Page 110 of Must Love Bees
“Oh, I get it.” Nova gave Tansy a thumbs-up. “It’s not scary.”
Astrid shifted from one foot to the other, trying to put more space between Charlie and herself. There was no help for it. With so many people vying to see, she was pinned between him and Nova. There was no way to ignore his scent or the brush of his breath against her neck. When he laughed, her insides went molten. It took everything she had not to lean into him. He was right there.
The exhibition dragged on and her patience was wearing thinner by the minute.
Nova and Halley were both mesmerized when Benji carried one of the frames close. Bees scurried back and forth and covered the wooden frame. The hum was audible. Nova covered her ears. But Halley leaned forward to get a closer look.
When Astrid moved to give Nova space, she wound up stepping on Charlie’s foot. “Sorry,” she murmured, jumping and onto his other foot. “Oh, sorry.”
He laughed, one hand resting against her back. “As long as it was an accident, it’s okay.”
He was teasing her? She glanced over her shoulder at him. Why wouldn’t he tease her, nothing had changed—for him. She couldn’t deny the appeal of his smile. She loved his smile. His gaze was all intensity and heat. The current between them was as strong as ever, holding her in place, staring up at him, wanting so much more than he was willing to give her.
He swallowed hard, his gaze falling to her lips.
Oh, Charlie.Her heart took off, doing its best to thunder its way out of her chest.No, wait.It was actual thunder. She stared at the clouds on the horizon.
“Looks like we’re finishing right on time.” Dane shielded his eyes. “Tansy and I will take it from here. Thanks for coming out tonight.”
“Astrid.” Nova clung to her hand. “Is it going to be a bad storm?”
Astrid scooped her up, again. “I don’t think so. We need the rain. The bees need it, too.” She gave the little girl a big smile. “Poppa Tom used to tell me that thunder was when the clouds went bowling.”
Nova giggled. “Clouds can bowl?”
“I don’t know.” Astrid shrugged. “But it does sort of sound like it.” She carried Nova to their car. “In you go.”
A gentle rain started. “Can I drive you home?” Charlie’s smile hurt to look at.
She stared up at the sky. “I should help Tansy and Dane.”
Charlie looked over her shoulder. “It looks like they’re done.” His shirt was getting wet, and water dripped off the end of his hair.
She tore her gaze from his and looked back. The hives were closed and there was no sign of her sister or Dane. “I guess so.”
He opened the passenger door. What was she doing? She wanted to go with him. She wanted him to smile at her and kiss her and hold her like she was everything to him. If Nova and Halley weren’t in the back seat, she’d be kissing him. Instead of losing one second of the time with him, she should make the most of it. She’d deal with her heartbreak once he was gone.
THEWINDSHIELDWIPERSsqueaked as they slid back and forth across the glass. Charlie was struggling with the beginnings of a panic attack. And the rain was picking up.
“That’s really annoying,” Halley sounded off from the back seat.
Nova imitated the sound of the windshield wipers.
“You sound just like it,” Halley laughed. “I wonder if making funny sounds is, like, a job? If so, you’ll be a millionaire.”
“I’ll get everyone a tiny donkey. Like Chickwy.” Nova started laughing.
“Chicory?” Halley asked.
“Yep.” Nova sighed.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Astrid smile—before it faltered. She was still worried about Camellia. “How did the visit with Camellia go?”
“She was happy to see me.” She turned, smiling at the girls. “Eager to come home, of course. But she’s made friends with all the nurses and doctors, of course. Oh, and she told me she’d made a special raspberry and honey tart, just for you girls. And to tell you to pet the dogs and cats for her.”
“Do we need to feed Chockry and Dandelion, too?” Nova asked.
“Chicory,” Halley mumbled.
