Willadeene shrugged, all innocence. “I guess we should thank the bees for bringing you two...together.” Willadeene was the queen of carefully placed pauses. With a pause, she managed to imply what she wanted without her actually outright saying a thing. She was good at that, saying just enough to make filling in the blanks glaringly obvious—that way she could deny she’d said a thing. “So nice to see you two...getting along, this way.”
He was pretty sure Willadeene had it out for him because his father’s ex, the one before Kate, was one of Willadeene’s cronies. Apparently, the divorce was enough to make the Knudson family one of Willadeene’s favorite topics of conversation. Now she was fishing for new Knudson-centered gossip.
“Getting along? Maybe?Togetheris a stretch. I’d say I’m flattered that our bee talk is so engrossing but—” he glanced at Tansy, the slight shake of her head enough to make him reconsider his words “—I get the feeling you were hoping for something more, Mrs. Svoboda?”
Willadeene’s smile was tight and her eyes narrowed. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Dane Knudson.”
“No?” His laugh was hard, all the words he wanted to say damn near choking him. “Well, that’s...good.”
“If you say it’s all about the bees, Dane, I’m sure that’sall.” Willadeene’s drawn-on eyebrows ascended almost into her hairline.
“Just bees.” Tansy shot him an odd look, one he couldn’t decipher. “And the Junior Beekeepers.”
“That’s right.The two of youdid volunteer to fill in for Lorna Franks. For thebees. Of course. What else?”
Was she really going to push for this?The idea of Tansy and him together was laughable. Or it would be if he hadn’t gotten all caught up in her at the Junior Beekeepers meeting. In her eyes and her hair and her stupid bee earrings. When they’d touched...well, it’d been a jolt to the system. He didn’t know what to do about Tansy but now wasn’t the time to worry about it. All he needed to do was keep his mouth shut so the target on his back wouldn’t quadruple in size.Easier said than done.
“I’m glad you two stepped up,” Ida said, sounding sincere. “Lorna doesn’t need to worry over an unruly group of teensanda new baby.”
That wasn’t how he’d describe the Junior Beekeepers. Listening to them carry on about bees like they were the coolest thing around had reminded Dane he was lucky to do something that made him happy.
“Benji mentioned Leif came to the meeting.” Willadeene’ssympatheticsmile was a little too forced to be genuine. “Maybe getting involved with the Junior Beekeepers will help?” She lowered her voice. “Everyoneknows he’s been having...problems.”
Dane had to grit his teeth to prevent himself from responding. Leif was struggling, yes, but her spreading trash around about their father and Dane wasn’t helping.If he had it his way, the woman wouldn’t say Leif’s name.
“Leif is a delight,” Tansy gushed, smiling at him. “A perfect fit for the Junior Beekeepers. After all, beekeeping is in his blood. He left really looking forward to the next meeting, I think?”
He nodded. He’d never expected her to defend Leif, but he appreciated it. And, if “really looking forward to the next meeting” meant Leif had practically run from the barn when the last meeting ended, then sure. “He can’t wait.”
“Good. That’s good. Violet Taggert and I volunteered to bring lunch out to you-all at the barn painting.” Willadeene was delighted to share this news. “I’m bringing cowboy cookies. My specialty.”
No shit? Awesome.Dane stared up at a white fluffy cloud sailing across the blue sky until he was confident his face wouldn’t give him away.
“I’ll look forward to it.” Willadeene gave Nicole a slight wave. “Nicole.”
“Mom.” Nicole didn’t wave back, she barely looked at her mother.
With a very loud, very affronted sigh, Willadeene headed off—the others trailing after her. “I don’t know what’s wrong with that girl...” Her voice trailed off.
“I take after my dad,” Nicole muttered. “Thank goodness for that.” She turned to them, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry. I just... I can’t even...”
“Parents,” Dane supplied. He wasn’t going to hold Nicole accountable for her mother. “What’s that saying? Following in their footsteps or making our own way?”
“Oh, option two. One hundred percent.” Nicole shuddered. “One Willadeene is more than enough.”
Dane caught the quick, pained look exchanged between Astrid and Tansy.Dammit all. He ran a hand over his face.At least we have parents to complain about.The Hill sisters only had their aunts. It might not be the same but anyone would be lucky to have Camellia and Magnolia Hill in their corner.
“Hey, Tansy!” Kerrielynn sort of bounced up to the booth, as bubbly as she’d been at the Junior Beekeepers meeting. “Hi, Mr. Knudson. Leif didn’t say you were here, too.”
Here, too?Meaning Leifwashere. He took a deep calming breath and did his best not to react. “I wasn’t sure I was coming.” He shrugged. “Where is he, again?”
“I put him to work at the FFA arts and crafts booth, over by the petting zoo.” Kerrielynn pointed. “I didn’t even know he’d signed up to help.”
That makes two of us.
“I was all, ‘Thank goodness you’re here.’ It was totally perfect timing since we were way shorthanded.” Kerrielynn adjusted one of the jars of honey.
Astrid nodded her approval at the girl’s handiwork. “That’s so nice of him.”
