“I haven’t seen him.” Dane eyed the roast Van was wrapping with concern. Maybe he should have explained how limited his cooking skills were a little more clearly.
“Everett’s looking for someone to help out with the Junior Beekeepers Club for a while. And the education booth at the Honey Festival, I think. Lorna Franks...” Van paused. “You know Lorna Franks?”
“I know Lorna.” Lorna Franks had been Leif’s teacher last year—Dane had many a teacher conference with the woman. He took the white-paper-wrapped roast Van placed on the countertop.
“She’s about ready to have that baby and Everett needs coverage until she’s back.” Van started wrapping up some chicken breasts now. “From the looks of it, Miss Hill is willing to help out but I’m pretty sure Everett’ll need all the help he can get—with the festival around the corner and all.”
Don’t ask. Don’t ask.He took the chicken breasts. “Which Miss Hill?”
“Tansy.” Van grinned, pointing. “She’s a sweet girl, that one.”
Sweet? Not the first word that springs to mind for Tansy. Dane glanced in the direction Van pointed. Sure enough, Tansy and Camellia were caught up in what looked like deep conversation with Everett Taggert, Regional Parks and Recreation manager.
“Those Hills are good people. Helpful and kind, always polite and smiling.” There was a wistfulness to Van Kettner’s voice that snagged Dane’s attention. “That Camellia Hill, especially.” Van shook his head. “If I was ten years younger...”
Dane was momentarily stunned by the man’s admission. But once he saw the way Van was staring at Camellia Hill, he spoke up. “It’d be a shame to let a woman like Camellia Hill slip through your fingers, Van.” He took the next wrapped white package Van handed him—no idea what it contained—and kept on talking, “Before someone else snaps her up.” His father was single again... No. His father had blown his chance. Camellia deserved someone who’d treat her with respect and kindness.Camellia Hill deserves a man who lit up when she walked by...his butcher block.
But as Van’s gaze fell from Camellia, his smile faded some, and he made a dismissive sound. “I’m just talking, now.” He murmured. “I don’t mean a thing by it. That’s what foolish old men like me do.”
Dane frowned. Van was many things but old wasn’t one of them. Still, Dane’s track record with women made him the last one fit for relationship advice so he let it go. “I appreciate the dinner help.” He stared at the four packages. “I’m not sure what’s what but—”
“Ribs, chicken, a few steaks and a roast.” Van paused and patted his shirtfront, his apron, and then turned. “Wait a second.” He turned again, searching. “Ah, right. Here.” He picked up a neatly typed recipe card. “Recipe for the roast.”
Dane took the card and scanned it. “Looks good.” He was pretty sure they didn’t have a single item on the list. Leif, who’d wandered toward the endcap and stood staring at his phone, would be thrilled to know they weren’t done yet. “You have a good week, Van.”
“You, too, Dane.” The older man nodded. “If you’ve got the time, maybe talk to Everett, too. You know how important the festival is.”
“If you live in Honey, you know.” The Honey, Texas, Annual Honey Festival was a huge three-day weekend that brought in big tourism dollars and a whole lot of press. Located smack-dab in the heart of the Texas Hill Country made them a short—short by Texas standards—drive from Austin or San Antonio. And this year, with the soft opening of the Viking-like great hall event room planned, was even more important for him.
“Leif,” he called out as his brother returned with a massive bag of jerky. He waved his brother over. “Here, I need you to get these items.” He handed off the recipe card to his little brother, waited for the expected sigh, then asked, “Okay?”
Leif’s glare and jaw clench were his only answer but he took the recipe card before he walked away—hostility all but rolling off him.
He could wait for Everett to finish talking to Tansy and her aunt.But what fun would that be?
The moment Tansy saw him, he was hard-pressed not to grin. The reaction was a long-standing pattern. She’d glare. He’d smile. She’d fume. He’d laugh. It was the way they worked. Oil and water. Make no mistake, Tansy Hill was a know-it-all who seemed to think he was a few bricks shy of a full loadandhad a massive ego. She was wrong but if there was one thing he’d learned early on about Tansy—there was no changing her mind. Since she’d decided to think the worst of him, he’d decided to have some fun with it.
“Dane.” Everett was all smiles as he extended his hand. “I was planning on calling you this evening.”
“Van said you might be looking for me.” He shook Everett’s hand. “He gave me a rundown. How can I help?” He bestowed one of his most charming smiles on Tansy and Camellia. “Ladies.”
Tansy rolled her eyes.
Camellia glanced down at her shopping list. “That reminds me. I need a pork loin for the Service League meeting this weekend.”
Van’s day would be made.
“I’ll get it,” Tansy offered.
“No.” The word sort of erupted out of him, making all four of them jump.Smooth. His brain was spinning, searching for some sort of logical reason for his startling outburst. “If Camellia finishes up with Van, then we can...coordinate efforts. For the Junior Beekeepers meetings? And the festival? Is that right, Everett?”
Everett was giving him an odd look but he nodded.
“Everett, I’ll get you that rustic honey cake recipe soon, all right?” Camellia waited for Everett’s nod before shooting Dane a hard look. She did the same for Tansy. “You two behave yourselves, won’t you?” With a disappointed sigh, she pushed her cart toward the butcher counter.
“I’ll email you both the Junior Beekeepers’ schedule. It should only be a handful of meetings and one—two—events tops. They’re good kids. None of them troublemakers or disrespectful.”
Meaning, the kind of kids it would do Leif some good to hang out with. “I’m in.”
