Someone brushes past, dropping, “Hey,” in my ear and, I discover, mint chocolate Milano cookies in my hand. He keeps walking. I tell my fiancé I'll be right back. When I reach the pilot, he’s behind a counter joking with a gate agent. Before I say anything, he leans over and kisses me, insistent, possessive. Reflexively, I slap his cheek. “My fiancé's right there,” I hiss. He chuckles, “THAT’S the guy you're marrying?” And then, “Do you like my present? I know they're your favorite.” He's right, but I don't remember telling him. Words, with him, were never a priority.
Fall Contest 2024 “Flirt” Finalist! Lara Peterson works and plays and writes in the Colorado mountains, where she lives with her family and too many pets. Of “Mint Milanos,” Contest Readers said: “great story, clear setup and grounding in the details” and “great, understated ending and great sense of the ‘forbidden’ love.”