Page 105 of Sing with Me

His warm fingers intertwined with Skye’s. He said nothing as they followed Ethan through the garden gate to a pretty garden courtyard—like those she had seen in Savannah—with wrought iron benches here and there surrounded by hydrangeas and tall Japanese crepe myrtles.

“Wow,” Skye said.

“This used to be just grass,” Diehl said. “Mom decided to put a garden between the two cottages. She had the trees planted fifteen or twenty years ago, and no matter how much they grow, they won’t block our view of the ocean since it’s to the side.”

Skye nodded, noticing that Diehl hadn’t let go of her hand.

Ethan tore away and ran around the garden, his arms wide, the wind in his hair, and he made a roaring sound.

Skye wanted to take a photo of the moment, but she was afraid to overstep her boundaries. When she realized that Diehl had let go of her hand, he was already five or ten feet away, recording Ethan running laps around Skye.

She laughed as she watched Ethan.

Was this how it felt to have a child? Skye wouldn’t know. She used to feel that she was too busy for relationships, but now…

Ethan collapsed in a heap on the grass. “That was some exercise.”

Diehl stopped recording. He pointed to a bench nearest to them. “Would you like to sit down?”

Ethan sat up. “Would you like to hear a story?”

“I love stories.” Skye sat down on the bench first, and Diehl put his arm around her shoulders.

“Mommy told us this one.”

Mommy? As in Isobel Brooks? This, Skye had to hear.

Diehl stiffened next to Skye.

“Once upon a time there was a boy and girl who loved each other very much.” Ethan jumped to his feet. “Their moms and dads didn’t like them to be together, so they had to meet in secret.”

Uh-oh.

Diehl retracted his arm.

Skye could hear him expel a breath.

“For many, many, many years, they had to find ways to see each other.” Ethan clasped his hands together. “Many, many years.”

Even after they had married other people. Skye saw the picture now.

Elisa and Ethan were Isobel’s love children.

Skye glanced over at Diehl. His face was literally frozen. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“The boy and the girl grew up, but they still loved each other.” Ethan separated his hands and stretched them apart. “One day the boy said he didn’t love her anymore. He was tired of waiting for her to get a divorce. So he married someone else.”

Whoa.

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Diehl muttered.

“But!” Ethan ran around the small courtyard, arms outstretched. “They still loved each other. So they flew back and forth, and back and forth, to keep their little secret.”

The garden gate creaked.

“What little secret?” Rose Brooks stood there. Her hair was disheveled, and her makeup looked pasty in the morning sunshine.

“Grandma! Grandma!” Ethan ran to her and hugged her. “Did you enjoy your nap?”

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