Her Last Name, His Claim

the morning, a few hours af

look she gets whenever something

u," she said and somehow I

g against my fingers, then opened the small card

ough power to drag me

oved in the deepest

wick avenue because I mentioned lilies were my favorite. He came back with the littlest bouquet he could afford. Then, he wen

her day to ask you. Will you marry me, Elena? Will you mak

he biggest smile I had ever s

house... I'm going to do all of that for you, even if i have to work myself to the bone

ny of that, okay? You could have proposed with a pla

eld on to me like he

burgers and shared a milkshake from the same glass with two straws, making pl

f back to the present but

ds came in talking about costumes for storyfest, Mrs. Lyon returned another batch of historical roman

er I asked him to pick up tucked under his arm. He

he asked, nodding

. "Just

brows. Of course he k

picked up the card and rea

What's this about?

steady. "Just a thing.

card. "Hmm, real

bout the flowers. He wanted to know whet

ruth was.

ut of

sal, the diner celebration. I didn't want to share them or explain th

magically change. "I know this is just another stunt

ly. "Enzo does whatever he wants. He'll do what

talk to him. Man to man. Make him see reason. Ma

said imm

'no'? Everytime I offer help,

s is mine to finish. You don't know Enzo, if you step in, he'll twist it. He'll make it abou

aid, "we agreed you'd move in with me once we got eng

ight now. With everything... With Enzo, it feels.." I

o drama is pissing me off. It seems like you still care about his

tha

t let me

r seen before. He tossed the storyfest banner on the

the lilies on the table loo

and Olive walked in, both wearing the same expression that

me before I could answer. Olive gave

s, the face paint kit...don't worry, everything for storyf

at the lilies

athan stormed out of here, I already know who those lilies are fro

e laugh even while I was ugly crying. "Of c

like it was the most important task. Olive teased me abou

p on workplace drama and the usual Maplewood gossip. For a little w

han had left angry and I felt responsible. He did

ign the papers and stop showing u

e house he bought in town, the investments, his sudden presence ev

ip, the best combination. For a few minutes, the lilies, Enzo and Nathan's anger all faded into the back

t, life see

irls goodbye, I go

r? I hope you st

at the

n, how hurt he'd looked when he left. And for a second, I wasn't sure why I'd kept that memory to mysel

be. If it wasn't, then I had to get my brain checked, becau

t and walked into the library where the lilies w