Page 108 of Must Love Bees
“Why can’t you have Astrid, too?” Halley sounded impatient. “You call me stubborn.”
“You should tell her, Charlie.” Nova sighed. “Even if you do mess things up, that doesn’t mean she’ll stop loving you.”
“Yeah, Nova and I still love you and you’ve messed up,” Halley pointed out.
“A lot.” Nova used her not-so-whispery voice.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He flopped onto the couch. “You two are exhausting.”
“We’reexhausting?” Halley sat beside him.
Nova hopped up on the other side of him. “Maybe, if we have Astrid, we don’t need all the other stuff as much?”
Charlie ran a hand over his face. She talked to her toys, but she might have a point. Even if he did decide to take the advice of his five-and thirteen-year-old daughters, he didn’t know where to start.
He shook his head. This was ridiculous. He’d made up his mind...
Astrid had invited them to the Junior Beekeeping meeting at five o’clock. He glanced at the clock. It was five now. “Get your shoes on.” He didn’t know what he was going to do or say, only that he was going to Dane’s observation deck to watch bees—and find Astrid. After that, he had no idea. He grabbed the envelope from Mr. Delaney’s office and his keys. But, by the time he had dino-Nova and Halley in the car, he was a mix of nervous and excited. He only hoped Nova was right and Astrid still loved him—that she could forgive him for unwittingly being a part of his sister’s development plans. He hoped she felt even a fraction of the love he felt for her.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AFEWBEESBUZZEDlazily 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.
