Page 48 of Bad at Love
But then I say, “Don’t you have to consult your Magic 8 Ball about this?” I let go of the zipper and take a clumsy step backward.
Moment. Ruined.
Laz doesn’t look too impressed. I expected him to smile but he looks vaguely annoyed more than anything. “I can if you want,” he says evenly.
I look away, chiding myself for making it all weird, and pick up the beekeeper hat and veil, shoving it into his hands. “Here. Put this on.”
He eyes it. “If this wasn’t part of the uniform, I’d think you were trying to tell me something.”
Well he definitely can’t kiss me through that thing. Added bonus.
“Wear it,” I tell him as I pick up my jacket and slip it on.
“Hey, how come you don’t have to wear the full suit,” he says as he awkwardly fumbles with the hat, turning it around and around. He has to zip it to his suit collar but I don’t dare go near him again, even with that veil between us.
“Because my jeans are good enough protection. I wouldn’t wear anything if I trusted you not to lose your shit.”
“I’m not going to lose my shit.” He fiddles with the zipper until it finally secures his hat in.
“Right,” I tell him, happy that the weird sexual tension between us has momentarily dissolved. I pull on my hat which is already attached to the back of the jacket like a hoodie and drag the veil across my face.
He’s smiling at me, his face slightly fuzzy because of the mesh.
“What?” I ask.
“I just had an image of you on your wedding day.”
“Oh?” My heart stills.
“Wearing a dress made out of bee suits with that exact same veil.”
“Very funny.”
“It is funny.” He throws out his arms. “Look at us. I feel like we’re astronauts in a fifties B-movie. Or should I say,bee-movie.”
I giggle. “Like we’re in This Island Earth,” I agree, one of our favorite movies thatMystery Science Theatre 3000has gotten their hands on. “Did you know that actor who plays the main dude, Cal, his name is Rex Reason?”
“Rex Reason,” he muses. “That should be my next stage name.”
“Or you could save it for the fourth date.”
“Fourth date?” he looks at me in surprise. “I didn’t know there would be one.”
Am I jumping ahead of myself here? Probably.
“Oh well I just figured after date number three we could try again with new personas, you know, since eventually we have to tackle what’s wrong withyou. Aside from the Magic 8 Ball making all your life’s decisions for you.”
“Don’t make me regret telling you that,” he says.
“Don’t make me regret telling you I’m a virgin.” I walk over and nudge him with my elbow. “Come on, let’s get this started.”
We head across the lawn to the first of the two hives, the girls shooting in and out. A few guard bees come out to inspect us as we get closer and Laz stops dead in his tracks, eyeing one as it buzzes at his veil. They’re having a staring contest.
“What do I do?” he whispers.
“Just act calm,” I tell him.
“They smell fear don’t they.”
