Page 8 of A Brambleberry Summer

She wasn’t sure she believed the stories that Abigail still lingered in the home she had loved and she was also quite certain a no-nonsense police officer like Wyatt Townsend would never believe a benevolent spirit drifted through the place.

She couldn’t deny that scent of freesia, though, which had no logical explanation.

Ignoring it for now, she let them inside the apartment.

“This apartment is the largest in the house. It has three bedrooms and a very nice sunroom. The master bedroom and the kitchen face the ocean. The other two bedrooms each have a view of the garden.”

“Oh, I like this place.” Logan ran into the sunroom, which had an entire wall made of glass.

“That looks like a great place to read a book on a stormy afternoon.”

“Yeah. Maybe you can read me more ofThe Hobbit,” Logan said.

“Sure thing.”

Wyatt smiled down at his son with a softness Rosa had not seen before. Instead of looking stern and foreboding, he looked younger and far more handsome.

A little shiver of awareness blossomed in her stomach. She swallowed, taken completely off guard.

No. No, no,no. She did not want to be attracted to this man. It was nothing personal against Wyatt Townsend. She wasn’t interested in romance at all. Okay, it was alittlepersonal. She especially didn’t want to suddenly find herself attracted to a police detective who was trained to be suspicious of people.

She let out a slow breath. This was ridiculous. He was her tenant and her friend’s brother. That was all. She was not attracted to him. She would simply not allow it.

She had too much to worry about right now, keeping Jen safe. She did not have time to be distracted by a gruff detective, no matter how sweetly he smiled at his adorable son.

“The laundry room is off the kitchen there. You can control the temperature of your apartment independently of the other two units in the house. The control is in the hallway. The garbage trucks, they come on Monday. This apartment has a dog door so that Hank can go out into the fenced area of the yard during the day if he needs.”

“That will be handy.”

“The garden is for all the guests to use at any time. We have a swing in the tree that Logan might enjoy. I know that Addie does. We also have direct access to the beach, but I ask that you keep the gate locked for security reasons. It is the same code as the front door, which I have written on the paper for you, and your key will also open it.”

“Got it.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“I have a question,” Logan said. “Can Hank and me play with your dog sometime?”

She smiled. “Of course. Anytime. She comes to the store with me most of the time during the day, but when we are home, she would love to play with you.”

She looked up to find Wyatt watching her with an expression she could not read. It still made her nervous.

“If you think of any other questions, my phone number is there on the desk.”

“Got it. Thank you again. We’ll try not to be any trouble for you.”

His features were stern once more, making her wish suddenly that he would smile at her as he smiled at his son.

“Yes. We don’t like trouble here at Brambleberry House. I would hate to have to call thepoliciaon you.”

Logan’s eyes went big. “My dad is thepolicia!”

She smiled at him. “I know. I was only teasing. Do you have things I could help you carry in?”

“Not much. A couple of suitcases. Logan and I can get them.”

“Only that?”

“We’re traveling pretty light these days. A lot of our things were damaged in the fire by the smoke and by the water from the fire hoses.”

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