Somewhere, deep down, I had assumed that Peaches and I would move into Sam’s beautiful, gravity-defying lakeside home on the cliff. Court could have stayed in my house and maybe taken in a roommate, if she wished. In that scenario, Sam and I would have likely gotten married as soon as I lost the baby weight.

This nursery was clear evidence that Sam thought that Peaches and I would live here with Court, while he had his own place and popped by to see us only when the mood struck. Realistically, how often would he want to spend a sleepless night with a crying baby and a frazzled girlfriend?

I hadn’t even been aware that I had assumed we would marry, but now that I realized that Sam had assumed that we wouldn’t, it was heartbreaking. I struggled to keep my tears in, trying not to allow my devastation to show outwardly.

It really was sweet of them to have done all of this, and it looked so warm and inviting. Sam couldn’t have known that it would go against all of my expectations because I had never made them known, even to myself. In all honesty, Peaches and I were lucky to have such wonderful people who cared so much about us. I tried to pull myself together by focusing on my gratitude, but the loss of hope for a solid future with Sam was just too overwhelming.

Even if I managed to ignore his takeover of my town and the other women that would likely be a constant temptation is his life, I could not continue in a relationship that had no real future.

I would only grow to love Sam more as time passed. Soon, Peaches would be attached to him as well. A part-time, when-it’s-convenient father and lover would not be enough for my baby or me. I wanted more for us. We deserved better, but apparently Sam wasn’t willing to give anything more.

I took a deep breath, gathering all the strength I could muster, and said the most difficult words I had ever uttered. “We need to break up.”

Sam seemed completely shocked and taken aback by my words. “What? Why?” His face registered surprise.

“We have totally different views on how our lives should be going forward.” I knew my strength would soon wane and that if he stayed, I would cave in to my desire to have some part of him, any part of him in my life, so I played my trump card. “Please, if you love me or this baby at all, you’ll go. We need more than you can give us.”