Page 60 of In this Moment

She shook her head. “No. This isn’t happening, Tony. Not ever.” She must have been completely messed up to even have considered it for half a second. But there was no way it would ever happen.

“I don’t know how you could do this to me, Tony,” Lauren cried. She was growing louder and louder. Thankfully there were no customers in the store. Evie didn’t even want to think about what a mess that would be. But she needed to get them out of there.

“Why don’t you guys go and talk aboutthis?”

“But we still needto—”

“No, Tony.” She cut him off. “Go and talk to yourwife.”

“I don’t want to talk to him,” Lauren wailed. “There’s nothing he cansay.”

Tony looked at Evie for help, but she only narrowed her eyes and gestured toward his sobbingwife.

He nodded and turned his attention to Lauren again. “Darling, we need to talk. Let’s go somewhereand—”

“No.” Tears flowed down the other woman’s face. Her mascara left black streaks down her cheeks. “There’s nothing to talk about. I can’t…you would…no.” Lauren covered her hands with her face and sobbed loud, wrackingsobs.

Tony looked to Evie forhelp.

“Go,” she said. “Just take her and go talk.” It was the least he could do. And later, when everything had calmed down, she’d tell him again how foolish his ideawas.

Tony took his wife’s arm and led her out of the store. The moment the door closed behind them, Evie breathed a sigh of relief.

Everything was such a mess. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. But just for a moment before the bells once again jingled.

“Tony, go and tellher—”

Her words died on her lips when she opened her eyes and saw Declan in front of her. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I just assumed you were someoneelse.”

“Tony, from the sounds of it.” Declan grinned. “I just saw him and his wife leaving. She looked upset. Is everythingokay?”

No. Nothing wasokay.

She opened her mouth, but closed it again and simply shook herhead.

“Evie?” He took a step toward her, and placed the paper bag with the Danish he’d brought her on the counter. “What’s going on? Is everything all right?”

“No,” she said after a moment. “I mean, yes. I mean…I don’tknow.”

He took her hands in his and stroked his thumb along the back of her hand. “It’s okay. Talk tome.”

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she said, “We don’t have to pretend anymore.”

“Pretendwhat?”

“The engagement.” She pulled her hand away from his and held up her left hand. “Russ told me that it won’t matter. The judge would award Tony shared custody. This was all for nothing.” She wiggled the ring off her finger and placed it on the counter.

“No.”

It wasn’t all for nothing. Of course it mattered.

“Thank you for going along with it as long as youdid.”

Evie was still talking but Declan could only focus on her now bare ring finger. He wanted that ring back in place. Where it belonged.

“I really do appreciate it,” she said. “And you were a great actor. Super convincing as my fiancé.” She laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. “I mean, you had everyone fooled.”

It wasn’t acting.

---