Page 32 of Honeycombs & Homecomings

“And here I thought the line outside your store was big,” Cynthia said. Jo could practically see dollar signs flashing across the woman’s eyes.

Jo swallowed hard. “Yeah, the festival has an enormous draw every year. People come from all over the country to take part. It helps that Harvest Ranch is such a beautiful town. So much to see and do. Come on, I’ll show you the booth.” She led them around the back, grasping tighter to Cash as she went. Her cousins knew who Cash was, so she left the three behind the tent, and quickly ducked inside to explain.

Kathy was on her in an instant. “Who was that hot guy you were holding hands with?” Her nineteen-year-old enthusiasm came off her in waves like those made by nukes.

Jo fell back a step.

Jessie was now ringing people up as Caroline fetched the orders. Caroline grabbed two jars of the royal jelly face cream and answered Kathy as she walked past. “That was Cash Evans.”

“Who?” Kathy asked.

Jessie turned toward them as Caroline bagged the creams. “He was only the most sought-after guy in Harvest Ranch a decade and a half ago, and if he’s back and not married,” she turned a knowing gaze on Jo, “he’ll be the most sought after again.”

Jo huffed. She had to get this back on point—even though it’d never been on point. “He’s not back. He’s visiting. Also, for the next fifteen minutes, I’m Allie and Cash is Tony, got it? I’ll explain later.”

Caroline stopped mid-rap. Jessie spun all the way to face her and placed her hands on her hips.

“Why on earth—” Kathy started, but before she could finish that thought, Jo pushed back out of the tent.

“All right, they’re ready for us,” Jo said, holding the flap back so the Warners could pass.

Cash leaned down next to her before entering. “They know?”

She nodded.

“That’s my girl,” he said before ducking in himself.

She swallowed the nervous flutters that’d caused and reminded herself this was all for show. A favor between friends.

***

Cash couldn’t have been prouder of Jo if he’d tried. Something in her had changed the moment he’d pulled her aside in front of the Blue Shadow Café. A new courage that had laid dormant for who knows how long had burst forth when she remembered that she had in fact been the one to not only come up with the idea for the honey company but also the name.

She’d jumped into the role of Allie with ease, and no one watching her would be the wiser, but Cash could still see the truth. She wasn’t really pretending to be Allie, she was just being herself a little less inhibited.

They stepped into the booth and Jessie gave him a knowing wink while Caroline had merely smiled. He hadn’t seen either of them since they’d been young teens, but looking at them now, he could tell they were much the same as they’d been then. The only difference is they’d been cute then and now were stunning women.

He bet their dad had to chase boys away with a stick when they were in high school. He’d missed so much here. His gaze fell on Jo as her enthusiasm flowed out of her.

She introduced everyone, pointing at her cousins and her employee, Kathy, before she led them to shelves with the products. They had fresh baked bread that Allie had made the night before and her cousins had brought over, along with different crackers so the Warners could try each of the honeys on what it paired best with. She’d planned this to the letter. Jo loved this company so much and it was easy to see in every word, and in the moments when she said nothing at all and let the honey do the talking for her.

Cash watched her with bated breath, trying to remember the days when he’d felt this excited about his restaurants. Because he had felt this way at one point, but everything had become so routine, he’d forgotten this feeling—that it existed and the enthusiasm it brought to the work.

Not that he didn’t love his restaurants and cooking, and not that he didn’t have pride for what he’d done, for what he was doing and achieving, because he did. But in watching Jo, it hit him that what he was missing was that excitement and joy in creating and sharing something new and exciting with the world.

He’d come home to find something he’d been missing—something that he felt lacking in his life, and within a couple of days, Jo had brought it all back to him. He remembered now what it was he wanted. He wanted that same emotion she was exhibiting, the kind of emotion that he’d used to have.

He leaned against the table, off to the side, and watched her—never taking his eyes off her, not wanting to miss one minute of her enthusiasm. While the Warners were trying yet another honey, she glanced over at him catching him staring, and he couldn’t have cared less. The smile on her face fell, and she blushed from the roots on her red head all the way down her neck. She turned her back on him.

“These are delicious,” Ryan said. “I love honey, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here, but until I tried this, I saw that line and thought those people were crazy.”

Jo grinned. “You learned your lesson, huh?”

Ryan took another bite. “I did,” he mumbled with bread and honey in his mouth.

Cash came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. He waited for her to stiffen as she had before, but she didn’t. Instead, she leaned into him and this time Cash shuddered.

“This raw raspberry is to die for,” Cynthia said.

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