Sam looked away, then turned back to Hannah. "I have to be honest." he said. "I find you very attractive--both on the outside and the inside. You're a wonderful doe and you deserve a wonderful buck. And I'm sure that if you became a mother you'd be a very good one. But if you want a long-term relationship, that's not me. In thirty days, I'm going back to the other side of the fence, where there's a husband and a family--and a life--waiting for me. I came here as a vacation--I'm not committed to the place the way you are. Right now I really want to be with you, but it can never be anything more than a vacation fling for me, and I don't think that's what you want."
Bright, shiny tears were rolling down Hannah's cheeks. "God, I'm such a loser." she cried. "When I was a guy, I was a pathetic geek, and now that I'm a woman I'm going to be alone the rest of my life. Jackie--Jackie gets here, she totally freaks out over being a girl, and then the first night she gets laid! With a good guy! I don't know why anybody thinks I have any advice to give to anyone about anything." She swallowed hard. "Look, I'm not mad at you. I appreciate your honesty. You're a good guy, and I'm sure on the other side of the fence you're a good woman. It's about me and what a loser I am."
"You're not a loser. Everyone here likes and respects you. You do a lot of good for people." Sam put his arms around Hannah and she buried her tear-stained face on his shoulder. "And someday the right buck will come along, I know it." Sam gently rocked Hannah, as on the other side of the fence she had rocked her children to sleep when they cried.