Page 94 of My Rockstar Ex's Broken Vows

She nods slowly, her lips pressing into a thin line and a single tear slips down her face. I pull her close and hold her. My heart is beating out of my chest as I process what this means.

If she is feeling the same way I am, this changes everything.

Friday,April 11

Prospect Park

4:18 PM

The lake glimmersunder the sun, and I swear it’s like something out of a postcard. Ducks paddle lazily across the water while a couple of kids on the opposite bank try to skip rocks and fail miserably. It’s the kind of scene that almost feelstoo perfect, like the universe is taking a victory lap after a long winter.

"I didn’t peg you as a duck-watching kind of guy," Sienna says, her lips quirking into that teasing smile that always gets me.

I smirk, shoving my hands into my pockets. "You kidding? This is basically my dream date. Nature, wildlife... Ollie wielding a stick like he’s about to duel a wizard."

She laughs, glancing ahead at Ollie as he swings his stick through the air, humming a tune that’s surprisingly catchy. "Well, I did promise a walk. It’s not my fault you’re this easy to entertain."

"You’re giving yourself way too much credit," I say, bumping her shoulder lightly. "I’m just here for the free concert. The kid’s got skills."

Sienna showed me a video the other day of him with the harmonica and he seriously does have a natural ear for music. I was impressed at how quickly he picked it up and could blend complimentary notes. I think he is ahead of where I was at his age.

Ollie’s a few steps ahead, clutching his harmonica in one hand and a stick he’s using to draw invisible shapes in the air. His focus is intense, his tiny face pinched in concentration like he’s composing his magnum opus, and it makes me smile.

I don’t take this moment lightly. Sienna’s been hesitant about letting me spend time with Ollie, especially with all of the drama. But today, the stars aligned. Marcus is out of town for work, and Sienna decided it was safe enough for us to go for a walk together after school.

She didn’t say it outright, but I know it’s a big deal. Letting me into this part of her life, even for something as simple as a stroll through the park, is huge.

"This place is something else," I say, glancing around. "Peaceful. Almost reminds me of Folly Beach, minus the salt air."

Sienna glances over, her lips curving into a small smile. "I was just thinking the same thing. Remember those long walks we used to take on the beach at night? How we’d sit on the rocks and try to name the constellations?"

"Yeah," I say, my chest tightening with the memory. "You always got Orion wrong."

"That’s because you’d tell me the wrong stars on purpose," she says, laughing softly.

"I plead the fifth," I say with a grin.

We fall into a comfortable silence, the kind that feels easy now in a way it didn’t before. Ollie hums a few notes, and it catches my ear—a rhythm, a pattern that’s more deliberate than random. Sienna must notice too, because she glances at me and shakes her head.

"He’s been like that ever since you gave him the harmonica," she says. "It’s constant. Here, let me show you."

"Most kids just make noise," I say, my voice low. "But that video you sent to me is something else. He’s got it, Sienna. Natural talent. You can’t teach what he’s doing. It's really cool to see, honestly."

Her face softens and her smile is tinged with pride. "He loves it. I love watching him excel at something he loves."

"Fun’s where it starts," I say, glancing ahead at Ollie as he swings his stick like a conductor’s baton. I catch myself wondering what it would be like to have a kid like that. A kid who sees the world through music, who just gets it the way I always have.

The thought is foreign—big, almost—but it’s not unwelcome. For a second, I picture a tiny version of myself, all messy hair and oversized energy, picking up an instrument and falling in love with it the way I did.

The image is gone as quickly as it came, but it leaves something behind, a faint ache I can’t quite place.

Sienna must sense the shift in my mood because she nudges my arm lightly. "You still with me? Looks like you went off somewhere and left Ollie and me behind."

I exhale, my shoulders relaxing. "Far from me. Just thinking about everything. Imagining a future with you."

She nods, her expression turning serious. "Speaking of the future, I talked to Gus. He thinks our little PI session yielded enough to subpoena Marcus’s electronic records, so that’s something. At least it’s gotten him to back off about the private school. The deadline passed, so Ollie stays where he is, at least for first grade."

"That’s a win," I say, giving her a small smile. "You’ve been dealing with a lot. I’m glad something has been taken off of your shoulders."

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