Page 26 of The Sweetest Thing
According to the club roster, the club was made up of fourteen middle school and high school students. And, right now, all of them were inspecting Leif and him with wide-eyed curiosity.
“Mr. Knudson.” Tansy stood behind a long table stacked high with cookies and tiny cakes and a large jug of what looked like lemonade. “I brought snacks.” Her hazel-green eyes barely glanced his way. “Leif.” She waved his brother forward, smiling brightly. “You have to try one of Aunt Camellia’s honey-orange cupcakes.”
Dane studied her, his stomach flooding with an odd mix of dread and anticipation. That smile was...something. A good start, sort of. Not that it was for him, but still.
Leif glanced at him, then Tansy, then the snacks. With a shrug, Leif headed for the table. His brother never passed up food.
Dane headed to the table to survey the treats, too. If Camellia Hill had made them, they’d be too good to pass up. He picked up a napkin—resisting the urge to give Tansy grief over the fact that it had a honeycomb print—and reached for a cake.
“How are you? Excited about tonight’s meeting?” Tansy sounded surprisingly enthusiastic.
It took effort to swallow back his usual sarcasm. “Well... I’m...” Dane glanced up in time to realize she wasn’t talking to him, she was talking to Leif.
“Um...” Leif said around a bite of cookie. “Sure.”
“Good.” Tansy smiled, leaning forward to whisper. “I think we’re going to need all the extra hands we can get when we paint the barn. The younger members outnumber us.”
Leif shoved the rest of the cookie in his mouth and nodded, looking confused.
Dane knew the feeling. He brought out the worst in Tansy, so her soft tone of voice and seemingly sincere smile triggered all sorts of uneasiness.Not that any of it’s for me.
“Tansy, I’m so glad you’re here.” A young girl stepped up, clipboard held against her chest. “When Mrs. Franks said you’d agreed to take over leading the club, um, I was so, so excited. I know how busy you are but there is no one who knows more about bees and beekeeping and honey than you.” She smiled, showing a metal retainer and straight white teeth. “Oh, um, you, too, Mr. Knudson,” she hurried to add as she turned to acknowledge him.
Dane chuckled, recognizing a case of hero worship when he saw it.
Leif made a weird gasping sound, then started to cough.
“I was happy to do it. Don’t sell yourself short, Kerrielynn. You’ve worked out at the farm the last couple of honey flows—you know your way around a hive.” Tansy, again with the warm, disconcerting smile of hers.
Kerrielynn lit up from Tansy’s praise. “Thanks to you.”
Leif cleared his throat.
“Oh, and I looked over your application and,” Tansy sort-of whispered, “I’d say you’re a strong contender for Texas Honey Queen next year.”
Leif kept on coughing so Dane offered him a cup of lemonade.
The girl, Kerrielynn, turned pink and hugged the clipboard close. “Oh, I hope so. It would be...it would beeverything, you know? It would be such an honor.” She paused, turning to a still-coughing Leif. “Are you okay, Leif?”
Dane was beginning to wonder the same thing.
Leif nodded, but at the look of sheer panic on his face, Dane handed him another glass of lemonade. Leif shook his head, doing his best not to cough—and managing a shaky breath.
“Ohmygosh. Are you choking?” Kerrielynn hurriedly tossed her clipboard aside and came around the table. “I’m CPR certified.”
Leif took a deep, ragged breath and moved back.
Dane wasn’t sure what was wrong but his brother was breathing.
Kerrielynn wasn’t convinced, stepping closer to Leif.
“No.” Leif held his hand out. “No.” He cleared his throat and swallowed, hard. “Fine,” he managed, coughing again, and stepping farther away from Kerrielynn.
“Are you sure?” The girl was truly worried.
“Yes.” The word sort of exploded out of Leif. “I... I...” He cleared his throat and swallowed down the glass of lemonade Tansy offered him. “I’m sure.”
Kerrielynn stared at him.
