Kate. “It’s hard to get goose poop off the bottom of your shoe.”
“Speak for yourself.” They peered down to find that Jude’s sneaker had effectively flattened a fresh pile of goose droppings.
“Oh, man…” He groaned and lifted his tennis shoe to check the damage. “Disgusting. I mean foul. Get it? Fowl ?” He elbowed her, and she rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, you’re a real comedian. If you think Mrs. Shelton’s going to let you in the house wearing those sneakers, you’re sorely mistaken. We’ll have to run them under a hose.” The noisy geese waddled onto the bank, determined and quick despite their uneven approach. “Drop the bread,” Jude said with sudden urgency, backing up. “Drop it, drop it, drop it!” Kate let out a screech and dodged the vicious stab of a hungry bill. “Oh, they’re mean!” Before she could turn around, another goose, fat and downy, nipped at her backside and sent her dashing through the grass with the entire gaggle in chase.
Gideon laughed. So much for the inherent sangfroid of the distinguished educator. No doubt she would have to leave her shoes at the door with Jude’s.
Still giggling, Jude turned and spotted his father in the shadows. Instantly his smile faded. “Hey, Dad. I thought you had to work.”
“I did all the work I could stand, knowing you were outside having fun without me.” Gideon’s gaze drifted to Kate, who stood to the side, breasts rising and falling with a rapidity he knew wasn’t entirely from dodging the geese. She returned his look without blinking, and finally smiled in a way that sucker-punched him down low.
Jude’s sullen tone shattered the tension. “We’re just feeding the stupid geese.” He balled a remaining piece of bread in his fist and tossed it at a nearby gander, pelting it hard enough to elicit a squawking protest. “I’m going in.” Gideon and Kate fell in behind him, sauntering up the driveway toward the house. Myriad windows glowed into the night, lighting their path. “How was your trip?” she asked, hands clasped behind her back.
“Long and fairly boring.”
“I saw you talking to the gardeners earlier when you first got home. You speak Portuguese.”
“Yes.”
“And how many other languages?”
He cast her a rueful look. “A few more.”
“Two more? Four more?”
“Five in all.”
“My God,” she breathed. “Fluent in all of them?”
Gideon smiled. “You’re embarrassing me.”
“Say something in Portuguese.”
He drew in a breath of night air laced with the scent of grass and moisture and roses. “What would you like me to say?”
She tilted her head in consideration. “Say, ‘The grass needs planting.’”
“O gramado deve ser plantada.”
Kate laughed. “Okay, how about, ‘You do a good job on the yard.’”
“Você faz um bom trabalho no quintal.”
“And ‘Your clippers are long and dangerous.’”
It was Gideon’s turn to laugh. “Seu cortador é longa e perigoso.” He looked at her, his smile fading. “ Você tem maravilhosa olhos.”
“What does that mean?”
“You have the most amazing eyes.” He held her chestnut gaze for a long moment, watching the swirl of shy delight in its liquid depths, then looked away. “I thought about you while I was gone.” “Oh?” She maintained her languid pace beside him, profile limned by the glow from the porch. “I’ve thought of you, too.” Pausing, she added, “You want to go first? In English, please.” “In a moment.” He caught her sleeve, nodded at Jude, who had stopped at the door to kick off his sneakers. “I’m going to talk to Kate for a while, J. It’s getting late. Why don’t you turn in, and I’ll stop by on my way to bed in a few minutes.” “You don’t need to.” Jude turned away before Gideon could respond and slipped inside the house, closing the door quietly behind him.
“God, he’s moody,” Kate remarked, staring after him. “I’m guessing it has to do with you and me being
“Speak for yourself.” They peered down to find that Jude’s sneaker had effectively flattened a fresh pile of goose droppings.
“Oh, man…” He groaned and lifted his tennis shoe to check the damage. “Disgusting. I mean foul. Get it? Fowl ?” He elbowed her, and she rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, you’re a real comedian. If you think Mrs. Shelton’s going to let you in the house wearing those sneakers, you’re sorely mistaken. We’ll have to run them under a hose.” The noisy geese waddled onto the bank, determined and quick despite their uneven approach. “Drop the bread,” Jude said with sudden urgency, backing up. “Drop it, drop it, drop it!” Kate let out a screech and dodged the vicious stab of a hungry bill. “Oh, they’re mean!” Before she could turn around, another goose, fat and downy, nipped at her backside and sent her dashing through the grass with the entire gaggle in chase.
Gideon laughed. So much for the inherent sangfroid of the distinguished educator. No doubt she would have to leave her shoes at the door with Jude’s.
Still giggling, Jude turned and spotted his father in the shadows. Instantly his smile faded. “Hey, Dad. I thought you had to work.”
“I did all the work I could stand, knowing you were outside having fun without me.” Gideon’s gaze drifted to Kate, who stood to the side, breasts rising and falling with a rapidity he knew wasn’t entirely from dodging the geese. She returned his look without blinking, and finally smiled in a way that sucker-punched him down low.
Jude’s sullen tone shattered the tension. “We’re just feeding the stupid geese.” He balled a remaining piece of bread in his fist and tossed it at a nearby gander, pelting it hard enough to elicit a squawking protest. “I’m going in.” Gideon and Kate fell in behind him, sauntering up the driveway toward the house. Myriad windows glowed into the night, lighting their path. “How was your trip?” she asked, hands clasped behind her back.
“Long and fairly boring.”
“I saw you talking to the gardeners earlier when you first got home. You speak Portuguese.”
“Yes.”
“And how many other languages?”
He cast her a rueful look. “A few more.”
“Two more? Four more?”
“Five in all.”
“My God,” she breathed. “Fluent in all of them?”
Gideon smiled. “You’re embarrassing me.”
“Say something in Portuguese.”
He drew in a breath of night air laced with the scent of grass and moisture and roses. “What would you like me to say?”
She tilted her head in consideration. “Say, ‘The grass needs planting.’”
“O gramado deve ser plantada.”
Kate laughed. “Okay, how about, ‘You do a good job on the yard.’”
“Você faz um bom trabalho no quintal.”
“And ‘Your clippers are long and dangerous.’”
It was Gideon’s turn to laugh. “Seu cortador é longa e perigoso.” He looked at her, his smile fading. “ Você tem maravilhosa olhos.”
“What does that mean?”
“You have the most amazing eyes.” He held her chestnut gaze for a long moment, watching the swirl of shy delight in its liquid depths, then looked away. “I thought about you while I was gone.” “Oh?” She maintained her languid pace beside him, profile limned by the glow from the porch. “I’ve thought of you, too.” Pausing, she added, “You want to go first? In English, please.” “In a moment.” He caught her sleeve, nodded at Jude, who had stopped at the door to kick off his sneakers. “I’m going to talk to Kate for a while, J. It’s getting late. Why don’t you turn in, and I’ll stop by on my way to bed in a few minutes.” “You don’t need to.” Jude turned away before Gideon could respond and slipped inside the house, closing the door quietly behind him.
“God, he’s moody,” Kate remarked, staring after him. “I’m guessing it has to do with you and me being
Similar Books
