Page 76 of Honey Be Mine
“Who was that lady you were talking to?” Kerrielynn asked once the hugging was over. “She was one of the exam proctors.”
The woman who might help make Rosebud’s dreams come true.He swallowed. At least she’d be here in Texas.
“She has a serious RBF.” Halley shook her head.
“RBF?” Astrid asked.
Halley covered Nova’s ears. “Resting bitch face.” She lifted her hands.
Everett managed to cover his laugh with a cough once he saw the disapproval on Charlie’s face.
“Halley.” There was a gentle warning in Charlie’s voice.
“What? I didn’tusetheBword. I was only explaining what RBF meant.” Halley shrugged.
Charlie sighed, but smiled. “And now we all know.”
“What is that?” Nova asked, young and innocent.
Everett waited to see how this was going to play out.
“Nothing.” Charlie sighed, no longer smiling. “Teenager stuff.”
“Oh.” Nova nodded. “Teenagers are weird.”
That got everyone laughing.
“That’s Amanda Sifuentes, isn’t it?” Dane asked. “I think we’ve talked to her a few times, Tansy. The apiary program at Texas A&M?”
“Yes, that’s her.” Rosebud nodded. “She’s the dean of entomology there.” Rosebud glanced at the business card in her hand. “She was impressed with the lecture.”
Everett studied Rosebud’s face. Amanda Sifuentes had all but offered Rosebud a job. A big, important job from the sounds of it. That was the sort of thing he would expect Rosebud to share with her sisters. But she wasn’t. Did that mean she was leaning toward working with Voigt again? He hoped not but...Whatever she wants.
“The way you were throwing those fancy scientific words aroundwaspretty impressive,” Dane teased.
Rosebud rolled her eyes and laughed. “That was the goal.”
“How about we move this outside before Dr. Voigt gets to you?” Tansy glared across the room.
Sure enough, James Voigt was edging his way toward them.
“I am sort of curious if he was serious about the job,” Rosebud murmured as they headed out of the meeting room.
“You are?” Astrid’s eyes went round. “But...why?”
“Even after the sh...” Tansy glanced at Nova and shook her head, a V forming between her brows. “After what he did? Rose, why?”
“I believe in the goal of the project.” That was Rosebud, able to see the big picture. “We’ll all benefit from it.”
She nibbled on the inside of her lower lip—making it hard for Everett not to remember how her mouth felt beneath his. He sucked in a deep breath and stared at the geometric pattern in the hotel carpet at his feet.
“I’m not saying I could work with him again. I don’t know if I could.” Rosebud’s voice lowered. “I know that’s selfish—”
“Selfish?” Everett blurted out, his eyes finding hers. “Rosebud, that’s the last word anyone could ever use to describe you.”
The smile she gave him wobbled, and then her gaze fell from his.
His chest collapsed in on itself. What was going on inside that head of hers? He needed to know—soon.
