Page 233 of Sing with Me

“No.” Diehl stopped walking. “What are you concerned about?”

“How do we go forward? We’re stuck in two different cities. Your kids are in school in Atlanta. I don’t like the idea that they change schools every year. They need stability, you know?’’

“They’ll be fine, I think.”

“Besides, I don’t want to communicate with you by video all month long and then see each other every now and then. What kind of a relationship is that?” Skye’s voice cracked. “I fear that we might not work out.”

“In nine months, I’ll be moving here.”

“Can you wait nine months?” Skye asked.

“Even one day is agonizing.” It was the truth.

“What if you don’t move here in nine months?” Skye asked.

“What do you mean?”

“What if something changes and it takes longer?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if we’re not supposed to live here?”

“What?” Now Diehl was baffled and confused. “What are you saying, Skye?”

“Do you like your job?” Skye asked.

Diehl nodded. “It comes with many personal sacrifices.”

“I used to think so about mine, but it doesn’t have to be that way.” Skye wrapped her hand around Diehl’s arm. “Olivia says we can have both.”

“Pastor Gonzalez’s wife?”

“Uh-huh. I talked to her about our dilemma. She said that we both may have to sacrifice something if we want to make our relationship work.”

“Like a career?” Diehl wondered. “Just say the word, and I’ll drop everything for you.”

“I would do the same, but then I went and bought Watt’s for Dinner. At first I thought I made a mistake. Maybe I should have thought about it more before I made the commitment. But Watt wouldn’t sell it to anyone else—and I had money from the sale of my Saffron shares.”

“And it’s in North Fulton,” Diehl said quietly.

“I don’t want you think that I bought it because of you. That was why I did not tell you about it. I had a feeling it would be in the papers, but I didn’t think you would have time to read the news.”

“I didn’t at first. My assistant at work told me about it.”

“I guess that’s what they’re there for.”

They walked for a while as the sun rose above their heads. Bright umbrellas and weather-worn beach chairs spread across the public beach. Families with children surrounded them.

Diehl could see that Skye looked at the little kids longingly. Then she turned away as soon as she seemed to realize that Diehl was watching her.

“Between Pastor Fizz and Matt—well, and also Pastor Gonzalez’s old sermons—I feel that God is showing me how to be the Christian man that I need to be so that someday, I could be the Christian husband for the one I love.”

Skye went quiet.

Then she said, “I don’t deserve you.”

“Hey, wait a minute. That’s my line.” Diehl chuckled.

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