Page 19 of A Brambleberry Summer

“What is the difference? She is my friend. Her business is her business.”

“Just like your secrets are your own?”

What did he know about her secrets? Rosa felt panic flare. Carrie would not have told him what she knew, would she?

No. She could not believe that. Carrie had agreed never to tell anyone the things she knew about Rosa’s past and she trusted her friend completely.

“Everyone has secrets, do they not? Some they share with those they trust, some they prefer to keep to themselves.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “I hope you know that if you ever want to share yours, you can trust me.”

She trusted very few people. And she certainly wasn’t going to trust Wyatt, who was only a temporary tenant.

“If I had any secrets, I might do that. But I don’t. I’m a completely open book.”

She tried for a breezy smile but could tell he wasn’t at all convinced. In fact, he looked slightly disappointed.

She tried to ignore her guilt and opted to change the subject instead. “The lightning seems to have stopped for now. I am sure the power will be back on soon.”

“No doubt.”

“Thank you again for coming to my rescue. Good night. Be careful going back down the stairs.”

“I will do that. Good night.”

He studied her, his features unreadable in the dim light of her flashlight. He looked as if he wanted to say something else. Instead, he shook his head slightly.

“Good night.”

As he turned to go back down the stairs, the masculine scent of him swirled toward her. She felt that sudden wild urge to kiss him again but ignored it. Instead, she went into her darkened apartment, her dog at her heels, and firmly closed the door behind her, wishing she could close the door to her thoughts as easily.

Chapter Four

He didn’t want this.

As Wyatt returned down the stairs at Brambleberry House, his own flashlight illuminating the way ahead of him, his thoughts were tangled and dark.

He didn’t want to be attracted to Rosa but couldn’t seem to shake her image. The high cheekbones, the warm, dark eyes, the mouth that looked soft and delicious.

He had wanted to taste that mouth, with a hunger he hadn’t known for a long time.

He didn’t want it. He wasn’t ready. He didn’t know if he ever would be.

Tori had been the love of his life. His childhood sweetheart. He had loved her fiercely and wholeheartedly.

She had been funny and smart, a little acerbic sometimes but kind. A dedicated school guidance counselor, she had loved her students, their home, their family.

He had fully expected they would have a lifetime together. Her death, especially coming out of nowhere, had shattered Wyatt’s entire world. For the last three years, he had done his best to glue back together the pieces, for Logan’s sake.

He thought he had done a pretty good job for his son. He knew Logan missed his mother. How could he not? Tori left a huge hole to fill. But by moving to Cannon Beach, Wyatt had made sure Logan had his aunt Carrie to fill in some of those gaps. She was there with hugs at the end of the school day, she baked him cookies and she helped him with his homework.

His son was happy. That was the most important thing.

As for Wyatt, he knew he couldn’t stay in this odd limbo forever.

For the first two years, he had been in a daze just trying to survive with work and being a single father. About six months ago, he had started dating a little here and there, mostly going out to lunch or coffee while Logan was in school.

Those experiences had been such a bust that he had decided he wasn’t ready to move on.

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