Page 12 of Honey Bee Hearts

“Now, wait there,” Gunnar orders before kicking his door open and hoping out. I watch as he runs around to the driver’s door and pulls it open before he offers his hand. I take his hand without complaint and let him help me out. Then he pops open the back door and grabs my bags from inside.

“I’ll have to introduce you to everyone here in a bit. Rhett might finish up with the bees first, though, so he may be the one who comes knockin’,” he rattles off as he picks up my bags with ease and leads me toward a miniature version of the house off to the side. It’s clearly meant to be a cabin and is newly built, but someone went through the trouble to make sure it matched the original.

“So there are actual bees here?” I ask, curious.

“Of course,” he grins. “This is Circle Bee Ranch, after all. Honey is one of our main trades.” He leads me to the small house and pulls a key from his pocket before unlocking it. He hands me the key and I look down at the cute keychain with the ranch brand from the gate and the words “Circle Bee Ranch” on it. “We have it set up for two, but since it’s just you, make yourself at home however you’d like,” he continues as he carries my bags inside. “I have to run for a bit, but I’ll be back. If you need anything, just go on up to the main house and someone will help. There’s always someone around. Try not to wander until someone explains the rules.”

“Rules?” I ask, studying him.

“Just basic stuff,” he shrugs. “But important to know on a working ranch.” He tips his hat to me. “See you soon, Fable Everhart.”

And then he’s gone, leaving me standing in a strange cabin to stare at two perfectly made beds. Jinx appears sitting on the edge of the bed closest to the door. The comforter doesn’t even crinkle, but she sits as she always did, her legs crossed like a kid.

“I call the bed by the door, so I can run fast if someone comes in the window,” she declares.

I smile. “I call the bed by the window so if they come in the door, they get you first.”

Jinx grins and disappears, leaving me to stand in the cabin alone, the ringing in my ears growing. I sit down on the floor right where I stand and cradle my face in my hands.

The loneliness closes in on me.

Chapter 8

Trent

Iwatch Gunnar lead the woman inside before popping back out again, his eyes flickering back to the cabin a few times as he jogs over to me.

“Did I see her driving your truck?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Gunnar nods. “She mentioned not being able to ride in the back seat and I jokingly asked if she wanted to drive. She accepted.”

“And you let her?” I ask, surprised. “You don’t even let Colt drive it.”

“Colt drives like a lunatic,” Gunnar points out. “Besides, she seemed genuinely worried about riding. She drove real slow. Took us twice as long to get here. I think she has some sort of past history with driving or something.”

My arms fold across my chest. “The barn locked?”

“Yeah, the parts that need to be,” he nods. “But she seems like she won’t be trouble. Quiet even. And her friend didn’t come. So it’s just her.”

I sigh. “This is a bad idea.”

“She prepaid,” he reminds me, as if I need the reminder. Rhett had already walked me through the entire reason multipletimes despite me thinking it’s a bad idea. “We gotta do what we gotta do.”

I want nothing to do with her. I don’t plan on interacting at all unless I have to. Lucky for me, no one will force me to do anything anyway. I can hide out in my garage and ignore the woman for a month. It shouldn’t be that difficult. My curiosity be damned.

“You talked to Colt yet?” I ask.

Gunnar tenses. “No. Why?”

“He said there’re some things that need to be handled and it’s your turn.”

Gunnar swears, his bright expression turning sour. “Can you make sure Rhett or Colt show her around?”

“No,” I refuse.

“Then it’syouwho has to show her around and tell her the rules,” Gunnar growls.

My face scrunches up. “I’ll tell Rhett.”

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