Page 44 of Sing with Me

Skye was afraid to ask, to judge. After all, only God could read and know the human heart fully.

Only God knew if Diehl was truly saved.

Then again, the Matthew 7:18 verse that Avery had reminded them was still true.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

So far, Diehl had not shown himself evil. He had been friendly to her at the beach house. He had not been a foe.

So far.

“Hello.” Diehl met her halfway on the boardwalk. He was wearing a color-block polo shirt and a pair of matching blue shorts. “Looks like it’s going to rain.”

“I hope we don’t get hit by lightning.”

“Surely they’ll cancel.”

Skye nodded. “If there aren’t too many people here tonight, we might just stay in the pavilion.”

Diehl glanced back. “Looks big enough for maybe twenty people.”

“At most. It’ll be standing room only.”

They walked back together to her car. Skye popped the trunk.

“When do you have to return the keyboard?” Diehl lifted the heavy case.

Skye reached for the lighter stand. “Tomorrow.”

“Give me the address, and I’ll return it for you. Save you a trip.”

“You will?” Skye was moved.

“Sure. I have time. Besides, I’m a member of the trio now.” He grinned.

For a man of forty years, he had a cute boyish grin. Skye wondered if his children looked like him. She hoped to meet them someday. Maybe she could cook for them.

“You like to do things for people, don’t you?” Skye asked.

“I don’t mind.”

Perhaps his love language was to serve others, Skye wondered. Some people showed their love for others by doing things for them. So far, Diehl had volunteered to fill in for Brinley at the piano, he had assisted her in cooking breakfast for him on Monday morning, and now he was carrying the quite-heavy keyboard for her.

“Are you free Saturday?” Diehl asked as Skye closed and locked the trunk.

“It’s my day off.”

“My kids and I are going to have a picnic lunch on the beach,” Diehl said quietly. “I was wondering if you’d like to join us.”

“Will your parents be there?”

“No. They’ve got other plans. It’s just the kids and I behind Brin’s beach house.”

“Oh, I see. Ask Chef Joseph to prepare you a picnic basket. He’s good with that.” Skye said hello to other fellow church members coming and going on the boardwalk toward the pavilion. Some were carrying covered dishes and some were carrying drinks.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Diehl said.

“Let me think about it? When do you need to know?” Really, she had no plans for Saturday before two in the afternoon, when she would head over to Saffron on Jekyll Island. It was important for her to show up once a week as the part-owner of the restaurant to make sure that Chef Onada had everything he needed.

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