Page 67 of Honey Be Mine
“Oh, what?” Leif asked. “Are we going to dinner already?”
“It’s too early.” Benji flopped onto one of the beds, wet swimsuit and all.
“I don’t think we’re invited.” Dane smiled. “Is this a date?”
Everett sighed. “Is it any of your business?”
“It’s a date.” Dane chuckled.
“With Rosemary?” Benji sat up. “Mom said you’ve been in love with Rosemary since you were little kids. She said you always wanted a big family like you grew up in, and you’ve been waiting for Rosemary so you could have that together.”
All this time, he thought he’d kept his business his business. As it turned out, he was a bigger fool than he realized. Everett shook his head. “She say anything else?”
“You’ve been waiting for herall this time?” Leif’s brows rose. “That’s some serious dedication.”
“I haven’t been waiting.” He sighed. He’d never waited for Rosebud. It just so happened that he’d never found another woman he could see a real future with. Hell, even if he could see a future with Rosebud, there was no guarantee that would happen.
“Mom did say you’ve dated everyone in three counties but you didn’t pick one because none of them compare to Rosemary.” Benji shrugged. “She tells me everything.”
Everett glared at Dane—who was laughing.
“You nervous?” Leif asked. “I’d be nervous.”
“You were—when you and Kerrielynn started dating you were all, ‘I hope she likes me,’ and ‘what if she doesn’t like me,’ and ‘what if I go in to kiss her and my breath stinks?’” Benji was laughing then.
“Whatever.” But Leif was grinning. “So, are you?”
All three of them were staring at him.
“I wasn’t,” he admitted, taking a deep breath and heading for the bathroom.
“Where are you going?” Dane asked.
“To brush my teeth. Again.” And he kicked the bathroom door behind him. It didn’t make a difference. Even after he finished brushing his teeth, they were still hooting with laughter.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“AREYOUOKAY?” Rosemary ran a cool washcloth over Astrid’s forehead. “What can I do?”
“Nothing.” Astrid sat on the bathroom floor—a telltale green cast to her skin. “I’ll be fine. I’m sorry to invade your bathroom, but Nova gets stressed out when I get sick.”
“That’s understandable.” Rosemary sat on the floor beside her. “She’s worried about you and Nuc, that’s all.”
Astrid smiled weakly, resting her head against the bathroom wall.
“Here.” Tansy came into the bathroom, a plastic cup in her hand. “Charlie said ginger ale helps.” She set the cup on the floor between Astrid and Rosemary and propped herself against the opposite wall.
“I love that man.” Astrid sighed. “Even if he did get me pregnant.”
Rosemary and Tansy both laughed at that.
“Not that I mind.” Astrid laughed, too, then groaned. She closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths. “My doctor’s given me a breathing technique to help with the nausea. Inhale through the mouth, hold it for three, then breathe out through the mouth.” She demonstrated.
“Is it helping?” Tansy asked, frowning.
“Sure is. Can’t you tell?” Astrid took another breath.
Rosemary and Tansy exchanged a concerned look.
