Page 52 of A Love Song for Dreamers

I coax her off the ladder, stabilizing her with my hands as she kickswildly.

“Where’s your Mommy?” shepants.

Her question catches me off-guard, and I stare at her freckled little face. Apparently Dad and Haley have had this conversation with her—or at least part of it. “Um. I’m notsure.”

“Whynot?”

“Because she lives somewhere else. I haven’t really talked to her.” Not since the letter she sentme.

“Whynot?”

I lift my feet from the shallow bottom, sculling with my hands. “Because she’s not really part of my life rightnow.”

“Do you think she gets things done or makesmesses?”

“I don’t know, Soph. I guess I always picture her getting things done. Like your Mommy.” I shake my head. “Come on. We should get out, or we’ll turn intoprunes.”

We get out, and I help her get the water wingsoff.

She tosses them on the patio with a scrunched-up face. “I hatethose.”

“Then why’d you want toswim?”

Sophie peers up at me, squinting against the sun as she grins. “Because you likeit.”

She says it like it’s obvious, and my heartmelts.

“You will always mean more to me than anything in this world has a right tomean.”

I swallow as I think of my dad’swords.

I can’t pretend I know how hard it would be to have kids, how they test your patience. But the way she’s looking at me, I know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do forher.

“Stay put,” I tell Sophie, “I need to gettowels.”

She heads for her trucks under one of the patio chairs while I go to the cabana on the other side of thepatio.

The top shelf is empty, but there should be extras below. I’m rummaging around inside and finally spot a stash tucked behind some other supplies when I hear a splash behindme.

“Sophie?” I call over my shoulder, grabbing twotowels.

Noanswer.

My veins turn toice.

I whirl and bolt from the cabana, my gaze scanning the patio where she was a momentago.

No sign ofher.

Until I spot her form beneath the surface of thepool.

“Sophie!” Iscream.

I need to get to her. I know it in my mind, but my legs won’tcooperate.

My throat tightens, every part of menumb.

Go. Go. Fuckinggo.

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