Page 230 of Sing with Me

“No? Ephesians 6 talks about the armor of God—thereby implying that we are soldiers of the cross.”

“Every day I don’t see you, my heart hurts,” Diehl said.

“Mine too, but maybe the Lord would want us to grow spiritually apart from each other.”

“You’re practical.” Diehl did not want to bring up any other men’s names, but several potential suitors might sweep Skye off her feet before he could return to St. Simon’s to claim her.

He put his hand on his side pocket. The small box was still there.

But this wasn’t the time.

They finished their curry dinner, and Diehl was full. “That was so delicious I want a third helping, but I’ll resist.”

Skye pointed to the river. “The sun is going down. Do you want to watch the sunset from here or outdoors?”

Diehl looked in the direction she pointed. “How do we get there?”

“There’s a path along the river, with benches to sit on.”

“Let’s go.” Diehl stood up and helped Skye out of her chair.

“Thank you,” she said. “We have a few minutes to put away these leftovers. I’ll do the dishes later.”

“When we get back, I’ll help.” Diehl meant it. He didn’t have to do that in his own home, but here in Skye’s house, he wanted to show how useful he could be.

They put away the leftover rice, curry, and vegetables in the refrigerator before they went downstairs and through the back of the condominium complex to the riverside.

The sun glowed and the sky turned a million shades of orange and red when Diehl took several photos with Skye and several selfies of themselves with the sunset in the backdrop.

They didn’t say much to each other as they stood at the river’s edge, watching the setting sun. Diehl enjoyed her company, and felt completely at ease, as though he could tell her anything.

In the waning light, Diehl kissed Skye’s neck as he held her while the sun slipped away into the horizon on yet another day’s end, ushering in twilight across the river and over the mashes.

When the sun was gone, Diehl gently turned Skye toward him, whispering in her ear heartfelt words.

“I love you and I want to…”

His phone rang.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Abig knot in his stomach accompanied Diehl to the beach on Saturday morning as he waited in his truck at Brinley’s beach house for nine o’clock to arrive. He did not see Skye’s car, so he assumed she was either late or had intended to park elsewhere on the public beach behind Brinley’s house.

The radio was off, and in the quiet of his truck—save for the sounds of the ocean and morning birds—Diehl prayed and rehearsed what he was going to say.

He had almost done it the night before after the sun set on the river, but Ethan’s phone call broke his train of thought. When he heard Ethan’s voice on the phone, crying and asking where Dad was, that killed his entire mood.

It caused Skye to send him home to Brooks Cottage, leaving her to clean up their dinner table and the kitchen by herself. He wished he could have stayed behind to help her do the dishes, but there would be other times, he hoped.

Perhaps every night in the future.

He had no idea why he enjoyed such a mundane task. Maybe it was the company. Skye had been so sweet to him all this time. They hardly had a heated argument—unlike his fourteen years with Isobel.

With Skye, their conversations were mature and quiet. No one yelled and screamed. No one cut off other people’s sentences or assumed what others were thinking.

Skye waited for Diehl to speak his mind.

He hadn’t realized how much he yearned for someone to listen to him without judging him. He felt that he could tell Skye everything.

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