Page 33 of Something New

"I love that you're so musical. I love that you bring music when you come over here."

"Do your mom and sisters like to sing?"

"They like music. We all do, I just don't expose Ethan to enough kid songs. I don't even know that one you mentioned just now."

"Yes, you do. Froggy went a courtin' and he did ride, uh-huh." I sang the lyrics in a similar slow, silly tone that I had used with Ethan. He made an uncertain face, and I sang the next line, hitting higher notes. "Froggy went a courtin' and he did ride uh-huh."

"Keep going."

"Froggy went a courtin' and he did ride, sword and pistol by his side, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh."

"Maybe I vaguely know it," he said, nodding a little. "Does it have more verses?"

"Oh, yeah, there's a whole story with a wedding."

"The frog gets married?"

"Yep. And. there are other animals at the wedding. That's what Ethan was cracking up about."

"Thank you," he said, staring at me. "It's awesome to see him happy and having fun."

"You're so welcome. It really is my pleasure. Speaking of the little dude, do you need to check on him? I feel like I should get out of your way."

His gaze snapped up to meet mine. "You are definitely not in my way."

Chapter 12

It was a few minutes later when John-Michael went to check on Ethan.

"He's out like a light," he said when he got back.

I was still standing in the kitchen, and he came over to me. "Do we need to be quiet?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, he can't hear anything from in there. I'll put on music or the TV while I'm cleaning up, and he sleeps through it all."

"What's on your cleaning playlist?"

"I listen to different stuff every time."

"Do you dance when you're by yourself?" I asked, picturing it happening like a scene from a movie.

"No," he said, laughing at the thought. "No dancing."

"No dancing?"

"No. I do like music, but no."

"Aw, man. Dancing is amazing."

"I don't listen to dance music."

"All music is dance music. What do you listen to? Like, if I opened your music app and pressed play, what would come out of your phone?"

"My Spotify? A soul mix, I think. I have a few different mixes. Indie, rock, soul, folk. Mostly rock, I guess, but soul's what's playing now. I was listening to it earlier today."

"Soul? That's extremely danceable."

"Not like you dance."