Page 31 of Steamy Dreamy Hearts

We drove on to his mother’s. The miles passing quickly.

“Put on something,” Sean told me.

“You want the radio?”

“No, play your Spotify thing.”

“My playlist?” Surprise flashed across my face.

“Go for it.”

“But you like it silent.”

“And you like music. So, play me the damn thing already,” he said.

I blinked, my smile wobbly. I reached for my phone.

Music began to play softly. I had a weird little mix of everything from Chris Stapleton to Frank Ocean; many of them I’d bet Sean didn’t know.

“How did you come up with this playlist?” he frowned, as if confirming my bet.

“Oh, it’s just singers that I love. No real order to it.”

I began to sing along with the next tune by Queen with gusto, my voice sailing up on the high notes. Soon enough, Sean hummed along.

“You’re a terrible singer,” I teased.

“Guess we have that in common.”

I only laughed. “I’ll turn up the volume. But don’t stop singing.”

“I won’t if you won’t.”

We sang louder and way off-tune to a Bruno Mars classic.

“You’re way more fun than anybody realizes, Sean Smack,” I told him.

“Thank you?”

“Welcome. We could try out forAmerican Idolas a duet.”

“Hard pass.”

“Aw, don’t deny it would be fun. And you’re not that grumpy once you’re away from the station. In fact, you might even be closeted sunshine.”

He put a finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t give away my secrets.”

“Oh, no promises on that,” I said, just as we arrived at the facility. Sean parked in a guest spot and gave me a little smile.

“Do you want to come in with me? Meet my mother?” Sean’s smile widened, and I realized I must be grinning like an idiot at him.

“I really do.”

The assisted-living facility was surrounded by the mountains of Flagstaff. Several cream-colored buildings formed a welcoming circle. Once we arrived, we found Sean’s mother at the pool. She waved at him, but I’d recognize her by the same electric-blue eyes as her son. She bopped up and down in the water to a disco beat, dressed in a ruby-red bathing suit with a small skirt, a smear of sunscreen on her nose. Several older women surrounded her, their bodies jiggling as they danced.

“It’s nice here. Like a resort. I was expecting it to be somber or something.”

“Mom and I looked for an active place. Just because she has physical therapy and needs aid at times, we didn’t want her to feel like her life was over.”

---