Page 78 of A Brambleberry Summer

“I know something about this woman that you might not,” she said.

“What’s that?”

The words seemed to catch in her throat as those demons of self-doubt whispered in her ear. No. She would not listen to them. This was too important.

“This woman. She very much loves a certain police detective. She has loved him for a long time, too. Probably since he moved to town with his sad eyes and his beautiful little boy.”

He gazed down at her, those eyes no longer sad but blazing with light, joy and wonder. “Well. That works out then, doesn’t it?”

He kissed her again, his arms wrapped tightly around her. Her entire journey had been leading her to this moment, she realized. This moment and this man who knew all her secrets and loved her despite them. Or maybe a little because of them.

She loved Wyatt. She wanted a future with him and with Logan. Thinking about that boy who already held such a big part of her heart only added to her happiness.

She could clearly picture that future together, filled with laughter and joy. Kisses and Spanish lessons and walks along the beach with their dogs.

She had no doubt that it would be rich and beautiful, full and joyous and rewarding. The scent of freesia drifted across the sand and Rosa smiled, happy to know that Abigail approved.

Epilogue

One year later

What a glorious day for a wedding.

Rosa woke just as the sun was beginning to creep over the horizon in her third-floor apartment of Brambleberry House.

She stayed in bed for a moment, anticipation shivering through her. For a few disoriented moments, she wasn’t sure why, then she caught sight of Fiona’s head on the bed, the dog watching her intently, and she remembered.

Today was the day. This day, she was marrying Wyatt and becoming Logan’s stepmother.

In a few short hours, they would stand in the gardens of Brambleberry House and exchange their vows.

Everyone was in town. Her parents, Anna and Harry, Sonia Elizabeth and her husband, Luke.

Fiona made the little sound she did when she wanted to go for a walk and Rosa had to smile.

“I am not even out of bed yet. You really want a walk now?”

The dog continued to give her a steady look she could not ignore.

With a sigh, she slipped out of bed, threw on sweats and a baseball cap and then put on Fiona’s leash. A moment later, they headed down the stairs of Brambleberry House.

This was her last morning in this apartment and her last morning as Rosa Vallejo Galvez. Tonight she would be Rosa Vallejo Galvez Townsend.

A wife and a mother.

After their honeymoon, she and Wyatt would be returning to the ground-floor apartment of Brambleberry House. They had decided to stay here for now.

He was going to rent out his small bungalow and they would move to the larger apartment, with its sunroom and extra bedroom. It was larger than his house, plus had extensive grounds where Logan could play, as well as his best friend, Addie, living upstairs.

She knew it wouldn’t last. At some point, they would probably want to find a house of their own. For now, she was glad she did not have to leave the house completely.

She knew it was silly but Rosa felt like Brambleberry House was excited about the upcoming wedding and all the coming changes. She seemed to smell flowers all the time and wondered if Abigail was flitting through the house, watching all the preparations.

The summer morning was beautiful, with wisps of sea mist curling up through the trees. It was cool now but she knew the afternoon would be perfect for a garden wedding overlooking the sea.

The decorations were already in place and she admired them as she walked through with Fi toward the beach gate.

Fiona, usually well-behaved, was tugging on the leash as Rosa walked onto the sand. She lunged toward a few other early-morning beach walkers, which was completely not like her.

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