Page 41 of Honey Bee Hearts

Callie’s eyes go round. “You’d do that for me?”

“In any color,” Fable nods.

Callie squeals and leaps into Fable’s arms. I tense, not because Fable looks unsteady for a minute, but because she’s close to Callie. I trust very few people with my daughter, and while Fable is slowly earning her way onto that list, it still puts me on edge.

“Alright, alright. It’s time to go,” Rhett declares, clapping his hands together. I notice he’s a little more clean cut tonight, a little more put together. Seems like he’s trying to make an impression on our guest.

I stand and glance at Callie. “Make sure you’re in bed by midnight.”

“Yeah, okay,” Callie answers with a roll of her eyes. “Make sure you don’t come home puking like last time. You’re cleaning up whatever mess you make.”

I gasp in fake offense. “I always clean up my mess!” She levels me with a look, and I hold up my hands in surrender. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

She nods. “Good. Have fun, Fable!”

I immediately go over to Fable and offer her my arm. She takes it, her cheeks flushing and highlighting those pretty freckles dusting her cheeks. Rhett isn’t the only one who’s dressed up for the night. I’m wearing my nicest jeans and button down. I even cleaned up my boots and hat. I notice Colt looks just as perfect as always though. The man barely knows how to not look pristine. I always figured it was because of the rules he’d had to follow as a cop, but that ain’t true since he was like that even as a kid. I think he’s just like that, always presentable. It’s a kind of mask, just like Rhett’s smile is, just like my pranks are. ‘Bout the only one who don’t wear a mask around here is Trent,but he stays away from people in general. No need for a mask if you don’t ever go anywhere.

Once we’re out at the truck, I pat Fable’s hand where she has it wrapped around my forearm. “You didn’t have to do that,” I offer.

I don’t think she realizes how much it means to me that she humors Callie. She’s always loved the idea of making clothes, but I don’t know how to sew to teach her. I’d tried to learn, but I’m shit at it. Colt’s too busy to teach her and Rhett and Trent don’t know the ass end of a needle, so we’d been kind of hopeless trying to find a way to encourage her creativity. And then here comes Fable, making her own clothes and costumes, and Callie probably now thinks she hung the moon in the sky. The fact that Fable is willing to make her something unique means so much, I can’t even express it.

“I know I didn’t,” Fable answers. “I really don’t mind.”

“I’ll give you some money for the materials?—”

“Nonsense,” she cuts me off. “I already have everything I need, and I enjoy what I do.” She smiles brightly up at me, and something inside me shifts at the way she looks right now. Fuck, if we weren’t standing next to Rhett and Colt right now, I’d kiss her. I ain’t ever had the urge to so strong before.

“Well, I appreciate it,” I finally say. “She has a sense for fashion, but she doesn’t have anyone to share it with.”

“She’s always welcome to come hang out with my while I’m making stuff. I can show her what I know.”

Oh, what the fuck? Now I suddenly have a frog in my throat. Shit. Change the subject. Don’t let the emotion out. What was that song Callie used to sing from her movie? Conceal, don’t feel? Yeah, that’s it.

“She’d like that,” I say, my voice a little rougher than I’d like.

Rhett goes to climb in the driver’s seat, and I jerk my head up. “Nope. Fable drives. You know that.”

“Oh! Right,” Rhett nods and instead opens the door wider and gestures for Fable to get up in it. “Your chariot, m’lady.”

She laughs and moves over to get up in Rhett’s dually.

“What?” Colt says, confused. I realize we probably haven’t told him since he hasn’t ridden in a vehicle with Fable yet. “Why?”

“She’s gotta drive, man. Just let her,” I say, helping Fable up before closing the door and moving to the backseat. Rhett already ran around to the passenger seat. Since it’s his truck, I can’t very well argue.

Colt glances over at Fable and she grimaces. “Ummm. . . it’s a long story. I’m sorry if it’s inconvenient. I just?—”

“I’m fine with it,” Rhett shrugs, cutting off her nervous rambling. “Colt doesn’t mind.”

Colt climbs into the back seat and slides over into the middle beside me. I glance at him weirdly. “You tryin’ to cuddle or somethin’?”

“Trent’s coming,” he replies.

My eyes widen the same time as Rhett wrenches around in his seat. “Since when does Trent come with us?” he asks.

Colt grins and nods his head toward Fable. She misses the look while she adjusts Rhett’s seat, but we sure don’t.

“Ah,” Rhett says with a grin. “Apparently, we’ve all got the same idea.”

---