The slam of a distant screen door startled them both.
Tansy jumped back. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth.
He’d spent years pestering Tansy, so he’d become pretty adept at reading her. He’d never, ever seen her like this. Which made him wonder: Was this good or bad?
Did he need to brace himself for what was to come? He wasn’t expecting her to take a running leap into his arms—not that he was averse to the idea. But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t worried she’d start pushing him away.
But, dammit all, she was just as shaken up over it as he was. He’d felt her shiver in his arms and heard the hitch in her breath.And that moan.That moan had set him on fire.
He didn’t know what would happen now but he wanted to find out—just the two of them. And since the van blocked them from view of the house, that was a possibility.
Tansy’s hands lifted to reveal one hell of a smile. “Aunt Camellia,” she whispered. “Refilling the hummingbird feeders. Every night.”
That smile made it okay for him to breathe. It also made it hard not to pull her back into his arms to pick up where they left off. “Oh.”
She drew in a wavering breath and reached for the wagon’s handle. He didn’t miss that her hand was shaking.
Dane was feeling more optimistic by the minute.
“You can help me get them settled.” She glanced up at the sky. “Before it gets too dark.”
“Good idea. Everyone knows beesareafraid of the dark.” If she wasn’t chasing him off, he wasn’t going anywhere.
Her laugh was soft. “Exactly. Just like no-glaring Saturday.”
“Have you found something that says it doesn’t exist?” He raised his brows in question. “I bet you haven’t.”
“I haven’t had time to look.” She started pulling the wagon along the fence line and away from the house. “But, you’re right, I imagine it would be hard to find something that says no-glare Saturday doesn’t exist... Since itdoesn’texist.”
“Suit yourself.” Dane scratched his jaw.
“I will, thank you.” Tansy glanced up at him, her eye roll and smile visible in the fading light.
Twilight might just be his favorite time of day. As long as Tansy was staring up at him with those big eyes of hers, he was content to stand here taking in the view.
“The bees.” She tugged the wagon along, a little faster than before.
Dane followed her past the main house, down a gently rolling hill and around a cluster of mesquite trees. Even though neither of them said a word, Dane felt the pull between them. That thread was back, twining around his heart and lungs.
Tansy glanced back, her smile shy. “I figured they’d like being by the mesquite trees? Since there were some at the Grangers’ place.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.” Dane appreciated the neatly kept apiary. Five long rows, each containing between six and eight hive boxes, all painted with mesquite tree blossoms in varying shades. “You’ll have to break out the paintbrush so they don’t feel like outsiders.” Dane nodded at the plain white hive box in the wagon. “Who knows, maybe the other hives won’t mind. They might even throw the new bees a welcome party. You know, flowers, foodstuffs, that sort of thing.”
Tansy laughed again. “Foodstuffs?” She stopped at the end of a row with fewer hive boxes. “I have to tell you, your beeknowledgeis very different than mine.”
He chuckled. “Viking stuff.”
“Right.” She brushed off the hive stand as she spoke. “Well, that explains it.”
He lifted the empty wood hive box and put it on the stand, several feet away from the established hives. “Here?”
“Perfect. Thank you.” She nodded, unstrapping the nuc box and placing it next to the hive. “We’ll get you all switched over and settled in the morning.” She patted the nuc box, as if all the bees inside were listening then froze. “Go ahead. Fire away.” Hands on hips, she faced him.
“What?” he asked, knowing good and well what she was waiting for. But he didn’t want to tease her about this. Reassuring the bees that everything was okay had been instinctual—something she’d likely done a million times without thought. It had been real and honest and the sweetest thing.
“I was talking to the bees.” She pointed at the box. “I’m sure you have plenty to say about that.”
“I was going to add that they might want to watch out for their neighbors.” He nodded at the adjacent hive. “Something tells methishive istrouble.” Tansy’s laugh made his heart happy.
