"I know who Anne Frank is."

"You do?" This appeared to impress Emilio. "Well, Miss Cassidy asked us to pretend we were the ones in hiding. To share this compact space with another family, to live in constant fear of discovery."

"And?"

"And we did, and then she had some of us read what we'd written, and I was surprised, you know, by how she tied it in to what's going on in our world today. Social issues and that sort of thing. The guys and me sometimes talk about the same things we did in class. I don't do that with any of my other subjects."

"She's a good teacher, then."

"The best I've ever had."

That did and didn't surprise Roberto. He knew Brynn was popular with the kids, but that didn't say much about her ability to teach a class.

"Then go back," Roberto said as though it should be an easy decision. He never did understand Emilio's sudden desire to quit. The teenager certainly wasn't any help here at the garage, mooning around, looking miserable. Everything he'd asked Emilio to do thus far, with the exception of errands, he'd had to do over.

"I can't."

His brother's low, trembling voice caused Roberto to look up. "Why can't you?"

Emilio shrugged.

"If you like school, then go."

"I'm not going back," Emilio insisted with a ring of rebellion.

Roberto frowned and gave Emilio his full attention. Something was very wrong. "First you said you can't go back, and now you're telling me you won't? Which is it?"

Emilio looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Both."

Leaning against the work bench, Roberto crossed his arms. "You'd better explain that."

Emilio took a short stroll around the garage. "I can't go back because ..." He hesitated.

"Because why?" Roberto pressed.

Emilio whirled around, his eyes flashing with open defiance. "Because I'm embarrassed, that's why."

"Embarrassed about what?" He hadn't a clue what his brother could possibly have done that would cause this reaction.

"I made a fool of myself in front of Miss Cassidy." He admitted this between clenched teeth, as if to say that was all he was willing to admit.

Roberto snickered and shook his head. Emilio wasn't the only one to play the fool when it came to dealing with the beautiful redhead. All at once it dawned on him that Emilio might have fallen in love with her, too.

His brother seemed to read Roberto's thoughts. "It's not what you think," he snapped. "She's your woman, not mine."

Roberto returned to the carburetor rather than look his brother in the eye. "She's not mine, either," he said forcefully, "and that's the way I want it. The less you say about it the better. Understand?"

Emilio didn't say anything, but Roberto felt his brother's scrutiny. He regretted having said this much, but Emilio would have figured it out sooner or later.

"Now get your butt over to school."

Emilio didn't budge. "Why is it so hellfire important for me to get an education? I thought you said it was a waste of time. What changed your mind?"

The last thing Roberto wanted was to be dragged into an argument over the pros and cons of education. "You changed my mind. I gained nothing in high school, least of all a decent education. But it's different for you. Now don't make me embarrass you further by dragging you back."

Emilio hesitated, as though he didn't know what to do. "You'd do it, too."

Roberto grinned. "Don't doubt it. Now get your sorry ass over there."

"I'm going to tell Miss Cassidy you forced me to come."

"Fine, tell her." He'd rather Emilio didn't mention his name, but he wouldn't give his brother something to hold over him, either. Swallowing his pride was a small gift he could give the two people he loved most in this world. His brother would have his education, and Brynn would have the pleasure of knowing that he'd changed his mind about school.

The decision made, Emilio disappeared.

Roberto heard the door slam and paused long enough to look out the window to see Emilio racing down the street, kicking up his heels in his eagerness to get back to school.

It didn't seem an hour had passed before Emilio was back. He looked more like his usual self than he had over the last couple of days, loitering around the shop, disgruntled and miserable.

"I thought you went back to school," Roberto said with a scowl.

"I did go back. School's over."

Roberto glanced at the clock above the door. Emilio was right.

"A couple of the guys are waiting for me. We're going to visit Modesto. He can have company now, and we thought we'd see if we could find any good-looking nurses."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I got a message for you from Miss Cassidy."

Roberto steeled himself. He didn't want to play any games, notes back and forth, that sort of thing. It was over, and the sooner she accepted it, the better. "I don't want it," he said forcefully.

"It?"

"The note or whatever it is she gave you."

"She didn't give me anything. She just wanted me to tell you something."

"Fine," he said stiffly, "tell me."

"She said thank you."

"For what?"

Emilio's look told him the answer to that should have been obvious. "For me coming back to school. I told her you were the one who insisted I did, and she got all teary-eyed and asked me to tell you she appreciated that."

The pain in Roberto's chest tightened. "You've told me, now get out of here. I've got work to do."