into my chest and fighting her sleep. And I was helplessly under her spell.

Hunter just couldn’t stay away. He was supposed to come and pick us up at the hospital the next morning, but here he was, entering the room behind a nurse later the same evening. At least he looked refreshed and showered. His eyes lit up when he entered the room and found me and the baby awake and sitting up in bed.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Hunter murmured before placing a kiss on my lips and then one on the baby’s forehead.

“You talkin’ to me or your newest little sweetheart?” I asked.

Hunter flashed me a wide smile and then one at his daughter. “Both,” he answered softly. “Can I take her?” he asked.

I nodded and helped him pick her up gently. He sat down next to me in a rocking chair. “You know she’s going to be spoiled rotten before we ever leave the hospital, don’t you?” I asked with a happy sigh.

Hunter shrugged. “If this is spoiling her, then I’m a hundred percent for it,” he answered. I smiled as I watched him with little Grace. It was clear to anyone with two good eyes, heck, even one would do the job—that Hunter Wright was head over heels in love with the little bundle in his arms.

“She’s going to want to be held all the time,” I warned.

“Well, then, I’ll just quit my job, sell the business, and become a full-time baby holder,” he answered seriously.

I snorted. “You just want to make her a daddy’s girl,” I accused with a smile.

“And what’s wrong with that?” Hunter asked with a twinkle in his eye. “Then I’d have the two most beautiful girls in the world under my spell,” he said with a wink.

“Oh really?” I asked with a raised brow. “You got me under your spell, huh?”

Hunter looked down into the face of our daughter and smiled, his face full of wonder and love. “You’re right,” he agreed. “I’m the one under the spell.” He looked up at me as he held the most precious thing on the planet to either of us in his arms and smiled.

“And I never want to be anywhere else,” he said softly.

“You guys look like you spent a lot of time in the sun!” Beth said. She only sounded a little jealous.

I grinned over at Hunter, who was talking with his dad and brothers as they stood around the barbeque grill. Hunter winked at me, and I blushed. We sure had. Our honeymoon had been beautiful and relaxing. It had lasted two weeks and had taken us forever to finally get around to. Six months after we’d married, in fact. Time flew when you were busy and had a two-year-old to care for. For our honeymoon, we had gone swimming, snorkeling, took surfing lessons, and even spent some quality “alone time” on our private beach one evening. A lot of things checked off my bucket list, I thought with a grin.

“Oh my, I don’t even want to know what that smile is all about,” Beth said with a smirk.

I cleared my throat and shook my head.

“Momma… Daddy say… Uncle Matt likes ‘em,” my little princess said as she patted my arm.

I glanced into the bucket and squealed. A frog. Ick.

“Okay, honey, well, how about you go and show Uncle Matt then?” I said with a gentle push. Grace was wearing a leopard print T-shirt, a pink tutu, and a pair of brown cowboy boots. All curtesy of Auntie Beth. I rolled my eyes. I had to admit, though, Grace reminded me a lot of her Aunt Beth. Same wild and restless spirit, same heart of gold, same inexplicable love for cowboy boots.

“So, when do you find out what you’re having?” I asked. Beth laid a hand on her tiny stomach and growled. I was grinning.

“Not for another four weeks,” she said. “Doggone kid. Now we have to wait until they can fit us in at the place that does those fancy ultrasounds.” Beth frowned. She had been very displeased when the doctor couldn’t tell for certain what she was having.

I grinned. “Well, you know what I think…” I said.

Beth held up her hand. “Don’t you dare, Jennifer Wright. I’m warning you,” she shrieked.

I just sat back and took a sip of my sweet iced tea, watching her from over the rim of my glass. She didn’t want to hear my predictions. She is so havin’ a boy, I thought to myself with an evil chuckle. Beth raised a warning finger, and I laughed.

Matt came over, kissing Beth on the cheek and rubbing her stomach. He was beaming with love for his wife and their unborn child. In a few months, Grace would have a little cousin to play with.

Grace’s giggles and screeches drew my attention to her. Her daddy was chasing her around the yard. When he caught her, he lifted her up over his head and blew on her exposed tummy. I smiled softly. Hunter then carried her over to her grandpa and uncles, where they all pretended to fight her big, bad daddy to win the hand of the fair princess. It was times like this that I was reminded just how much I had to be thankful for. And at times like this, I was sure I could feel my momma’s presence all around me.

My life was beautiful.

Had the journey to get to where I now found myself been what I’d always thought it would be? A straight and perfect road, planned out in detail and followed exactly? No, it hadn’t. But I wouldn’t have traded my curved, unplanned, and imperfect journey with anyone else’s.

Just like life… I found I actually preferred my journey with all its detours and glorious imperfections.

Perfection was overrated and imperfection was reality.

Life was imperfection.

Life was a… perfect contradiction.

The End

Peggy Martinez is the author of The Sweet Contradiction Series, which was picked up by Crimson Tree Publishing in early 2014 and is scheduled to release under this new imprint in the Summer of 2014. Martinez's New Adult Contemporary Romance series will include Sweet Contradiction, Perfect Contradiction and Beautiful Contradiction.

When not writing, Peggy can be found spending time at home with her husband, her teen son and four little girls. She loves reading, writing, soap making, aromatherapy, gangster movies, prepping for the zombie apocalypse and downing insane amounts of Twizzlers and Kazoozles.

As if being a wife and homeschooling mom of five doesn't keep her busy enough, Peggy Martinez is a full time Author who has six published books, including The Time Warper Series and State of Decay. Peggy's dream is to own a small homestead where she can raise some chickens along with her five kids, tend to a large garden and one day take her dream vacation's to Ireland, Greece and Scotland.

Read on for an exclusive look into the next Contradiction novel—Beautiful Contradiction.

Releasing via Crimson Tree Publishing in 2016

Chapter One

Charlie

“C’mon, James, I don’t want to let this jerk win,” I said in exasperation. James put a hand on his hip, a sure sign he was agitated.

“It’s not about winning or losing, Charlie. It’s about keeping you safe,” he snapped, his crystal blue eyes daring me to argue further with him. James MacAvoy, my agent and longtime friend, was quite a bit older than I was, but not so much so that people didn’t have fun writing articles about what all we did or didn’t do together behind closed doors. That would have been a decent story, except for the simple fact that James not only treated me like a younger sister, but he didn’t exactly have a thing for the opposite sex of which I was a part of either. We shared a Chicago condo, which I was sure added fuel to the fire, but it worked for us since our schedules were so busy. He hated to let them think we were sexually involved, but I told him I didn’t mind. After all, if they were so sure he and I were banging boots, then they wouldn’t dig deeper into my personal life or his. In my eyes, that was a win-win.

“I know… it’s just that I feel like getting away for a few weeks is the same thing as running from this.” I slung an arm out toward my bedroom, where several policemen were still writing notes and taking pictures. I’d been getting weird messages lately on my phone and in my fan mail. I chalked it up to some weirdo trying to freak me out. When you were in the public eye, these things happened… I knew that. But when I got home from shopping that afternoon and found my apartment door ajar, things had escalated to a whole new level. James had also happened to be out of the apartment, and we were still trying to figure out how whoever had broken in had gotten into our building in the first place. We had tight security, and we were in an upscale neighborhood. But that didn’t stop my stalker from getting into my home and then making his way back to my bedroom. The police officers had been at the scene for several hours when they finally began packing up to go home. James saw them to the door.

I walked over to my room and looked around at the mess. My room, my personal space, had been violated, and I wasn’t even sure if I could ever sleep there again. All my lingerie had been artfully arranged on the bed, snapshots of me doing so many different things, regular everyday things, were spread on top of the satin and lace. At any other time, the photos would have been pretty, artistic even, but they were too intimate, the photographer catching my moods, the way I held my head when I was listening to someone, the way I chewed on my bottom lip while trying to make a decision. The photographer had been watching me for a very long time and knew my habits well. I shivered and rubbed my hands up and down my arms. At first, I had been angry. I’d seen red over the incident, but now… now I just felt violated and scared.

“Charlie?”

I sniffled and turned toward James. His face was scrunched up in concern and in anger. When he saw my face, his anger vanished.

“Come here, hun,” he said softly. I put my head on his chest and let him wrap me into his embrace as I cried. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. The police will find this creep, and you’ll be back in Chicago and back in front of the camera before you know it.”

I nodded my head as he kept telling me how everything was going to be okay and how I could use a nice trip to the country anyway. I went to sit down on the couch as James did what he does best and took control of the entire situation. Before I even knew what was happening, the mess in my room had been cleaned up, my bags had been packed, and I had a ticket in my hand for the first flight out of Chicago the next morning. I was going to be flying under an alias, which happened to be my birth name, a name that not even the press knew—Charlotte West.

The high-profile, world-famous, real-sized runway model Chey Weston was about to disappear.

Jackson

“That’ll be fine,” I said into the telephone. My good friend, whom I happened to owe a favor to, as he reminded me several times, had some rich kid from Chicago needing a place to lay low for a few days.

“My friend in Chicago says this kid, Charlie, is some kind of high-profile client of his. He’s having trouble of some sort and wants to get out of the city until everything blows over,” John said apologetically. “I would have him at my house, but I’m in the middle of ripping down half the kitchen for renovations.”

I sighed. The truth was, I didn’t like someone in my house all that much. I was a private sort of man. I did have plenty of room out here all to myself though, and the agent was willing to pay a nice little sum for a week, so I was tempted.

“How do you know this guy?” I asked.

“We met a long time back when I’d moved to Chicago thinking I could hack it livin’ the city life,” John said with a chuckle. “James wasn’t such a big deal back then and when we met at a mutual friend’s wedding, we found we had a lot more in common than an inner city kid and a boy from the country should’ve had. We had lunch weekly after that to talk and keep track of one another.”

I shook my head. If John liked him, it meant James MacAvoy couldn’t have been all that bad of a guy. I sighed again.

I did wonder why this guy, Charlie, didn’t talk to me himself. A twenty-four-year-old man could surely make a call on his own. Aw, hell. I hoped he wasn’t one of those uptight, rich city guys who wore all black and only listened to heavy metal, trying to defy his rich daddy at every turn.

“Not to offend you or anything, John, but this guy, Charlie… he ain’t into drugs or anything bad, is he?”

“No, no. He ain’t into drugs or anything like that,” he answered.

So, maybe Charlie was just a spoiled rich kid. I could handle that for the extra money. “Good, then I don’t see a problem. I’ll have a room ready for him when he gets here, and I’d be glad to pick him up from the airport.”

“That would be perfect. Thanks, Jackson! I appreciate this, man,” John said in a rush. “Charlie will be there bright and early in the morning at seven-thirty via Astor Airlines, flight 202. I’ll call you tomorrow to see how you and Charlie are gettin’ on.”

“Sounds good,” I answered before ending the call. Rubbing the back of my neck, I went to put away the bills I’d spread across the table.

Looked like I was getting’ a housemate in less than twenty-four hours and a little extra cash to take care of a few of these bills.

I sure hoped the guy wasn’t a slob.

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If you enjoyed Perfect Contradiction, we recommend you read the Time Warper Series by Peggy Martinez. This exciting young adult paranormal romance series will be releasing in October 2015. Order your copy today!