Chapter 26

We get up. Cole has been sweating. His shirt clings to his back in a way that makes me impatient to show him the cottage, and I’m tempted to slip away into the night, but thanks are very necessary; we’re drifting back toward the bar when Milton and Carlotta step out into the night.

“Don’t forget dessert,” Milton says. He hands me the bakery bag we brought from town as if I haven’t eaten ten kinds of dessert in the last two hours.

“Gracias,” I say. “Por todo.” I get as close as my Spanish will let me to “Thank you for including us in your celebration.”

He reaches out, takes one of my hands, one of Cole’s. He says in halting English, “You. Also…also?” He looks at Carlotta. “?Siempre?”

“Always” she and I say together.

He nods. “You always…have a home…here.”

Carlotta nods. I take my hand from Milton’s to wipe at a runaway tear, then squeeze his hand again. “Gracias.”