A FEW BEES BUZZED lazily around the honey-covered tools waiting to be washed. Texas Viking Honey had a sprawling honey house. There were stacks of used hive boxes, new hive boxes and lumber for repairs. Several large industrial-sized honey extractors ran down the middle of the room. The space between two was the perfect size for Astrid and Tansy to sit on the concrete floor, undisturbed, while Astrid poured her heart out.
“Here.” Tansy handed her another tissue. “You’ve cried so much my head hurts.”
Astrid shot her sister a look. “I can’t help it.”
“Love can suck.” Tansy draped an arm along her shoulders. “I’m sorry he hurt you.”
“That’s the thing, he didn’t hurt me.” She sighed. “He never said he was staying. He never said he cared about me.”
“Whoa.” Dane came around the centrifuge and stopped, glancing between the two of them. “What’s happening? Is Camellia okay?”
“She’s fine.” Tansy nodded. “She looked great when we peeked in on her at the hospital.”
“Glad to hear it.” Dane was looking at Astrid like she was a ticking time bomb. “Do I want to know? Am I going to have to go all Thor on someone?”
Astrid laughed. “You’d do that for me?”
“Defend the sister of my ladylove? Hell, yes.” He pulled the band from his hair, smoothed it back and secured it.
“I love it when he has a man bun.” Tansy winked up at him.
“I aim to please.” He shot another glance at Astrid. “Not to intrude but the Junior Beekeepers are here.” He held out a hand and pulled them to their feet. “Might want to—” he pointed at her face “—wash up or something.”
“Dane.” Tansy swatted his shoulder.
“No, I’m sure I look a mess.” She waved them off. “I’ll go pull myself together.”
“You sure?” Tansy called after her.
“Yep.” She moved aside the five-gallon bucket full of hive tools and frame grips, and washed her face. The idea of facing the Junior Beekeepers was too much for her, so she dumped the bucket of tools into the oversize sink and started scrubbing. It took a lot of elbow grease to make them honey-free but it was just what she needed to calm down.
She set the last ‘L’ hive tool aside, washed her hands and took her time walking outside.
“Just remember, this will give you service hours,” Dane was saying to the group. “How many of you are working toward your Apprentice test?”
Three hands popped up.
“This is a good place to start.”
Astrid headed for the observation deck. Tonight was an invite-only audience. Most of the guests were Junior Beekeeper parents. This was a time for their kids to show off their knowledge base and get time working with the bees. As far as she was concerned, nothing could compare to hands-on experience.
“Hey, Astrid.” Crissy Abraham waved. “I was wondering if Halley was coming?”
Nicole said the two became instant best friends at the sleepover. Which was exactly what Halley needed.
“I’m not sure.” Astrid managed a smile. “I did invite them.” Part of her hoped they wouldn’t come. She knew her meltdown wasn’t entirely due to Charlie. She was tired and worried about Camellia—Charlie leaving was the cherry on top of her emotion-laden sundae.
“I hope so.” Crissy crossed her fingers.
“Me, too.” She was almost to the observation deck when she heard Nova calling her name. The little girl was running straight at her, Scorpio bouncing and jiggling from one hand. “Hello, Nova.” She caught her, lifted her up and braced the little girl against her hip. “Did you and Scorpio come to see the bees?”
“We did.” She grinned widely. “Where are they?”
Astrid pointed at the cluster of hive boxes on the far side of the observation deck. “They’re still inside. We should go in before they open up the hives.”
Halley waved but headed straight for Crissy.
“Sorry we’re late.” Charlie looked as beautiful as ever.
“Lucky for you, they’re running behind.” His smile melted her insides and had her heart shuddering. “Let’s go.”
“It’s more like a screened-in gazebo, isn’t it?” Charlie gave the structure a once-over. The screen would keep the observers safe while being able to hear everything they were being told. “Only bigger.”
“Pretty much. Dane and Tansy are hoping to branch into agritourism. Honey tastings and hive experiences, that sort of thing.” Astrid put Nova down but held her hand. “There’s a lot of interest in beekeeping. The more interest, the better. Doing something like this can only help.”
“Because bees are important,” Nova said, swinging their arms.
“They sure are,” Astrid agreed. “Without bees, we wouldn’t have any almonds.”
“Really?” Charlie looked at her.
“It’s true. They pollinate lots of fruits and flowers and vegetables, but almonds are pollinated exclusively by bees.”
“Did you learn something?” Nova asked Charlie.
“I did.” He chuckled.
“Astrid is supersmart.” Nova grinned up at her.
“I do know a lot about bees.” She gave Nova’s hand a squeeze. The observation deck was surprisingly crowded but Astrid managed to get them up front so Nova could see.
“This is so cool.” Halley pressed in beside them. “I would so be freaking out if I were them.”
“You think so?” Astrid laughed.
“Um, I know so.” Halley’s expression was of mock terror.
The first thing in the demonstration was lighting the smoker. It wasn’t hard, but making sure to keep the kindling burning was key. “There’s nothing worse than working with a hot hive or doing a bee removal and having your smoker run out.” Tansy held up one of the smokers and pumped the bellows twice. Clean white smoke billowed out.
They moved on from the smoker to the tools.
“That’s the scary thing,” Nova said, pointing at the frame grip.
Tansy laughed. “Let me show you what it’s for, Nova.”
Benji used the L hook to break the seal on the hive. Kerrielynn puffed some smoke into the open box and Tansy reached inside with the frame grip. A wiggle and the frame came out.
“Oh, I get it.” Nova gave Tansy a thumbs-up. “It’s not scary.”
Astrid shifted from one foot to the other, trying to put more space between Charlie and herself. There was no help for it. With so many people vying to see, she was pinned between him and Nova. There was no way to ignore his scent or the brush of his breath against her neck. When he laughed, her insides went molten. It took everything she had not to lean into him. He was right there.
The exhibition dragged on and her patience was wearing thinner by the minute.
Nova and Halley were both mesmerized when Benji carried one of the frames close. Bees scurried back and forth and covered the wooden frame. The hum was audible. Nova covered her ears. But Halley leaned forward to get a closer look.
When Astrid moved to give Nova space, she wound up stepping on Charlie’s foot. “Sorry,” she murmured, jumping and onto his other foot. “Oh, sorry.”
He laughed, one hand resting against her back. “As long as it was an accident, it’s okay.”
He was teasing her? She glanced over her shoulder at him. Why wouldn’t he tease her, nothing had changed—for him. She couldn’t deny the appeal of his smile. She loved his smile. His gaze was all intensity and heat. The current between them was as strong as ever, holding her in place, staring up at him, wanting so much more than he was willing to give her.
He swallowed hard, his gaze falling to her lips.
Oh, Charlie. Her heart took off, doing its best to thunder its way out of her chest. No, wait. It was actual thunder. She stared at the clouds on the horizon.
“Looks like we’re finishing right on time.” Dane shielded his eyes. “Tansy and I will take it from here. Thanks for coming out tonight.”
“Astrid.” Nova clung to her hand. “Is it going to be a bad storm?”
Astrid scooped her up, again. “I don’t think so. We need the rain. The bees need it, too.” She gave the little girl a big smile. “Poppa Tom used to tell me that thunder was when the clouds went bowling.”
Nova giggled. “Clouds can bowl?”
“I don’t know.” Astrid shrugged. “But it does sort of sound like it.” She carried Nova to their car. “In you go.”
A gentle rain started. “Can I drive you home?” Charlie’s smile hurt to look at.
She stared up at the sky. “I should help Tansy and Dane.”
Charlie looked over her shoulder. “It looks like they’re done.” His shirt was getting wet, and water dripped off the end of his hair.
She tore her gaze from his and looked back. The hives were closed and there was no sign of her sister or Dane. “I guess so.”
He opened the passenger door. What was she doing? She wanted to go with him. She wanted him to smile at her and kiss her and hold her like she was everything to him. If Nova and Halley weren’t in the back seat, she’d be kissing him. Instead of losing one second of the time with him, she should make the most of it. She’d deal with her heartbreak once he was gone.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS squeaked as they slid back and forth across the glass. Charlie was struggling with the beginnings of a panic attack. And the rain was picking up.
“That’s really annoying,” Halley sounded off from the back seat.
Nova imitated the sound of the windshield wipers.
“You sound just like it,” Halley laughed. “I wonder if making funny sounds is, like, a job? If so, you’ll be a millionaire.”
“I’ll get everyone a tiny donkey. Like Chickwy.” Nova started laughing.
“Chicory?” Halley asked.
“Yep.” Nova sighed.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Astrid smile—before it faltered. She was still worried about Camellia. “How did the visit with Camellia go?”
“She was happy to see me.” She turned, smiling at the girls. “Eager to come home, of course. But she’s made friends with all the nurses and doctors, of course. Oh, and she told me she’d made a special raspberry and honey tart, just for you girls. And to tell you to pet the dogs and cats for her.”
“Do we need to feed Chockry and Dandelion, too?” Nova asked.
“Chicory,” Halley mumbled.
“That.”
“No, we don’t. But, once the rain clears, we can go visit them.” Astrid glanced his way. “If you’re free to stay for a bit?”
He took a deep breath. “We are.” At least now he didn’t have to come up with an excuse to stay. Not that it helped with the tension tightening his throat. He tugged at the collar of his shirt.
“Are you okay?” Astrid whispered.
He nodded but kept his eyes on the drive leading to Astrid’s home. He concentrated on the rain. Light and steady. When he parked, he turned to tell the girls to wait—only to find them both out of the car and running for the porch.
“I guess they really want to try that tart.” Astrid’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“I guess so.” He took a deep breath. “Umbrella?”
She shook her head and made a mad dash through the rain to the porch.
He took another deep breath and followed.
“Would you like a slice of tart?” Astrid was asking Shelby.
“No, thank you.” Shelby was sitting on the front porch with a book in her lap. “Nothing better than a sleeping baby and a good book on a rainy day.”
“We’ll leave you alone.” Astrid smiled and waved the girls inside. “Enjoy.”
Shelby took one look at him and frowned. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”
“I’m fine.” He was trying to be fine, anyway. The girls had left wet footprints along the wooden floor. He followed the trail to the kitchen.
Enough is enough. There was no point in dragging this out. If he waited much longer, he’d be doubled over and dripping sweat—not the best way to woo someone. Not that he had any experience with wooing. Or women.
He stepped into the kitchen and his mind went completely blank.
Astrid was rifling through the refrigerator while his girls waited, asking her questions.
“Who painted the bees on the walls?” Nova asked.
“My great-grandmother, grandmother, aunt and my sister Rosemary. Rosemary is such a talented artist, she’s done the illustrations for an entomology book.”
“What’s in-to-mawlowgy?” Nova did try.
“It’s the study of bugs,” Astrid said. “Found it.”
He took a deep breath. “Girls.” He exhaled forcefully. “Go watch TV.”
Astrid turned, confused, with a foil-covered pan in her hand.
“Can we have some tart, please?” Nova used her best manners.
Charlie took the tray from Astrid’s hand and handed it to Halley. “Go.”
Halley grabbed Nova’s hand and tugged her from the kitchen.
Astrid stepped closer. “Charlie, what’s wrong?” She pressed a hand to his temple.
“Nothing.” He was not going to let a panic attack ruin this. “Here.” He held out the envelope.
Astrid took it and opened it slowly, her gaze never leaving his face. “What is it?”
“Read it.” He cleared his throat.
She did. Frowned. Then read it again. “You’re going to sell me Rebecca’s property? For...for six dollars?” She stared at him, her mouth open.
“A dollar for each Bee Girl.” He nodded. “Legally, Mr. Delaney figured selling it would keep anyone—my sister—from questioning the legality of it...” He shrugged. “If you want it?”
“Of course I do. But, are you sure?” She clutched the paper to her chest.
“You were meant to have it. It’s yours.” He swallowed, knowing there was more to be said. This was too important. She was too important. He took her hand. “Astrid, I—”
The sudden wailing of Bea flooded the kitchen, causing two of the dogs to jump up from their spot on the floor and howl along.
“I’m coming,” Shelby called out, the screen door slamming behind her.
He waited, hearing every footfall on the stairs as Shelby made her way to her screaming child. The dogs kept baying until Bea’s cries stopped.
He opened his mouth—
“Oh, my, look at that diaper.” Shelby’s voice echoed off the walls. “Oh, Bea, honey, that’s toxic.”
Charlie closed his eyes and shook his head. He spun around, until he found the baby monitor.
“You poor, poor thing.” Shelby kept going. “Oh, whew, that is so gross—”
Charlie turned off the monitor. Deep breath in, strong breath out. He turned and headed back to Astrid. Looking into her eyes helped. “I have to tell you—”
“You’re wrong.” The screen door creaked open, then slammed shut. “I told you the whole thing lasted four nights.” Leif came into the kitchen, followed by Benji. “Hey,” he said, heading straight for the cookie jar. “What’s up?”
“Did the girls like the exhibition, Mr. D?” Benji asked.
“They’re in the living room.” Charlie ran a hand along the back of his neck, his nerves on end. “They have a tart.”
“We need forks,” Halley called out from the other room.
“On it.” Benji grabbed a handful of forks ran out of the kitchen.
“Food.” Leif carried the cookie jar with him. “I’m starving.”
Before Charlie could get a word out, Tansy’s shriek of laughter reverberated down the hall.
Seconds later, Dane arrived with Tansy over his shoulder. Shelby trailed behind, a much quieter Bea in her arms.
“Is that everyone?” Charlie’s patience was nonexistent now. “Anyone else coming?”
“What’s wrong?” Tansy asked as Dane set her down. “Is it Aunt Camellia?”
“I talked to her not ten minutes ago.” Shelby hugged Tansy. “Don’t worry.”
Dane was frowning. “Then what happened?” He took one look at him and shook his head. “You look like hell, Charlie.”
“I’m fine. I’m trying to tell Astrid that I love her. I was hoping to have a moment alone—to make it special. Instead—”
Astrid threw her arms around him. “You love me?”
He frowned. “I love you.”
Suddenly the room was empty.
“Stop frowning.” She was grinning.
“I had a speech. It lists off all the reasons you should probably not decide to be with me.” He pulled the cards from his back pocket.
“It does?” She took the cards from him and ripped them in half.
“Astrid.” He tried to get the cards back. “I don’t want you to make a decision you’re going to regret.”
“What decision?” She tossed the cards over her shoulder. “I love you. There’s no decision to be made.”
“You can love a person and not act on it.” She had to understand.
“Why?” Her arms slid back around his neck. “This is the happiest day of my life, Charlie Driver. My heart is so full. You can try to change my mind all you want—it won’t work.”
“It won’t?” His arms circled her waist. “You’re certain? There’s nothing I can do or say to change your mind?”
“No.” She rested her hand against his cheek.
He had to be sure. “If you do—”
“Charlie.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “I promise you. I love you. That will never change.”
He crumpled against her, relief washing over him.
She tilted his head back. “I’ll show you, every day, so you’ll never doubt it.”
He crushed her against him. “You’ll teach me? How to love that way.”
“Oh, Charlie, you already do. I know it. Don’t be afraid to let the rest of our family know it, too.” She kissed one cheek, then the next.
He kissed her gently. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but, with Astrid by his side, it would be worth it. “I will never stop trying to deserve you.” His fingers ran through her hair.
Her smile was the most beautiful thing in the world. “I love you.”
“I love you.” He kissed her again. “And I always will.”