The Runaway Groom

A woman's voice? Who was it?

Irene asked tentatively, “I'm looking for Zachary Slate."

"Oh, he's having a shower," the woman on the other end replied.

Irene was speechless for a moment. "Okay. Just tell him to call me back when he's done—"

The woman cut her short before she could finish. “Actually, I think he'll be busy..."

Irene frowned so hard her brows almost knitted together.

Did that woman think she was in a relationship with Zachary and was trying to assert dominance?

“Look, I'm not his girlfriend—we're just friends, and there's something we need to talk about, that's all," Irene explained. “Tell him to call me back."

With that, she hung up and dropped on the couch, feeling bemused. Was that how he was going to get over being dumped? By messing around with women?

Her baby pulled her hair just then, and Irene patted him in return, returning her focus to playing with her baby.

He had been walking steadily these days, although he had often tripped on his first steps.

him

affection. He thought to himself that although the kid was leading

and Irene eyed him.

"From studying,” Tommy replied.

you remember what

snorted a little proudly. "Why not? It's

Tut, tut... That tone!

then asked,

violets are blue, sugar is

Irene continued. "Snow."

have guessed, as a blow-away paper the rain had brought to rest," Tommy recited smoothly and with perfect

had

keep doing your best," she said. "Since you did well today, you have

and Irene smiled in turn at his

so Irene started to coax her baby to sleep, while Tommy basically could do everything himself these days—he would even insist on washing

"Do you think Mommy is

her arms— even if it was hard