The Secret Life of Daydreams Read Online Free Page A

who spoke Portuguese with an adorable accent. They’d explained to her how the missionaries were like priests while they served for two years on their missions but that hadn’t stopped her from admiring his level of spirituality, his intelligence, and the deep dimples when he smiled. And the blue, blue eyes. The dimples hid behind that thick beard he now wore and the eyes, though still the same brilliant hue, were more like those of a stranger than an old friend.
    As curious as Sofia was about the new Josh, it was better to stay away. She didn’t have any right to ask about the past eleven years, nor to pry into his life in any manner. This work-related trip of his was most likely a short one, and there wouldn’t be too many chances to meet again, thank goodness. Never mind that her best friend’s husband was Josh’s best friend. She could work around that and let him visit Paulo and Margarida while he was in town.
    The rain had abated by the time she walked through the school gates, and shy rays of sun poked through the dissipating clouds. The old panes on the east-facing windows of the three-story granite building sparkled in the light like a thousand pieces of broken glass. Sofia climbed the staircase and made her way to the teacher’s lounge. Mondays were her short days and she only had classes in the morning. In the afternoon, the work rotated between administrative tasks and covering the classes of absent teachers. But today her work load was doubled.
    After lunch, Sofia retrieved the department’s schedule and checked the agenda for the week. She set the sheets on the working table and added the dates and times to her phone calendar.
    Her colleague Emília approached and sat in front of her. “Doutora Paula went home sick. You’ll have to play hostess and give the tour to the American.”
    Sofia stilled. “What American?”
    Emília raised an eyebrow. “The one who’s coming to document the school for that language program in California. Remember? The sister school?”
    That was today? How could she have forgotten? Everyone had been talking about it since the beginning of the school year.
    A town in California had implemented a Portuguese dual-language immersion program in the school district and they’d chosen the city of Braga as their sister city, selecting one school each of elementary, preparatory, and secondary schools. This school where she worked being the oldest and most iconic high school in the city, it didn’t surprise her that they’d chosen it. The cultural exchange between teachers and students was set to start in the next school year. In the meantime, the journalist would photograph the school, interview teachers and their classes, and collect any other information he needed to add to the American website and for the brochure.
    Emília set a key ring on the table. “You are to give the guy a tour of the school; nothing is off limits. Doutora Paula said he might need more than one day.” She stood. “If he needs any history on the building, take him to the library.”
    Sofia pocketed the keys. “What do I need to know about this project?”
    “Nothing in particular that we didn’t discuss already in the meetings.”
    “And the man? Do we know who he is?”
    Emília stopped by the door and reached for her phone. “Hang on. Doutora Paula told me his name in the email she sent this morning.” She tapped the screen. “His name is Joshua Conrad.”
    Sofia closed her eyes and suppressed a groan. So much for keeping her distance.
     
    * * *
     
    Josh had spent the morning in the city, not taking as many of the planned photos as he needed, thanks to the rainy weather. It was now down to a drizzle, still annoying and inconvenient, but easier to manage than the earlier downpours. Instead of driving to the school, he walked, taking in the changes of the last eleven years.
    The historic downtown area had undergone renovations. The city of Braga boasted a rich past, dating to before the