Page 29 of A Brambleberry Summer

How could she be anything but charmed at the idea of Wyatt and his son trying to learn Spanish together so Logan could talk to his friend?

“I would not mind practicing with you when I can,” she said quickly. “I should tell you that I have been speaking mostly English almost as long as I spoke only Spanish, so some of my vocabulary might be a little rusty.”

“Oh, yay! Thanks, Rosa.Gracias.”

“De nada. I am usually home after six most nights. You can come knock on my door and if I’m home, we can practice a little in the evening.”

“Cool! Thanks!”

To her shock, her gave her a quick, impulsive hug. Her arms went around him and she closed her eyes for a moment, grateful for this tender mercy.

When she opened her eyes, she found Wyatt watching her with a strange look in his eyes.

“Okay. Bath time. Tell Rosa good-night, then go find your pajamas and underwear. The clean ones are still in the dryer.”

“How do I say ‘good night’ again?”

“Buenas noches. Or sometimes justbuenas.”

He repeated the words, then hurried off to find his pajamas.

“Thanks for your patience with us,” Wyatt said in a low voice after the boy had left.

“I do not mind. He is a sweet boy. I enjoy his company.”

And yours, she wanted to add.Even when I know I should not.

“If you don’t really have time to practice Spanish with him, don’t worry about it. He’ll probably forget by tomorrow morning.”

She frowned. “I will not forget. I promised to help him and I would not make a promise I did not intend to keep.”

He looked down at her, that odd light in his eyes again. “An admirable quality in a person.”

She was not admirable. At all. If he knew her better, he would know that.

“I meant what I said. I will be happy to help him. Send him up any evening he is free or even outside when I am working in the yard. I do not know if I would be a good teacher, but I will do my best.”

“I’m sure you will be great,” he said. “I just don’t want my son to bother you.”

“He is never a bother. I will enjoy it.”

“Thank you, then. He will probably learn faster from a native speaker than any app could teach him.”

“I will do my best,” she said again. “Now if you will excuse me, I must go.”

She really needed to leave soon, before she did something foolish like throw herself into his arms.

“Good night,” she said, edging toward the door.

“Buenas noches,”he replied, with a credible pronunciation. “I guess I’ll see you on Sunday at Carrie’s house.”

Oh. Right. She had almost forgotten the invitation. “Yes. I guess so.”

“We could always walk over together.”

What would Carrie think if the two of them came together to her dinner party? Rosa suspected his sister was already getting the wrong idea about them after seeing them together tonight.

Still, it made sense. It would be silly to drive when the house was so close. “All right. Come, Fiona,” she called.

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