Kara Lennox - The Pregnancy Surprise

Sara had a bad feeling about this meeting Miss Greer had called. The two of them and Valerie sat in the kitchen, drinking tea and eating some cookies Valerie had baked. But despite the informality, Sara knew Miss Greer was going to tell her something she wasn’t ready to hear.

“Miss Greer, you aren’t sick, are you?” Sara blurted out.

“Oh, no, dear, I didn’t mean to worry you. My hip is healing up just fine. But I’m not as young as I used to be, and keeping up with the bed-and-breakfast is getting to be too much for me. I’ve depended on you far too much lately, and you might not always be here if a certain young man has his way.”

“Who, Reece?”

“Who, Reece, she says.” Miss Greer shared a conspiratorial smile with Valerie. “So, anyway, I’ve decided to sell the Sunsetter.”

“Oh, no!”

“Now, Sara, don’t take it that way. My daughter wants me to come live with her, and it would be crazy to say no. Imagine, after all these years with no family, I suddenly have a daughter and grandchildren who want to get to know me.”

Sara struggled not to be selfish. “Of course I understand. But are you sure? You’ve lived here almost your whole life.”

“I’ve run this business for sixty-odd years. I’d like to retire and enjoy whatever time I have left.”

Sara could have argued that it would be cold in Michigan, that Miss Greer would miss Port Clara’s balmy weather. But if Miss Greer wanted to be with her newfound family, who was Sara to argue?

“Then I’ll wish you the best of luck in your new life. Can I come visit? I’ve never been to Michigan.”

Miss Greer finally smiled. “I’m counting on it. You’ll bring Reece, and the grandchildren, too.”

“Grandchildren?” Sara squeaked. Did Miss Greer know something? Was Sara’s pregnancy oozing from her pores?

But Miss Greer moved on. “There’s something else we need to discuss.”

What now? Sara didn’t know if she could take any more bad news.

“I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see own the Sunsetter than you. Would you be interested in buying it? I would sell it to you on very friendly terms.”

“Oh! Gee, I never thought of myself owning real estate.” Owning a home seemed so permanent. Yet she had called this place home for more than ten years. And now that she had another life to think about-a child who would require space and a yard to play in, maybe a dog…

“I don’t know that I could swing it,” she admitted. “I don’t have any money for a down payment, and if I did…well, I really need a new car.” She had no idea how much the B and B was worth, but she imagined it to be far out of her reach.

“Why don’t we talk to my banker?”

“I’ll think about it.” But she was pretty sure she already knew her answer. She loved the Sunsetter. She knew every nook and cranny, every cabbage rose on the living-room curtains, every squeaky floorboard, every inch of the oak molding. But now that she’d lived here with Reece, shared meals with him in the kitchen and dining room, made love to him in his room and hers, she couldn’t stay here.

She still half expected to run into him every time she rounded a corner. And though she had eradicated every scrap of his existence from his room, the smell of the soap they’d used here for years now reminded her of him.

The entire B and B had become a painful reminder of the fact he’d chosen his work over her. She’d been toying with the idea of leaving, starting something new. Only Miss Greer’s dependence on her had stopped her. Now that she knew Valerie and her mother would be taking care of Miss Greer, Sara could make her own plans.

Sara tidied up the kitchen, then stepped out to the front porch to pick up the mail. There was a strange envelope addressed to her, from the Princess Cruise Line.

She almost tossed it, thinking it was junk mail. But then she remembered that she had applied for a chef’s job there months ago. She tore it open and read the letter.

Holy cow. They wanted her. The job was probably low on the galley totem pole-she had nothing prestigious in her references. But on a cruise ship! It was something she’d always wanted to try.

Besides, anything beat waiting around here, thinking about Reece. The salary wasn’t half-bad, and she would have health insurance. Maybe a job on a cruise ship was only a stopgap measure, but it would give her some time to think and plan.

She called the personnel director and told them she would accept the position. He instructed her to report for work the following Monday.

REECE’S PALMS FELT clammy as he boarded a plane at LaGuardia. He would fly to Dallas, where he would catch another plane to Corpus Christi. Max would meet him there and drive him to Port Clara. Then he would freshen up at Max’s condo and head for the Sunsetter.

His damp hands had nothing to do with the engagement ring in his pocket. He’d never been more sure of a decision in his life. As crazy at it was, he and Sara were meant to be together. Their life together would not be without adjustments, to be sure, but it would certainly never be boring.

No, his nervousness had more to do with the fact that he hated airplanes almost as much as he hated boats.

The first flight was fine, but the short hop across Texas was a nightmare, with the plane alternately bucking and swooping until Reece’s head swam. He’d never been so grateful to be on solid ground as when they finally landed in Corpus.

Until he discovered the airline had lost his luggage.

“I never check luggage for this very reason,” said Max, who’d met him at the baggage claim. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat. They’ll send your luggage along when they find it.”

“I’m too nervous to eat. Damn, I really want to change clothes before I see Sara.”

“You look fine,” Max said unconvincingly.

Reece decided not to worry. Surely she wouldn’t let a few wrinkles in his clothes bother her. “Let’s just go straight to the Sunsetter.”

“You want to call and warn her you’re on your way?” Max asked as they headed for his ’Vette, parked illegally at the curb.

“I’ve been trying to call her. She doesn’t answer.” Which made him even more nervous. Was she screening her calls and refusing to answer his? She often forgot to charge her phone, so he tried not to let it bother him.

“Have you even talked to her since you left?”

“No. I wanted to burn all my bridges before I talked to her.”

“So if she dumps you, you won’t be tempted to go back to your old job?”

“Something like that.” Although it was more a case of wanting to present his resignation and relocation as a done deal. How could she refuse a man who had changed his whole life, turned down a vice presidency, all for her?

He still worried she would do just that. He hadn’t felt good about their last meeting. The closer he got to his destination, the more apprehensive he felt, though he didn’t notice any chest pains or shortness of breath.

When Max pulled his car up to the curb in front of the B and B, Reece had his first concrete sign that something was very wrong. A For Sale sign had been stuck in the front yard.

Max turned off the engine. “Wonder what that’s about?”

Reece was damn well going to find out. He jumped out of the low-slung car and jogged to the porch and up the steps. He nearly broke his finger ringing the doorbell.

Valerie answered, but she didn’t look pleased to see him there. In fact she looked almost…horrified.

“Reece! Oh, dear…”

“What? Did something happen? Did someone die?”

“Uh, no, nothing like that. Come in, please. Hi, Max.”

“Where’s Sara?” Reece demanded none too politely. But he was not in a polite mood.