MAGNOLIA HILL WATCHED her sister, Camellia, slowly turn the four-tier wedding cake. Her sister was likely ensuring that every nook and cranny of the domed cake was dusted with just the right amount of powdered sugar. Small sugar honey bee confections glistened amidst the delicate spun pale pink camellia sugar flowers, as if they were going about their business and gathering pollen for honey. As far as Mags was concerned, the cake was perfect. And Mags wasn’t the type to use the word perfect.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Aunt Camellia.” Their niece, Astrid, stopped flipping pancakes. “It’s beautiful.”
“I can’t believe you made your own wedding cake.” Tansy, another niece, shook her head and went back to setting the kitchen table. “But it’s your best cake ever.”
“I knew what I wanted, is all.” Camellia stepped back and nodded. “It’ll do.” She pressed her hands against her apron.
Mags crossed her arms over her chest. “It’ll do?” Leave it to Camellia to downplay her gifts. Her sister’s humility was as charming as it was sincere. “It’s one of the most elegant desserts I’ve laid eyes on. It’ll do.”
“It’s too pretty to eat.” Shelby, Mag’s daughter, sat on the floor keeping an eye on her baby girl. Tiny Bea scooched and wriggled on the brightly colored playmat—making happy noises and being as adorable as ever. Until the arrival of Beatrix Amelia, Mags hadn’t been a baby person. She still wasn’t. But she was a shameless Bea person. The first time Bea had smiled up at her, Mags was smitten. She’d do anything for Bea. “Seriously, Aunt Camellia. It’s a...a work of art.” Bea made an extra loud happy sound and clapped her hands. “See, Bea agrees.”
Mags smiled at the baby. “Well, if Bea says so then it’s true. She is a genius after all. She is my granddaughter.”
The others laughed but Camellia was still inspecting the cake. “You think Van will like it?”
Mags heard the wobble in her sister’s voice. Camellia was nervous. As the maid of honor and sister of the bride, it was up to her to calm Camellia’s nerves. Nerves were to be expected on a day like today, weren’t they? Mags had no frame of reference—but she’d heard it so often that she assumed it was true. It was still hard to accept what was happening. Today was the day. Everything would change. Again. Today is my sister’s wedding day.
Today, Camellia needed her to be the rock. A role Camellia normally played.
Tansy, Shelby and Astrid were all looking at Camellia, wearing the same smile.
“Of course, he will like it. He’ll love it. He’d love a store-bought cake as long as he got you at the end of the day.” Magnolia smiled at Camellia’s look of horror. Store bought cakes were unacceptable. If it wasn’t made from scratch, it wasn’t made with love. And without love, food wouldn’t nourish the body and soul. This was one of the many words of wisdom their grandmother had passed to them when they were young girls. Camellia remembered them all. Mags didn’t need to remember them all because she had Camellia.
Not after today.
Mags slid an arm around her sister’s waist and offered a reassuring squeeze. “That man thinks you walk on water. Anything you offered him would please him, Camellia Ann. I’m not sure he’ll even see the cake once he sets his eyes on you.” She leaned to rest her head on Camellia’s. “As it should be.” It was true. As hard as Mags tried, she could find no fault with the man her sister was marrying. Van Kettner was kind and gentle, giving and supportive, and he lit up with pride every time he laid eyes on Camellia. More importantly, Camellia loved Van.
“He is a wonderful man.” Camellia sighed—a sigh Mags wasn’t sure what to make of.
“Is that a question?” Magnolia lifted her head and met Camellia’s gaze. “Have you changed your mind? If you have, you don’t have to worry about a thing. I have no problem telling him you’ve changed your mind and sending everyone away. None at all.”
Camellia’s eyes went round. “I thought you liked Van?”
“I do. But I like you more.” She swallowed at the lump on blocking her throat. “You’re my sister and the queen bee of Honey Hill Farms. We’re all just worker bees, following your lead. I plan on reminding Van of how special you are, regularly.”
“I’m sure you will.” Camellia took both of Mags’s hands in hers. “And while I appreciate you making the offer, I haven’t changed my mind. I can’t wait to be Van’s wife. Remember he’ll be family now, too. Your family. It would mean the world to me if you’d welcome him with open arms, Mags.”
“Camellia, I rarely welcome anyone with open arms. As you know.” Mags saw the pleading look on her sister’s face. “Fine. I’ll try.”
“Poor Uncle Van.” Tansy shook her head but she was smiling broadly. “He’s not just getting the woman of his dreams, he’s getting her super protective, opinionated and free-speaking older sister, to boot.”
Astrid and Shelby laughed.
Mags ignored the teasing to ask, “Uncle Van?”
The three young women exchanged amused looks.
Why was this funny?
“He will be their uncle, Mags.” Even with her hair in curlers, wearing her daisy-print housedress and bee slippers, Camellia looked lovely. She was happy and that was all that Mags wanted for her—for all of Poppa Tom’s Bee Girls.
“If Poppa were here today, his buttons would be bursting with pride.” Mags could picture him, standing there, praising Camellia’s cake, his booming laughter filling the kitchen. “He’d known Van and liked him. I think he’d approve.” Knowing that was comforting.
“I think so, too.” Camellia’s big eyes had an extra sheen to them now.
Mags didn’t resist when Camellia pulled her in for another hug—even though one of Camellia’s curlers squished her nose.
“Pancakes are ready.” Astrid’s hand rested on Mag’s back. “Wait a minute.” She set the spatula aside and slid her arms around Mags.
Second later, Tansy and Shelby and baby Bea were all squished together in a huddle.
“All right. All right.” Camellia sniffed. “Enough hugging, time for brunch.”
Mags sat, watching as everyone took a seat and Shelby buckled Bea into her high chair. This was the best view. Her favorite people, gathered together, enjoying a quiet moment in life together. From new faces to new families, and the expansion on the honey farm, every day was a new normal. So much had changed the last year.
Tansy and Dane had gone from enemies to significant others. They never talked about getting married because they were happy as is. They’d get around to it when they were ready, and Mags respected that.
Astrid was married. She’d tried to draw out the quiet, brooding, wounded man who’d moved in next store and wound up falling head-over-heals in love with him and his two sweet daughters.
Then there was her Shelby. Every night, Mags went to bed thankful her daughter had pushed to find her birth mother. She’d had a hole in her heart since the day she’d given Shelby up for adoption. But Shelby had arrived, with a daughter of her own, and Mags’s life and heart were complete.
And now her own sister was in love with a longtime friend and was getting married.
As happy as she was for her sister, Mags considered herself a cautious woman—with good reason. Since Camellia’s birth fifty-two years ago, it had been the two of them against the world. A team, best friends and sisters. Camellia was the yin to her yang, the good cop to her bad cop. Camellia was the one to smooth all the feathers Mags ruffled and the person who’d stood by her through everything...
Now she was going to be Van’s wife. It wasn’t that she begrudged her sister love and happiness, she didn’t. She did worry about how lonely her own life would become.
“Charlie’s almost here.” Astrid held up her phone. “With the girls. They’re so excited for their pancake brunch—it’s their favorite.”
“And the only thing I can make from memory,” Tansy added, winking at Astrid who winked back.
What was all the winking about? Astrid and Tansy were up to something. But what? Mags was already walking an emotional tightrope, she wasn’t sure how she’d handle a surprise.
“The girls are so excited to be your flower girl and junior bridesmaid.” Astrid stood and came around the table. “I’m sure they’ll be extra bouncy today. Especially Nova.”
“I love Nova’s bounces. So does Bea.” Shelby put a few more pieces of cut up pancake on the high chair tray. “Don’t you, little Bea?”
“It’s a family wedding after all.” Camellia took this part seriously. She wanted every member of the family involved in the wedding—Mags was walking her down the aisle. “And little Bea will be the most precious ring-bearer ever.”
“She will.” Mags was quick to agree. But then, she was biased when it came to her granddaughter.
“It will be a wonderful wedding.” Tansy reached across to squeeze Camellia’s hand. “A magical, joyous occasion.”
The front door of the old house opened, followed by rapid footfalls, and the appearance of young Nova. “We’re here, we’re here.” She was out of breath, like she’d run the whole way. With a quick wave, she made a beeline to Astrid. She wound her arms around Astrid’s knees and hugged her tight.
“Good morning.” Camellia smiled as Nova ran over and planted a kiss on her cheek.
Halley, Nova’s big sister, came into the kitchen and froze. “Holy wow, is that the cake, Aunt Camellia?”
“It is.” Tansy winked.
“Halley?” Astrid smiled at the girl. “Anything else?”
“Oh, right.” Halley stepped aside, bouncing on her toes with excitement. “We brought an early present.”
Mags held her breath, hoping it wasn’t a string quartet or baskets of doves or butterflies or... It was Rosemary. Mags blinked, then looked again. She was here. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Rosemary, her youngest niece. She’d come home. Mags and Camellia were up, as one, running toward the new arrival—equal parts laughing and crying.
“You’re here.” Camellia hugged Rosemary close. “You’re really truly here.”
“Oh, darling girl.” Mags hugged Rosemary next. “What a wonderful surprise. I can’t believe everyone managed to keep this a secret.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Nova chimed in. “I had to keep my lips locked.” She mimed locking her lips and throwing the key over her shoulder.
“And you did great.” Astrid held Nova’s hand.
“I can’t believe it.” Camellia’s gaze wandered around the women in the kitchen. “We’re all here. All of Poppa Tom’s Bee Girls—under one roof at the same time. This is truly the best day of my life.”
Mags’s throat was too tight to speak.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Rosemary wrapped an arm around both Camellia and Mags and pulled them back in for another hug. Her words were soft and muffled but not so much that Mags didn’t hear the heartache. “It’s good to be home. To be here. I’ve missed you both so much. And your hugs—” Her words broke off and she took a deep, unsteady breath.
Rosemary’s tone set the hair on the back of Mags’s neck upright. Something was wrong. She could feel it but she had to be sure. Behind Rose’s head, Mags shot Camellia a worried glance—the same look Camellia was sending her. It wasn’t just her then.
Mags patted her niece’s back. “You’re home now. We’re here.” And, together, they could work through anything. Together, the Bee Girls were unstoppable.