Page 11 of Must Love Bees
Rapid footfalls announced the little girl’s imminent arrival.
“Astrid?” Nova smiled up at her. “Hi.” She turned to look up at Dane. “Who are you?” She cocked her head to one side. “You look like that superhero with the hammer. The one with the lightning eyes and fingers.” She wiggled her fingers.
“Thor?” Charlie gave Dane a thorough assessment. “No, he doesn’t.”
Dane hated the constant Thor comparisons so Charlie’s quick refusal won major brownie points with him. “I know.” He shook his head. “I don’t get it.”
“Well, I think you do. And I think he’s cool.” Nova rocked forward onto the balls of her feet, swinging Scorpio back and forth. “We’re playing Sorry. And I’m winning.”
More footsteps and Halley arrived. “Hey, Astrid.” She glanced at Dane. “Hey. Are you Astrid’s boyfriend?”
Astrid shook her head. “No. No. Dane’s my sister’s boyfriend.” She pointed at the truck. “My sister. She’s on the phone at the moment.”
“Is she on the phone all the time, too?” Nova asked Dane in her not-so-soft-whisper voice. “Does she have important work to do, too?” She stared up at Charlie then, smiling.
Charlie didn’t smile back but one dark brow did arch up. “Who is not on the phone but playing Sorry with you?”
“You are.” Nova rocked forward again, still smiling. “And I’m winning.”
“It’s a big deal that she’s winning.” Halley rolled her eyes.
Astrid had to smile then. The eye-roll thing was a signature Tansy move. “Sorry is one of my favorite games. Monopoly, too.”
“Monopoly takes too long.” Halley shot a glance at Charlie—as if that explained everything.
It did. She glanced at him. Now both eyebrows were elevated and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Astrid wasn’t sure what to make of the man’s expression but she found herself saying, “Well, I like Monopoly. You and Halley are always welcome at Honey Hill Farms. If you’d like to play.” As soon as the words were out, she regretted them.
Halley glanced at Charlie, silent but hopeful—it was written all over her face.
“I would like that lots and lots and lots.” Nova clapped her hands, Scorpio bouncing around, as she sort of hopped up and down. “Can we, Charlie? Can we? Please?”
“We’ll see,” Charlie murmured. “We should get back to the game. I have a conference call in thirty minutes.” The crease between his brows deepened and the corners of his mouth drooped as both the girls seemed to deflate.
Astrid wasn’t sure who to feel sorriest for—Charlie or the girls.
“Maybe Astrid can come play with us here?” Nova asked. “Then you can work and not worry about us.” She held up Scorpio to her ear. “Scorpio thinks that is the best idea.”
“I’d like that,” Astrid agreed, wanting to ease the awkwardness between the man and his stepdaughters. She had no idea what their circumstances were but, after listening to the girls and watching Charlie’s interaction with them, she knew things were strained. “Sometime...” Agreeing to come visit wasn’t quite as bad as inviting the girls over without consulting Charlie first, was it? Maybe it was. But how was she supposed to resist Nova when she was asking so nicely?
Charlie Driver looked at her then, really looked at her. It was almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. Was he upset that she’d invited herself over? She wasn’t sure. Considering how reserved he was, this could be the equivalent of a death glare. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the somber, brooding man wasn’t frigid so much as he was guarded.
But from what and why?
Astrid resisted the urge to reassure him she was a truly nice person with no ulterior motives. She’d been more than welcoming to him and the girls. Now it was up to him to accept her and any or all of her invitations. She hoped he would, for the girls’ sake. If he didn’t want to be her friend, so be it. But she could tell by the looks on their faces that the girls did.And, since they’re bored and lonely and precious, I should keep trying—for their sake.
CHARLIEDIDN’TNEEDHalley or Nova to tell him he was staring at Astrid. He knew. He was staring and he couldn’t seem to stop. Here they’d been having a somewhat enjoyable game of Sorry and this woman showed up. With reinforcements. Why? What did they want?
Not only did he not appreciate them showing up without an invitation, he didn’t like that she seemed clueless to the fact that her presence wasn’t welcome. Did he need to explain it to her? That this set a bad precedent? Dropping by, unannounced and uninvited, might be what people did here in Honey but he would never dare to invade someone’s home that way. And now Astrid had gone and offered to come visit them here—without talking to him first. He didn’t like being manipulated or getting the girls’ hopes up only to lead to disappointment.
“Sorry.” Another woman joined them on the front porch. “Tansy, Astrid’s sister.” She shook Charlie’s hand. “My aunt called. She’s at the store so...” She broke off, glancing around the porch.
Probably because it’s getting awkward as hell out here.He’d done it. He always did it. He didn’t know how to do the conversing-with-strangers thing—them showing up like this only made it worse. If he’d had some kind of notice, he might have been prepared. No. He’d still be awkward and irritated.
Halley’s sigh snapped him out of it. She had the disappointed sigh down.
“Charlie Driver,” he mumbled.
Tansy nodded. “And I’m guessing you’re Nova and you’re Halley? Astrid has been talking about you two all afternoon.”
