“I hope so.” He recalled when the sound had first come to him. It had been under the stars next to Phoebe.
On a secluded part of Lover’s Beach, Mitchell gazed into Phoebe’s eyes.
They’d made love for the first time. He held her close, enjoying the feel of her skin next to his.
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
There was so much he wanted to tell her, but there were not enough words in the entire world to convey how he felt about her.
But the music he heard in his mind expressed every emotion inside him.
That night at Lover’s Beach had been the first time he’d heard the sound—their sound, his and Phoebe’s. But it wasn’t the last time. To this very day, whenever he looked at Phoebe, the sound came again. She was still his inspiration.
He missed her, missed how easy and wonderful it had been before with her. He even missed his brothers, but nothing would be the same. Not after all that had happened with Shane.
“You drifted off, Mitchell,” Nancy said. “Where’d you go?”
“Remembering the old days. We sure had lots of fun on the road together.”
“Right now, you need a singer for the Denver gig. I can call the musician’s union for you. I’m the one who dropped the ball on you tonight. I wish I could’ve given you more notice.”
“It’s fine, hun. I’ll take care of it in the morning.” He spotted Phoebe’s assistant over Nancy’s shoulder wearing a ladybug costume.
“Is she here?” she said, turning around.
“Is who here?”
“Don’t even try that with me, Mitchell Wolfe. You know. Phoebe Blue. That’s who you keep scanning the room for and the one you were thinking about when you drifted off a moment ago. Old days, right? Don’t deny it.”
“You should apply for an interrogator’s job when you get to Dallas. I’m sure they could use someone with your intuitive skills, kiddo.”
“I don’t see Phoebe.” Nancy looked around the room.
He shook his head. “She’s not here, but her assistant is.”
“Ah. Ashley. I will never understand why you Wolfe brothers are so thickheaded.” Nancy sighed. “Go ask Ashley if Phoebe’s coming or not.”
“Bossy, much?”
She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Always.”
“Is this you pushing me out of the nest?”
“Something like that. Go. Now.”
He walked to the buffet table where Ashley stood. Before he got to her, he heard the most amazing voice. He stopped in his tracks and turned to where the sound came from.
Kaylyn Anderson, Betty’s daughter, was singing the last song of the band’s set and doing it beautifully. Loading her plate up with fruit and apparently unaware of his presence, she continued to belt out the melody better than he’d ever heard it. This must be the best-kept secret in Destiny. He closed his eyes, letting every note flood into his ears. The image of Phoebe Blue floated in his mind.
I’ve found our sound, baby. This is it. This is really it.
* * * *
Lucas Wolfe stood by the window with the two Ryder brothers—Doc and Mick, both dressed as football players. “Not fair, guys. This is two years in a row you’ve put on your high school uniforms.”
“So?” Mick said. “We still fit in them.”