Free Finding Love by Rachel Hanna

the helm. “Hey, you want to steer this thing?” he asked.
     
    “Me? I’m not even a good driver of cars, and you want me to steer the ferry? You must not hold this vessel in high regard, Captain.” She pulled her sweater tighter around her and tied it with the belt to avoid if blowing open in the ocean breeze.
     
    “I trust you,” was all he said. Her stomach felt like it had butterflies flying around inside of it. Why did that keep happening to her? She decided it was hunger. Yes, pregnant women were hungry, and that must be what was going on.
     
    “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said as she walked up to the large steering wheel. The ferry was old, no doubt about it. It didn’t have the technological advances newer boats would have, but it had history. And Clay seemed to be big on history and tradition.
     
    “You’ve got to come closer,” he said, pulling her in front of him and reaching his arms around her body as he placed her hands on the steering wheel. All of the sudden, she was very aware of his presence. No longer did he feel like “brother Clay”, but like a man. A warm, handsome, kind-hearted man that had her in his arms. Or at least had his arms around her. She could feel the strength of his chest pressed against her back, a strong, steady force holding her up. She could feel the warmth of his skin seeping through his shirt, and every part of her suddenly wanted to turn around and put her head on his chest. Weird.
     
    Maybe she was reading too much into the moment, but it felt good. And that made her feel bad. She wasn’t the right woman for Clay. Her baggage was too heavy to carry, and she wasn’t going to involve someone like him. He deserved the best, and she wasn’t it anymore.
     
    “You know what? Why don’t you drive so I can sight see?” she said, ducking under his left arm and smiling.
     
    “You grew up here, Addy. What kind of sight seeing do you need to do?” he asked, his face serious. He knew she had moved away for a reason. “Look, I hope I didn’t make you feel uncomfortable. I was just trying to show you…”
     
    “No, of course not! I just don’t want to drive this heap of metal, that’s all,” she said, waving her hands at him and trying valiantly to make a joke. There was a reason she wasn’t a comedian.
     
    The rest of the trip was almost silent. Clay drove and she sat and stared off into the distance. The last thing she needed right now was more feelings. She already had plenty of feelings about Jim and her marriage and her baby and her career… She didn’t need feelings for Clay.
     
    And yet there they were.
     
     

Chapter 7
     
    The next morning, Addison awoke with renewed hope. She’d made the decision to keep the baby, and that had taken a weight off her shoulders, at least somewhat. But today something else was on her mind and had kept her awake for much of the night.
     
    The bed and breakfast.
     
    Just the mention of it made her very soul feel giddy. She hadn’t known that the thought of running a B&B would excite her, and maybe it was more the decorating of the old place that excited her. Even though the idea was completely out of reach financially, she loved dreaming about it. Overnight, she’d decided that she would approach whoever bought it and see if they might let her submit a bid for decorating it.
     
    Maybe things would fall into place. She’d get her divorce, have her baby and start her life over completely. It wouldn’t be easy, but it’d be worth it.
     
    As she rolled out of bed, she could feel the difference in her body immediately. The baby was starting to move more, and she could finally feel the flutters of activity in there. Her stomach was tightening over the growing baby bump, and she knew her time hiding it was limited.
     
    “Good morning, baby,” she whispered for the first time. She hadn’t dared talk to the baby yet for fear she’d grow attached to it and not be able to let it go. But now