Page 40 of Honey Bee Hearts

Gunnar

“So what does this mean?” Callie asks, pointing to an equation I ain’t ever seen in my life.

“Shit,” I grunt, running my hand across my forehead. “No idea. Should we google?”

Callie levels me with her deadpan stare, the same look her mom used to be able to flash at me. Of course, she didn’t do it much at the end. She was barely aware of the world around her by that point. That was six years ago. We weren’t together. Hell, Callie barely had a relationship with her since she chose drugs over her own daughter, but the both of us still felt the loss like a ton of bricks. Shit like that don’t happen in Steele often, and when it does, it’s the talk of the town. Drugs never used to be an issue here, but like many small towns, it leached in. Now, it’s not uncommon to see kids smoking a joint behind the Cowpoke Kitchen. It’s not uncommon to see a used needle out beside the Dusty Spur, a little hole-in-the-wall bar down the road from the Boot Skoot. It’s even pretty easy to get, much to my dismay.

“We can’t google every question,” Callie argues, frowning at the homework. “We covered this in class. Why is this so hard?”

“Beats me,” Rhett answers where he stands leaning against the doorframe. “I think homework should be illegal.”

“Uncle Rhett has a point,” Callie declares. “I say we petition the mayor. This is a travesty!”

I can’t help but smile at her. “Travesty” is her new favorite word of the week. I think I’ve heard her use it at least five times today. Her dress seam coming unraveled? A travesty. The school bus running behind a few minutes? Travesty. And now her homework? All travesties.

“Yes, but until it’s illegal, you gotta do it,” I say pointing to the equation. “Google these. You know that new stuff will even show you how it solves it. It’s helpful. Just don’t use it for every question once you know how to do it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Callie grumbles. “Uncle Colt says math is for heathens. I don’t even need math if I wanna be a fashion designer.”

“You need to be able to do measurements,” I reason. “So yes, you need math. Even Uncle Colt needs math.” I shoot a glare over at Colt where he stands by the wall who only grins. Just like him to tell Callie math is useless. She needs to do good in school, so she has every opportunity to get out of this town if she wants to. There ain’t any fashion designers in Wyoming. If she wants to be great, she’s gotta go somewhere great.

A knock on the door draws all of our eyes. My brows shoot up at the sight of Fable standing in the doorway, her cheeks flushed at the sudden attention on her.

“I’m ready for the honkytonk,” she says shyly.

I whistle because hot damn! When she says she’s ready, she means it. I was looking forward to her outfit and she sure didn’t disappoint. She’s wearing acid washed blue jeans, a few tears in the knees that I know came with the purchase rather than actually being worn. A large belt buckle with a horseshoe on it highlights her hips. A plain t-shirt is tucked into the front ofher jeans, so the belt buckle is showcased. But the jacket she’s wearing? I’ve seen buckle bunnies less bedazzled than she is. The jacket is chrome-colored leather, hot pink fringe lining the arms and along the back. The hat on her head is like a disco ball and has to weigh a ton but she holds her chin up. Her hair floats softly around her shoulders, perfect for threading fingers into.

“Give us a spin,” Rhett commands, grinning.

She does so, holding out her arms and spinning. On the back of the jacket, hot pink bedazzled letters spell out “Cowgirl”.

Callie gasps and stands. “I absolutely love your jacket!”

“Thanks,” Fable answers. “I made it.”

I blink in surprise. “You made that?”

“Yes?” she answers, but it sounds like a question more than anything else. “I’ve been making all of my clothes.”

I notice Colt doesn’t look surprised, so he must have already asked. Her costumes? She’s been making all of them? Holy shit!

Rhett frowns. “Like you worked on them for months?”

“No. This jacket I finished up literally a few hours ago. It took me two days, though I did have the pieces for it cut prior to coming here. I’m a pretty fast stitcher. I didn’t make the jeans I’ve been wearing, but I made my outfits for the last couple of days.”

“You’re just in there making whole ass outfits?” I ask. “And helping on the ranch at the same time?”

Colt straightens. “I didn’t realize you were making them that fast.”

“Well, I mentioned I like cosplay?—”

“But you didn’t mention you were making them,” Rhett says, surprise still on his face. “They don’t look homemade at all!”

“Well. . . thank you?” she answers nervously.

“I think you look amazing,” Callie says, gushing. “I want a jacket just like that. It’s so pretty!”

Fable comes further into the room and leans down when she’s close to Callie. “I can make you one if you’d like.”

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