Page 45 of No Escape

Chapter Fifteen

Five months later…

Sarah stood in the doorway to her tiny spare bedroom, observing the changes with a critical eye. A smile played upon her lips, her hand going to her slightly protruding belly and automatically smoothing over it. The nursery was done! Now all she had to do was patiently wait out the next four months for her daughter to make her debut.

Her daughter was the only thing that had kept her going the last few months. When she first found out she was pregnant, she did the arithmetic and realized she must have conceived Clint’s child the first time they’d made love on the island. After the shock wore off, happiness had filled her, and there’d never been any doubt she was keeping the baby. If she never saw Clint again, she would always have a part of him.

Her eyes moved about the room she and Susan had painstakingly transformed. They’d painted the walls a soft buttercup yellow, painting the woodwork around the doors, windows and baseboards a glossy white. The theme they’d finally decided on, after much debate, was teddy bears. And they were everywhere.

She walked over to the antique nursing rocker she’d found at a yard sale, sat down and looked at the crib with its umbrella mobile of colorful teddy bears. She couldn’t help the little swell of sadness whenever she allowed herself the luxury of thinking about Clint. She tried not to dwell on him, but he was never very far from her thoughts.

She still loved the impossible man; there was no doubt about that. She’d finally come to the conclusion she would always love him. That he’d apparently never come to the same understanding was something she would not acknowledge, because deep down inside, she still waited for the day when he’d show up on her doorstep.

“Hello, honey!”

She smiled as Susan walked through the doorway. “Oh, oh! I know that look.” Susan placed a big panda in the crib next to the pillow. “You’re thinking about Clint again.” The smile on her face seemed strained and out of place, considering her last comment.

“That’s not a teddy bear,” Sarah pointed out, ignoring Susan’s observation.

Susan shrugged good-naturedly. “I just couldn’t resist. Isn’t it cute?” She crossed her arms, turning from the crib to face Sarah. “And don’t try changing the subject,” she scolded.

“I’m not talking about Clint,” Sarah said stubbornly, rubbing her belly.

Clint had come between them more than once during the last few months. They’d had awful arguments about whether he should be told about the baby. Susan had been insistent that he deserved to know, while Sarah had been just as adamant he not be informed. Her reasoning? She didn’t want him showing up and professing his undying love just because he knew she was pregnant.

If he came back, it had to be for her. Sarah wouldn’t take him on any other terms. Moreover, she was holding on to the fact she did mean something to him. The stubborn man just had to figure out for himself that he loved her too.

“The nursery came out beautiful,” she said, changing the subject and surprising Sarah. She walked to the window facing the ocean and opened it, focusing her worried gaze on the shimmering water.

Sarah’s eyes followed Susan, recognizing the signs. She was fretting about something. “Thanks to you.”

“I only helped, like you did when I was expecting the boys,” she commented. “Remember?”

“I remember.”

Susan took a deep breath. “It’s a lovely day out. I’m glad you decided to take off today. Have you been for your walk?”

“Yes, mother.” Sarah smiled. “And before you ask…I’ve had a nice healthy breakfast plus I had two bananas for a snack just a little while ago.” She rolled her eyes and got to her feet, stretching. The action extended the gentle swell of her stomach.

“Come on, let’s go out on the porch.” Sarah figured the fresh ocean breeze was good for the baby and spent as much time as she could outdoors.

“I’ll get us something to drink and meet you there.”

The smile on Susan’s face was forced. Something was definitely wrong, Sarah sensed it. She was putting on a false facade of her usual cheery self, but they were too close for her to get away with it. A feeling of impending doom started to wash over Sarah as she made her way to the porch. God, she hoped it didn’t have anything to do with Clint.

“Here we go.”

Sarah made a face at the tall glass of milk Susan handed her. She’d been hoping for something more refreshing, like lemonade. She waited until Susan was sitting in one of the loungers before deciding to question her.

“I have something to tell you.”

“I want to ask you something.”

They spoke simultaneously, glancing at each other before smiling. “You first. I have a feeling what you have to tell me has something to do with Clint. Which might answer the question I have.” Sarah was sure that once Susan told her what was on her mind her own question would be answered.

Susan glanced away, avoiding Sarah’s eyes. Sarah’s gaze followed hers but there was nothing on the water to hold anyone’s interest. When she returned her gaze to Susan, fear made her question the reason she was biting down on her lower lip.

“It’s Clint, isn’t it?” Sarah said reluctantly, holding her breath.

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