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Manor. He loved the grounds, the gardens, the orchards, but recently he had begun to wonder if he should have stayed at his old firm instead of coming to work for Sylvia.
    â€œBut Exterior Architects assigned you to Elm Creek,” Sarah had reminded him when he first brought it up. “You’re doing the same work at the same place. What’s the difference?”
    â€œThe difference is the source of my paycheck. Exterior Architects used to pay me. Now Sylvia does.”
    Sarah had stared at him, perplexed. A year ago he had been all too eager to have Sylvia buy out his contract. “What’s wrong with that?”
    â€œI don’t feel comfortable investing our entire future in one place, that’s all.”
    â€œWhy not? Lots of people who own their own businesses do.”
    â€œThat’s my point. We don’t own our own business. Sylvia owns it.”
    â€œOf course she owns it. It’s her estate. But so what? You know she’d never fire us.”
    â€œYeah, I know.” He walked away, saying that he had to check on the orchards, or the north gardens, or the new greenhouse. Sarah didn’t remember which excuse he had used that time.
    Now he was escorting Carol to her room, where her litany of complaints would surely begin. The room would be too small, or too shabby, or too far from the bathroom, or too near. Matt would nod to be agreeable, and her words would strengthen his own misgivings about living in Elm Creek Manor.
    At that thought, the joy Sarah usually felt at the beginning of quilt camp went out of the day.
    She could hear the new guests talking and laughing upstairs as they went from room to room getting acquainted. It was time for the other Elm Creek Quilters to leave for the evening, to return to their homes andtheir other responsibilities. Sarah and Sylvia walked them to the back door, then went to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal.
    Sylvia wanted to discuss the week’s schedule as they worked, but Sarah found her mind wandering. Her thoughts drifted back to the day she told Carol she was dating Matt McClure. “What about Dave?” Carol asked, referring to Sarah’s previous boyfriend, whom she had dated for more than a year.
    Sarah wrapped the phone cord around her finger and took a deep breath to steel herself. “Actually, we kind of broke up.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe’re still friends,” Sarah hastened to say, though she knew that wouldn’t appease her mother. In truth, Sarah hadn’t seen him in weeks. She had put off telling Carol about the breakup, knowing how much her mother adored him. Dave had charmed Carol just as he did everyone else.
    â€œMaybe if you apologize, he’ll take you back.”
    â€œI don’t want him back. And why do you assume that he broke up with me?”
    â€œBecause I know you’re a smart young woman and you wouldn’t let a great catch like Dave swim away.”
    â€œHe isn’t a fish, Mother.” And he didn’t get away; it had been all Sarah could do to send him away. It had been a struggle to convince him that she didn’t want to see him anymore. “You’ll like Matt. Just give him a chance.”
    â€œWe’ll see.” Carol’s voice was flat, and Sarah realized Carol was determined to despise him and wouldn’t give him any opportunity to change her mind.
    Sarah hung up the phone with a sigh. She couldn’t really blame Carol for not seeing through Dave; after all, it had taken Sarah fourteen months to figure him out. But now she could see that he was all style, no substance. As a freshman she had been dazzled by his popularity, his expensive car, the luxurious lifestyle his parents had provided him—but in the weeks preceding the breakup, she had grown restless. Dave was charming and witty, handsome and athletic, but something was missing.He wouldn’t allow anyone to bring him down with bad news or serious