Her Last Name, His Claim

e for storyfest. It was a beautiful, sunny Sa

round in costumes, adults hung around the different stalls to see what the

worry about how the event woul

how, we'd managed to pull

last minute donat

w children's books that arri

happy. Genuinely happy as

beside me, smiling with pride.

did," I whi

e special donor is coming toda

uld be shocked, but she winked and

ya. Always

od. Kids dragged me around to see their costumes, dragons, robots, princesses. Judy

ction while Maya stood at the food

s per

I sa

n

belonged there, hands in the pock

n the romantic way. More

ng to drag him outside by the ear i

rations, the crowd, the ki

asm but found none. That uns

ur kind of eve

be surp

and I had to step away. But Enzo stayed. He

"Your ex...sorry, your husba

stay that way or I will personal

our friend. But the three of us combined can't even move that man one inch. Ha

That's still your friend's husband. Stop

. "Elena won't deny that. She's

d and sighed.

te, kissing my forehead, and checking if I'd eaten. Sweet, familiar and

normal betwe

r about te

dn't bring any wine. He also had that look on his fac

as gone. Hi

his arm. "

h. W

you want to str

"I just ra

ming on, but I kept

hing. He

ad. "It's fine. Let

e what happened

omeone tapped my arm a

ned.

casually, offe

ore reaching for the

out another word. He really was bei

hing. That anyone could gu

he moved through the crowd, and h

een them...It was boil

gs, kids laughing, more donations and then May

o be none other

owd cl

his head once, as

od fr

id t

ed our

on something that wou

h

eople started packing. I caught sight

ld think, my

nz

brows lifti

it?" I asked.

to support my hometo

guess y

ood there

k you." I s

t my better judgement... asked

, did he?" he sa

ng, but with that answer, I'm

isted you liked white wine and I told him the truth. I guess he was angry about me

ruth is...

d to like it because he does. You love red

ht me two glasses. To show Nathan he knew me be

ldish just to prove a point." I said. "You nee

. "It's obvious where that relationship is

hell, but I won't give you the satisfaction. Your ego can't

he grabbed my elbow

I struggled but h

over my cheek. Then he leaned in, bringing his face clos

ike that,

at him,

it worse. "I want you, Elena. But not this w

there

ember...I have something for you. I meant to brin

d, "What

rise,"

nto his car a

why my heartbeat felt too loud and why I didn't bite his ear off the m

with packing up and

e you been

goodbye to some kids

t I couldn't tell Nathan

the truth