Page 196 of Sing with Me

Diehl choked up wondering how he could drive away alone tonight without Skye. “Just checking on my clothes. They could be dry by now.”

An alert went off on someone’s phone. Sebastian picked it up from the side table, so Diehl assumed it was his.

“There’s an electrical storm warning until three in the morning,” Sebastian said.

Skye sat up. “It’s not safe to drive home tonight, Diehl. Stay until morning?”

“Looks like the rain is supposed to stop around five,” Sebastian added. “If you need us to wake you up, we will.”

“Five?” Diehl asked. If he left at that time, he’d get home at six thirty to shower and eat breakfast. His meeting with Dad and Riley wasn’t until nine. There would be plenty of time.

“If you don’t stay, Skye will be worried sick for the next two hours until you get home—if you get home,” Sebastian said.

Diehl wasn’t sure if he was kidding. He glanced at Skye, who did not refute her brother’s statement.

“They have a guest room with its own bath,” Skye said. “You can sleep there. The bed is soft and feathery.”

Having been a good listener, Diehl knew for a fact that there were only two bedrooms in this apartment. If he took the guest room, where would Skye sleep?

“This couch is fine.” Diehl pointed. “All I need is a pillow and a blanket.”

Peals of thunder lit up the windows. A loud crackling sound was soon followed by crashes and the noise of car alarms going off.

Skye went to the window. “Wow. A tree fell on the vehicles!”

What? Diehl rushed to her side. “Where did I park?”

“On the other side of the building,” Skye said.

“Whew.” Not that he didn’t have insurance for his overpriced classic Ferrari, but he didn’t want the hassle of having to rebuild or replace a totaled car.

Standing this close to Skye made Diehl long to be with her even more.

“That’s a big old tree. I hope no one is hurt.” Skye peered.

Diehl looked in the same direction. People were out there with their flashlights. The vehicle alarms continued blaring.

Skye reached for Diehl’s hand. “I don’t know if we can sleep through that din, but better in here than driving out there. No matter how great a driver you are on the highway, other people might not be as careful.”

“True,” Sebastian said. “We have a spare toothbrush—unused—and new tubes of toothpaste—gifts from the dental office—and I can get up early and make you Belgian waffles.”

Skye’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t offer to make me waffles.”

“I made you plenty of waffles in your lifetime,” Sebastian said. “And they’re great waffles—unlike the ones Thaddeus tried to make for you.”

Skye’s eyes flared.

“Who’s Thaddeus?” Diehl asked.

“Her first boyfriend,” Sebastian said. “Eleventh grade, as I was trying to tell you, before the tree fell.”

“A sign to tell you to shut up,” Skye snapped.

“Thaddeus.” Sebastian stepped back, away from the window, just before the lights went out. “What in the world?”

Quickly, four cell phone flash lights appeared in the dark apartment.

“We sure picked a perfect time to visit,” Skye said. “Do you have real flashlights?”

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