“Sure. Of course.”Peachy keen. She forced a smile. “I’ve worked up an appetite.” That much was true. “I’ll need to freshen up a bit.” If she’d been heading out to the fields, she’d have cleaned up after. Going into town for lunch was another matter.
“Mom’s calling Mr. Knudson, too. In case he wants to come—since he’s helping out too.”
Even better.But she managed to keep on smiling, glancing down at her sweat-stained clothes.
“We can handle things out here, if you want to change?” Kerrielynn offered. The kids were as focused as worker bees—cleaning and putting things away without arguing.
“I’ll be quick.” Tansy dashed inside.
“Tansy’s home. Tansy’s home,” Lord Byron called out from his perch in the front foyer.
“Yes. I am. Are you supposed to be out here?” Tansy didn’t want a repeat performance of Lord Byron’s latest heist. “I hope you’re being a good boy.”
“Good boy.” The parrot made a cooing sound. “Good boy.”
“We’ll see.” Tansy gave him a gentle rub. “Please, please be a good boy for Tansy. I’ll give you extra crackers when I get home.”
She twisted her hair up in a sloppy bun, washed her face, put on a clean T-shirt and jeans and some of her favorite dangly bee-and-flower earrings.Better. She’d enjoy Delaney’s amazing chicken fried steak salad, come back and find a good place for the new bees, and still get back to the Granger place before sunset.
Saturday lunch hour saw the place packed to the gills with families fresh from sporting events or family outings. Somehow, Kerrielynn’s mom, Olivia, had managed to secure enough space for the Junior Beekeepers and some family members. No Dane. She wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“We’re so happy the kids have you. Kerrielynn says you know more about bees than anyone.” Olivia Baldwin leaned forward to whisper, “I thought I’d mention that Lorna and I are friends. She’s told me she might not be up to coming back and running the club.”
Tansy frowned, her gaze scanning the faces of the kids who had such enthusiasm for bees. “Really?” This was bad news. Bees needed beekeepers. Whether these kids kept a backyard hive, a small apiary, or aimed big and went commercial—they were the beekeepers of tomorrow.
“But then, she just had her baby so who knows.” Olivia smiled. “The first few weeks can be exhausting. Likely, she’s not thinking all that straight.”
“Let’s hope so.” Tansy immediately texted Astrid the news about Lorna and the baby.
“I wanted you to know that the parents would love it, if she doesn’t come back, for you or you and Dane to take over.” Olivia pointed at the table. “Something to think about. Now you go on and eat. I’m sure working out in that hot sun took a lot of energy. We saved you a spot with the parents, over there.”
Tansy ate every bite of salad and enjoyed learning more about the kids she was so fond of. And got to know their parents—who were all very interested in Tansy’s idea to develop a youth beekeeping apprenticeship program. Poppa Tom had always said,The best way to make a beekeeper was to work under an experienced one. Tansy agreed. While she loved the idea, it was up to Lorna, as the Junior Beekeepers Club’s sponsor, to approve such a program. If Lorna stayed with the club, that is.
By the time Tansy said her goodbyes, she headed home to restock supplies and prep for her return to the Granger place. After she fixed the landing board Astrid had mentioned on one of the Alice’s Wonderland hives, the sun was low in the sky. Time to head out. If everything went according to plan, she’d have plenty of time to load up the nuc box, take it home and place it next to the hive box she’d move them into tomorrow.
After a quick inspection of the nuc box, Tansy took her gloves but left her suit. There were a handful of bees circling the nuc’s entrance but the rest were inside. She hefted the box into the custom transport rack she’d made for the back of the van, closed everything back up and headed home. After such a bizarre morning, she appreciated how seamlessly the pickup went.
Until she was driving around the bend to her own house and spied Dane Knudson leaning against his truck. He waved as she parked.
She stared at him, fighting back a smile.Calm down. “Him being here doesn’t mean a thing.”Act normal.She climbed out of the van. “This is a surprise.” She sounded way too happy.
His brows lifted. “Oh?”
She headed around to the rear of the van, needing to occupy herself until there was no fear of her turning into some giggling idiot. Space, between her and those baby blues, was necessary. “You missed lunch.” She pulled open the rear van doors. “I took that to mean you were done for the day.”
“It meant something came up. We said we’d do this together so here I am.” He shrugged, watching as she set up her collapsible wagon. “Besides, I realized I hadn’t popped up on you in a while and figured—”
“A bee transport was the ideal time to do it?” Tansy straightened, wiping her hands on her jeans.And now I’m smiling at him.
“Why not?” He shrugged, glancing her way as the corner of his mouth kicked up. “Trying to keep you on your toes.”
That crooked grin was bone melting. “Mission accomplished. I guess.” There was no guessing about it. Dane Knudson was definitely keeping her on her toes. She reached inside for the nuc. “Like I said, I didn’t think you were coming.”
“You already went?” Dane chuckled, looking more good-looking than any single person had the right to be. “That worried I was going to beat you to it and take them home with me?”
“No.”Stop looking at him. She did, carefully placing the nuc in her wagon. “I thought I’d made myself pretty clear this morning.”
“Did you? I don’t remember much about this morning.” Dane scratched his jaw. “I was preoccupied.”
