Page 32 of Sing with Me

“There you go again, saying sorry.” Skye grinned.

“I was. Anyway, that was a cute story this morning.” Diehl didn’t have to remind her about the ant. “So you’re a native islander.”

Skye chuckled.

“How come we never met when we were in high school?”

“Well, you’re older than I am by several years, and you were in college before I made it to high school,” Skye said. “When I finished college and decided to go to culinary school, you were wherever you were—somewhere else—running your dad’s business.”

“Atlanta.”

“I go there occasionally, but mostly I stay here on the Golden Isles.”

“You know my parents though.”

Skye nodded. “My brother catered your sister Zoe’s birthday party some time ago.”

“Are your own parents still in town?” He wondered if they attended the same church.

Skye’s lips started to tremble. Were those tears pooling in her eyes?

“Did I say something wrong?” Diehl was alarmed.

She shook her head. Drew a deep breath. “My parents died many years ago in a car wreck on the railroad tracks.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” That story with the ant… Had it triggered a bad memory for Skye? Everyone in class laughed, but did she? Sitting in front, Diehl hadn’t paid attention.

Skye shook her head. “Excuse me.”

She turned and walked away briskly, leaving Diehl standing there at the edge of the pew all by himself.

Chapter Nine

At six o’clock on Monday morning, Marlo called in sick. Said he ate something bad the night before and now he couldn’t make it. It was too late to call anyone else to fill in for him because Skye had assigned everyone. At STL, nobody sat idly without any work to do.

Skye stopped at the local organic grocery store to pick up some turkey bacon on the way to Diehl’s house. She had forgotten it the night before during her quick shopping trip after the evening church.

The church service had gone well, all things considered. She wished she wouldn’t be so easily triggered by the memories of her parents, but from time to time, it happened. Sebastian told her repeatedly to focus on God and not her own loss. She had been thirteen years old when her drunk parents drove in front of an oncoming train on their way home from a bar in the middle of the night.

Twenty years ago.

Lord Jesus, ease my pain.

Skye pulled up in the driveway of Brinley’s beach house. With her car windows down, she could hear the morning waves. How she would love to walk on that beach. But she was here to work, not frolic in the sun.

Before she could roll up the windows, the front door opened, and out ambled Diehl. He wore a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.

“You didn’t bring your van today.” He opened the car door for her.

“No grocery haul today. I just have a couple of bags.”

“Let me help you carry them.” He waited for her to show him where the bags were.

Skye popped the trunk. While he went to the back of her car, Skye retrieved her purse and tote bag from the back seat.

“I got them.” One bag in each hand, Diehl carried the bags into the house.

Skye closed the trunk and followed him in.

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