Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

"Yeah, Mom's got a new beau now and doesn't need him or Dad anymore."

Sister Rosemary used to say that stepmothers could be wicked, leaving kids hungry, cold, and sometimes even selling them off to some godforsaken place in the boonies. The more Nolan thought about it, the deeper his sense of loss became.

As recess rolled around, Zoey stepped out of the classroom and immediately spotted Fitch standing not too far away.

She wasn't exactly fond of the man, but he was, after all, Zion City's biggest investor. She owed him some courtesy.

"Mr. Haskins."

She called out and started heading to her office.

"Ms. March, are you off for a break now?"

Zoey forced a smile, not too keen on chatting, but managed to respond, "Yeah, in an hour the kids will have lunch. I need to get the storybook ready for our pre-meal reading." "I'll join you."

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Haskins. I'm sure you're quite busy."

"Not at all."

Taking a deep breath, Zoey replied with feigned cheerfulness, "Really, it's fine. This sort of thing, I usually do with my boyfriend."

Fitch didn't budge, fiddling with his lighter that he had pulled out but hadn't used, twirling it between his fingers.

he wasn't insisting, Zoey continued

left, Fitch whipped

the corners of his mouth curl into

I refuse to believe he'll pass it up.

"Yes, Mr. Haskins."

up, Fitch approached the classroom door, catching sight of Nolan staring blankly at the crafts they'd

ached instantly. The boy was precocious, aware at such a young age that Zoey was his

Deep down, Nolan probably

family and didn't want

nothing, and with her job at the kindergarten, the faint bond of mother and child seemed all

her love equally divided among all her students, with no

must be so hard for

the greatest wrongs in his life

up from his seat and walking to the front to grab the craft Zoey had demonstrated. Zoey

time Fitch had seen Zoey create something, and

being with Mom didn't mean the insurmountable separation adults talked about, but

as his fingertips were about to touch the little cat, another child snatched

Zoey, all vying for the things she

March's kitty is