Page 30 of Must Love Bees
His throat tightened. So did his chest. The ache that hollowed out his stomach caught him off guard. Her gaze lowered and focused on the zipper but the ache remained.
Astrid’s cheeks were a rosy pink. “She doesn’t suit up anymore.” She swallowed. “My aunt. I think that’s why she’s not quick to order more. I mean, every once in a blue moon she does... It’s really stuck.” She pulled the fabric tighter. “It’s not an easy fix, either. The fabric is so thick you can’t switch out the zippers unless you have a heavy-duty sewing machine. Even then, there’s a chance you’ll bend a needle.” Finally, the zipper gave. Astrid’s smile was pure relief. “There we go.” She patted his chest before pulling her hand back as if the contact had burned her. “You should be able to take it from there.” She stepped aside, braiding the curling strands that framed her face, then braiding those into larger braids to keep them up.
Charlie could see the red bump on the back of her neck from here. It had to hurt. It looked like it did.
“But they left? The men?” Halley asked, peering out the window. “You’re sure?”
“There is another gate down the road. I’m not sure if there’s any sort of lock on it.” Astrid went to her suit, picked it up and carried it out the back door to drape it over the porch railing. When she came in, she pulled the door closed behind her. “But when I go back out, I’ll make sure they’re gone and the gate is secured.”
It was unlikely that Trey was still hanging around but he didn’t like the idea.He had no doubt Astrid would do as she said but this place wasn’t her responsibility. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Deal.” She smiled an all too sunny smile but didn’t make eye contact with him. “I’ll take care of the bees.”
He swallowed.
“Astrid, why did you leave your honey bee-keeping suit thingy out there?” Nova asked.
“There’s honey, wax and all sorts of stuff on it. If the bees smell the honey and come to investigate, I’d rather they stayed outside.” Astrid turned to him and held out her hand. “I can take yours out.”
Charlie handed over the suit, unable to ignore the spot on her neck as she carried his suit out to hang next to hers. The red stood out, almost angry, against her pale skin. There had to be something she could take? A cream she could use? One tiny sting didn’t compare to Trey’s face but, still, it bothered him.
“Charlie.” Nova nudged him. “Staring.”
He nodded. “Thanks,” he murmured. It was time to change the subject. “It’s hot out there. How about some lemonade.”
“Yes.” Nova clapped her hands and carried two tall glasses to the table. “You sit.” She tugged on Charlie’s hand until he sat. “You, too, Astrid.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She sat. “Thank you.”
Halley carried the large pitcher to the table. “It’s fresh.” She set the pitcher down. “Ice.” She carried the cups back to the freezer and scooped ice into them. “There.”
Charlie poured Astrid and himself each a tall glass of lemonade.
“It looks delicious. Thank you.” Astrid gave him a little salute and took a sip.
“Cookies.” Halley disappeared into the pantry.
Astrid sipped her lemonade, cleared her throat, then set the glass down. Her face... She was warning him of something. She looked meaningfully at the lemonade.
He glared at her but she only shook her head. With raised brows, he took a sip—and promptly set his glass down. His tongue was stinging. He didn’t drink lemonade often but he didn’t remember it being so...salty. He peered into the perfectly normal-looking glass of lemonade, then looked at Astrid.
Astrid’s look was one hundred percentI told you so.
“Here.” Halley appeared with an unopened box of frosted oatmeal cookies. “Nova hid these in the bottom of the grocery cart so Charlie didn’t see them.”
“I saw them,” he grumbled, reaching into the box for a cookie.
“Whatever.” Halley got two smaller cups from the cabinet. “Here, Nova.”
All four of them sat at the table, munching cookies and smiling at one another. Charlie watched as Astrid downed the majority of her lemonade before inhaling a cookie. He admired her efforts but there was no way he was going to follow her lead.
“You don’t like it?” Nova was staring at his cup.
The earnestness on her face had him doing something he rarely did—lie. “I do.”
“You’re not drinking it.” Nova tapped the glass.
Fine. If Astrid could do it, he could do it. As Charlie lifted his glass, Nova smiled.
