“Tansy.” Astrid grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “They’re coming.”
The deafening roar of the sirens was such a relief.
“Dane?” Tansy wanted to cry. “Dane!” She turned, taking her sister’s hand and skirting the blaze.
The fire truck came bouncing across the open field and slammed to a stop. And behind it came half the citizens of Honey. It would be okay now, it had to be. But the more she searched the sea of faces, the less okay she felt.
She swallowed—wandering—searching. “Dane?” she called out.
Leif was there, covered in soot. “Tansy—”
“Where did you come from?” It didn’t matter. He was here. Safe. She hugged Leif close. “You’re okay?” She held him away, giving him a quick once-over. “You’re not hurt?”
“No.” But tears were tracking through the ash and soot on his face. “Where is he?”
“I’ll find him, Leif. Don’t worry. I’ll find him and I’ll bring him to you. He’s fine.” She hugged him again.He has to be all right. He has to be.“Okay?”
“I’ll help.” His arms were tight around her and he was shaking.
“Then stay here.” She whispered against his temple. “All Dane cares about is keeping you safe. You have to do that, Leif, you hear me? Stay right here and stay safe for him, okay?”
Astrid put her arm around the boy’s shoulders. “Come on, Leif.” She grabbed Tansy’s hand for a quick squeeze. “Be careful.”
Tansy nodded before heading into the fray, searching for broad shoulders and a gorgeous man-bun.Where are you?She blinked against the falling ash.Dane. Please, please be okay.Panicking wouldn’t help but there was no way to stop it.Not until I find you.
There was constant motion all around her. The fire truck hoses were making short work of the main fire, but sparks had drifted and fires were cropping up all over. People were using blankets to beat out the sparks, treated sheets of plywood to smother them, or shoveling dirt onto live flames. She kept moving, horrified by how fast the fire was growing. It felt hopeless—more so because she couldn’t find Dane.
“Dane?” she called out, her voice shaking. “Dane Knudson!” She spun.
There were more flames, rising up and devouring a line of Spanish oak, incinerating the cedar and brush beneath their sprawling branches. The crack and snap had Tansy jumping—and moving closer. People were there, running back and forth... Voices rose, calling to one another.
There were hives directly in the path of the flames. “The bees.” Tansy hurried forward. Sure enough, a group of people were working to move the hives as quickly as they could.
“That way. Over there.” Tansy almost burst into tears.Dane. He was there.He was okay. Single-handedly carrying a hive out of harm’s way.
Tansy rushed to another hive, taking one side while someone—maybe Everett’s dad—grabbed the other side. It wasn’t light. Since honey flow was still a good month away, the hive had to weigh at least a hundred and forty pounds.A year’s worth of hard work. Together, they set the hive next to the others. She sprinted back to the apiary.
“Tansy Hill, what are you doing?” Dane grabbed her arm, his scowl illuminated by the leaping flames. “You need to get to safety.”
“I’m just as safe as you are.” She smiled up at him, doing her best to be sassy. “And...I can see you here.”
He crushed her against him. “Dammit, woman...”
She bit back a sob, determined to stay strong for him. “Leif is here.”
“What?”
“He’s safe, he’s with Astrid.” She gently pushed out of his hold. “There’s no time for this.”
“Thank you.” He grabbed her hand. “Tansy, I—”
“You can thank me later.” She squeezed his hand.
He nodded and let her go.
When it came time to harvest honey, working hives and extracting honey could be backbreaking work. It was working box by box, frame by frame, taking things nice and slow. This was nothing like that. They were carrying full hives weighted down with bees, honey and brood, and rushing to find shelter for them. It had to be done this way—all at once, with scorching heat creeping steadily closer.
There were probably still a good thirty boxes in the apiary but the fire didn’t care.
