“That’s Seraphina’s mother’s name,” Gillian said to Alex as she handed him Leo so she could eat.
“That’s not all,” I said, telling them about his sixty-one chart hits. “And I just turned in my sixty-first book.”
“Also crazy,” Gillian said. “And so romantic.”
“Tyler made a playlist of all his hits?” Vance asked. “What a cool kid.”
“Or manipulative, depending on how you look at it,” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“It was sweet that he came to Tyler’s game,” Gillian said. “I’m hormonal, granted, but that made me want to cry right then and there.”
“Also, something I said in passing—became a new song.” I flushed, slightly embarrassed. “He said it’s the first one he’s written since he moved to Willet Cove. After his divorce.”
“Never underestimate the power of a good muse,” Delphine said.
“Seraphina’s the most wonderful muse,” Lila said.
“Yeah, and I’ve had two good writing days in a row,” I said. “So I don’t know—maybe we could be good for each other. Both writers, so we get it.”
“What did you say in passing?” Delphine asked. “That prompted this new masterpiece?”
“‘Or something like that anyway’. After I said something revealing.”
“I cannot wait to hear this song,” Lila said. “A guy who writes songs for his sweetheart—what could be more romantic than that?”
“I’m sitting right here,” Vance said.
“You always pick just the right wine, baby,” Lila said. “Even if you can’t write me a song.”
Alex looked up from baby Leo, who had fallen asleep in his arms. “I’m calling it. Seraphina and Hunter? Soulmates.”
Soulmates. I liked the sound of that.
“Too soon to call,” Delphine said.
“Respectfully, I disagree,” Alex said. “His guitar named Georgia, sixty-one, the song that came from something she said—at some point you have to acknowledge that something is happening that isn’t entirely explained by coincidence.”
“It’s all explained by coincidence,” Delphine said. “That’s what coincidence means.”
“Delphine, you’re absolutely no fun at all,” Lila said, teasingly.
“I’m the only one of you nuts that isn’t a completely hopeless romantic,” Delphine said.
“Of late, we have had some proof that romance is alive,” Vance said, winking at his wife.
“I need to find some new friends,” Delphine said. “Some bitter old ladies who hate the world.”
“No, you’re stuck with us,” Gillian said. “We have a pact.”
“Yeah, but that was when I thought we were all going to be spinsters and grow old together,” Delphine said. “And now you’re all going and falling in love. It’s dreadful.”
Everyone laughed, unbothered by our cynical friend’s proclamation.
I looked through the glass doors to the patio, where the heaters glowed orange in the dark. Tyler was on his feet, gesturing with both hands at the semicircle of kids watching him—Peter, Mia, Bella and Annie were all listening intently, nodding their heads and smiling. Margot and Madison were sitting next to each other, grinning from ear to ear, clearly delighted to be hanging out with the big kids. Grace and Mia got up from the table and did a do-si-do across the patio. Robbie had his laptop open, typing furiously. I didn’t need to hear Tyler through the glass to know he was telling them about Hunter and me.
“You know, I was thinking,” I said. “About these guitar lessons Tyler suddenly wanted.”
“Pretty obvious,” Lila said. “The kids, right?”
