Page 95 of Must Love Bees
“I’m so sorry for your loss. Rebecca was a character. She and Astrid were kindred spirits.” Camellia patted Astrid’s arm.
“Is that so?” Lindsay was wearing her hawklike expression again. Who was she hunting this time?
“Lindsay and I have some business to do while we’re here.” Theo shoveled a mouthful of pot roast into his mouth.
“Theo, dear.” Lindsay shot her husband a warning look.
“Oh? What do you do?” Tansy had caught the exchange, too.
“Real estate.” Theo didn’t seem to pick up on the panicked looks Lindsay was shooting his way. “Stinson Properties. A family business.”
“Stinson Properties?” Camellia set her fork down. “My goodness.”
Astrid was ramrod stiff now.
He should have said something. He should have told her about Stinson Properties and Lindsay but he didn’t want to be linked to any of it. Still, learning this way wasn’t right.
There was a stretch of silence before Dane asked, “I hear you’ve been offering to buy shops all along Main Street?”
“I think we’ve received some sort of communication?” Magnolia looked to Camellia for confirmation.
Camellia shrugged. “We’re not interested in selling. I think you’ll find most of the folk on Main Street unwilling.”
“We can be pretty persistent.” Lindsay was wearing her game face. Big smile, batting her eyelashes and oozing charm. “Can you blame us for wanting to be here? Honey is the sweetest little town. It’s like a small-town movie. Nice people and a warm and cozy aesthetic. So much potential.”
Charlie had a hard time controlling his smile. Potential? The people around this table loved their town as is. If she thought she was going to throw money at them and they’d welcome her with open arms, she was in for a shock.
“What are your plans for Honey?” Magnolia, like Dane, revealed no sign of concern or duress.
“Once we get the subdivision plans hammered out, we’ll be able to reach out to woo some bigger businesses in—inject money into the community. Add more jobs.” Theo stood and leaned forward, serving himself more pot roast. “Jobs are always a good thing.”
“Subdivision?” Astrid glanced his way.
Charlie shook his head. He didn’t know what they were talking about... Then it clicked and everything made sense. Soliciting shop owners. The survey crew on Rebecca’s property. The interest in Rebecca’s will. They wanted to put in a subdivision on her land? The land he’d been willing to sell to them? His stomach clenched tight. A subdivision? Next to Honey Hill Farms? Rebecca wouldn’t be happy. Neither would the Hills. Or the bees.
“Let’s not talk business at the dinner table.” Lindsay waved his question away. “Where are your girls?”
Charlie was still processing. “Bowling with friends.”
“How nice that they’ve made friends already.” Lindsay’s chuckle was forced. “Poor Charlie had a hard time making friends when he was little.”
Theo laughed. “A hard time?”
“It’s a good thing they take after their mother,” Charlie cut them off.
The silence that flooded the room was charged with tension.
Lindsay turned to Tansy. “I read up on your big contest win. Best honey and all that.” Lindsay set her utensils down, her food mostly uneaten. “But I’m confused. What does beekeeping consist of? Don’t bees automatically make honey?”
“They do.” Tansy propped her elbows on the table. “Our job isn’t just about the honey. It’s about keeping the bees healthy. Protecting them from pests. Making sure they have access to pollen and water—that sort of thing.”
“Two of our employees were attacked by bees,” Theo piped up. “Nasty stuff. One of them went into shock. Almost died.”
“That sounds dreadful.” Magnolia offered Theo the bowl of roasted potatoes. “In my experience, bees don’t attack unless they’re provoked. What happened?”
Theo added a heap of potatoes to his plate. “I wasn’t there. I can’t say.”
Astrid glanced at him again. This time, there was a hint of uncertainty on her face.
