The Runaway Groom

Still, Irene scoffed. "Well, I can give you that much. But was it glamorous?"

Zachary was speechless in turn—his marriage was certainly a dark part of his history and mentioning it was just hurting himself.

He quickly changed the subject. “Do you like grapes? We washed them before bringing them over—I'll get it for you."

Irene caught his sleeve. "By the way, does it count as your second marriage if you marry again?"

Zachary sighed. "You used to respect me so much, but you've really changed. You're just like Isaac now."

Isaac shot Zachary a cool, warning glare right then. "Does it kill you to stay quiet?"

"How boring would it be for everyone if I did?" Zachary retorted calmly and feebly. "It's a nice day out with nice weather but we have nothing to do. Staying quiet would be a waste, so I'm just making the best out of a difficult situation, you know."

"What's difficult about your situation? Don't you have a daughter? What more do you want?" Isaac asked, still upset about how Zachary bragged about having a daughter before.

“But she doesn't have a mother." Zachary sighed.

It was certainly the greatest regret he had—something felt missing since her daughter did not have a complete family.

Irene finally saw that Zachary was just hiding his mood by being talkative.

happy to have a daughter, but it hurt that she would not have

looked at Zachary's smile now, the more it felt

had not shown him enough concern right then, both as a lowerclassman and

wanted a grill, was it?

"And cold

wanted to roll her eyes at him—give him an inch, and he would ask for

daughter,” she told him. "Self-indulgence sets

enough." Zachary smiled. "Let's

to do it, since she did

a rare day out to relax, so Isaac indulged her for once and whipped out

was, but they worked quickly to send tools and ingredients,

simple picnic became a grill party, though having people work meant no problems, nor did it take time to get the

himself, while Zachary kept an eye on him or he might burn himself. Irene was in turn

were pink and he was holding a chunk of cake, with crumbs all around

and he

time we're enjoying ourselves in such peace and quiet,

held her hand. "I'll spend more time with all of you