True Love Waits

Sheffield wrapped his arms around Evelyn's waist, and their bodies pressed against each other. "Evelina, have no fear. I'm right behind you."

Biting her lower lip nervously, Evelyn nodded.

"Miss, mister! Would you like for me to take a picture of you two together? Only twenty bucks for one," a man shouted to them, standing by the elephant and pointing to his camera.

"Sure. Take a few," Sheffield said with a grin.

"All right!" the cameraman said gladly.

"I don't like taking pictures," Evelyn muttered.

Never once in her whole life had her pictures been exposed to the press. Carlos was a protective father.

Evelyn thought that Sheffield would ask the cameraman to leave. But he didn't. "Rest your head in my chest. Then, nobody will see your face," he suggested.

She didn't reply, so he leaned forward and blocked her face. "You're here on a trip. You're supposed to relax and have fun. No matter what you were like in the past, nobody knows you here; you can be yoursel and live the way you want. Even though it is only for a few days, you can be happy."

'Live the way I want... I want freedom, ' Evelyn thought bitterly.

The cameraman didn't know what the two were talking about up there. But since Sheffield was blocking Evelyn's face, he couldn't take a satisfactory picture from any angle. After reshooting several times, he started yelling impatiently. "Dude! Don't block your girlfriend. If I can't get the picture right, what are you going to use as a memento of this moment?"

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Evelyn explained hastily.

But with the elephant being so tall and her voice so low, only Sheffield could hear her.

He burst out laughing and leaned back to reveal her face so that the cameraman could take the picture. "Evelina, I don't have a girlfriend. If you want―"

"I don't want anything," she declared firmly.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he queried. If she did, that would be a problem.

didn't answer his

her silence for a

loosened his embrace around her waist and moved back to keep a distance between

his arms tightly. "Don't move away. The elephant

I don't like stealing another man's

answered his question because her heart was hurting. It was

"Hmm?"

Too many things were bottled up in her

She needed an outlet.

he asked. He could tell that she

diagnosed with clinical

clothes,

want to go there. Is that okay?" She pointed towards

man leading the elephant to

until I feel better. But I don't know how to find the happiness that I am missing." She looked ahead,

agree, I can help

but we can't date. I'm 29, and you're " Before the next word slipped out of her lips, it dawned on her that he had never told her how old he was. She paused before he could figure out that she had

was three years younger than her. Evelyn assumed that if they

as mature and stately as Matthew, then she might have considered going out with him. But he was nothing like

to know what

Evelyn nodded.

steal you away from him." It was love at first sight. When he had first met her, one look

a boyfriend, she had remained silent. At that

that she was trying to make him believe that she had a boyfriend so that he would stay away

me, except my name. You're being impulsive," she argued. Even the name she had told him

I'm doing. We can try to learn more about each other. You know where I work. You can come and see

had thought