Fairytale Lost by Lori Hendricks

The Lukas Emmalyn had known was perfectly happy with futons and egg crates. This house looked like something out of one of Zavia’s interior design magazines.
    “Please, have a seat.”
    “I’d rather not. My mom is out in the car, and we’re going to the beach before we head back to Arizona.”
    “So, you live in Arizona now?” Sunny asked, obviously not believing one word of Em’s hastily cobbled together story.
    “No, my mother and her husband live in Yuma. We were heading to the beach. I figured I’d to stop by and say hi,” she added, hoping to add credibility to the story.
    “I see. I want you to know that I know about you and Lukas’s last visit, and I’ve forgiven the transgression. We are going to be married in a month.”
    Emmalyn couldn’t hide her surprise. She’d specifically asked him if there was someone else, and he’d said no. “I didn’t know that,” was all she could get out. Her mind raced a hundred miles an hour.
    “I can see that. I am well aware that the man I’m marrying is still in love with someone else, but he is under the impression that there is no chance for reconciliation between you. Does your visit here today mean he read you wrong?” Sunny’s perfectly arched eyebrows were raised in clear anticipation of Em’s response.
    “Nope. He was absolutely right on that point. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell of a reconciliation,” Em said growing angrier by the second. “I was simply in the area and wanted to say hi. I thought we were still friends. I can see that I was wrong. I am so sorry for coming here, and you can rest assured that I will never do so again.” Emmalyn was furious and embarrassed and very eager to be away from this place. She never should have come here, and now she had absolute proof that her initial assessment of Lukas was correct. He didn’t deserve any consideration from her.
    Sunny didn’t say anything. It was clear that Emmalyn had no clue she existed and was beyond furious at finding out this way. It didn’t matter to her. Whatever the reason, Emmalyn wasn’t going to be reaching out to Lukas again, and that was just fine by her.
    Emmalyn’s hand was on the door knob when she turned back to Sunny with fire burning in her eyes. “Please don’t tell Lukas I was here. He doesn’t need to know.”
    “It’ll stay just between us girls,” Sunny replied, all smiles.
    As Emmalyn left Lukas and Sunny’s life behind, she was on the verge of tears. She didn’t say a word to her mother as she jumped in the car and slammed the door shut. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a car pulling into the driveway. But as the tears fell, she didn’t care enough to turn around.
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    L ukas nearly crashed into a parked car as he watched Emmalyn storming away from his house and peeling away in a strange car. He sat in the driveway trying decide if he wanted to follow Emmalyn or go inside and face Sunny. Despite the strong desire to go after Em, he had no clue where Em was going and didn’t think he’d be able to find her. Instead, he opted to face Sunny and the ass-chewing he knew was waiting for him. She met him at the door, having watched his struggle from the window.
    She stepped out onto the stoop, head cocked to one side. Her smile wasn’t friendly.
    “Couldn’t decide who to go to first? Seriously?” She turned and went back into the house, headed straight for the master bedroom. “So, what, you came in here because you didn’t know where she was going?” she threw over her shoulder.
    She’d struck him right in the truth. He hung his head, disgusted with himself. “Sunny, I didn’t know she was coming.”
    “I am well aware of that.” She turned on him suddenly. “Why didn’t she know about me? Why didn’t she know you were getting married? Why didn’t you tell her?”
    “I don’t know. I—I didn’t know what to say,” he said weakly.
    “Are you kidding me?” Sunny slapped him across his face. “Lukas, come on, be