Page 67 of Brewing Temptation

“Yep, and the sooner you come to terms with that, the faster your life will—” Noel’s taunt drifted off as we made it through the forest onto the open stretch of cliff. Her pink lips parted, eyes round in what I could only describe as wonder, and for a minute, I slowed down to see what she did. Just greening up, the island stretched out to an abrupt edge, black rock shooting down into the sea, where it crashed against craggy boulders. Black sand beaches strewn in yellow, maroon, and green seaweed and sun-bleached driftwood served as a perimeter to great stretches of cliff—more would be visible during a real low tide. Beyond the channel, more jagged mountains rose, some protruding limbs of Mistyvale, but others were additional islands altogether. The sky and sea both mirrored a pale gunmetal blue, colliding on the horizon on an unusually cloudless day, while the blessed sun glimmered across the subtle waves. Beautiful. The isles were beautiful.

But they didn’t hold a candle to the way my Skittles’ brown eyes were glistening with unshed tears or the way her delicate, freckled fingers came to hover against her lips as she caught her breath. I wanted to say something, to check on her, but the others beat me to it.

“Welcome to the real Alaska, Noelli-Benelli,” Max said cheerily, slinging an arm over her shoulder and tightening my throat in one move. My sunbeam of a sister looped her arm around Noel’s waist, leaving me the observer on the outside looking in.

“You’re going to love summer,” I whispered, surprised when her glassy eyes slid to mine as she turned over her shoulder.

SIXTEEN

NOEL

Noel

The buzzies are drunkenly fornicating in the woods like they stumbled into fae wine.

Josie

Um. Excuse me?

Noel

I’m enduring bee heaven, which unfortunately equates to allergy hell.

Josie

I’m going to need more words, hun.

Noel

POLLEN. Pollen EVERYWHERE.

Josie

*laughing emoji* What?!

Vallie

Please hold, catching up.

Noel

It’s insane. I thought Florida had bad allergies.

Brexley

Because we do. All year.

Noel

Not like this. This is madness. MADNESS, I tell you. This shit is EVERYWHERE. And whilst bees are equipped with happy little bee butts and must be absolutely belligerent, my sinuses are experiencing something very different right now.

Vallie

Awe, we love to see happy little bee butts. Wren is learning beekeeping. Did I tell you that?

Noel

No! Does she love it? Oh my Lanta, of course, she loves it.

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