“Um…I think I’ll let you go. Please don’t bring home a goat!”
“You’ve got nothing to worry about there. I can’t wait to see and kiss you, Hudson Higgins. Be careful driving!”
“See you soon.”
When I hit End, I couldn’t help the goofy-ass smile that spread over my face. How had I ever managed to live my life without Greer Larson in it?
Greer
“How does it look?” I asked as Candace and Arabella examined our handiwork. The table was set with real plates, not paper, which was rare for me. I’d laid out silverware, and not the plastic kind—again, I was totally adulting—along with two wine glasses. A bouquet of fresh flowers from the Boyers’ farmers’ market sat in the middle of the table and filled the air with the scent of sunflowers, asters, and lilies.
Candace let out an overly dramatic sigh. “It looks beautiful. It smells so good in here too. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven.”
Arabella suddenly turned and rushed into the kitchen, Candace and I hot on her heels. “What’s wrong?” I asked, skidding to a stop before I ran into her.
She peeked into the oven and smiled. “Nothing, I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t ready to come out. It’s almost done. Maybe just a few more minutes.”
“Thank you so much for making the bread, Arabella.”
She leaned back against the counter and smiled. “It was my pleasure. It was nice to get away from the apiary for a while.”
Candace tossed a walnut into her mouth from the pile I had been chopping for the salad. “How can you stand to work around bees? I mean, I can’t even stand when one flies too close to me.”
“She screams like someone’s about to murder her,” I stated.
Arabella turned to Candace, a serious look on her face. It was the one she adopted anytime she spoke about her beloved bees. “They won’t hurt you. As long as you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone.”
With one brow raised, Candace stared at Arabella like she had just said the most ridiculous thing ever.
“It’s true.” Arabella chuckled. “As long as you don’t swat at them or be aggressive, they simply want to check you out and then move on. You should come out to the apiary. I’ll give you a tour, and we can look at the hives.”
“Oh, hell no. That is a hard pass for me, Arabella. I don’t do bees.”
“Come on, Candace,” I teased. “Think about all the bees and how cute it would be to have them crawl on you.”
She snapped her head in my direction and shot me a dirty look. “And have you ever gone out to the apiary?”
“Of course I have. I’ve even gone and looked at the hives.”
It was Arabella’s turn to raise a brow. “Really? When? Every time I ask you, you’re always busy and don’t have time to meet the bees.”
Candace pointed at me. “Ha! See? Practice what you preach, Greer.”
I cleared my throat and turned away from them both as I surveyed the kitchen. “I think I have everything ready.” With a quick glance at my watch, I grinned. “Hudson should be here soon. I just need to make the pasta and then toss in the mango pesto sauce.”
Candace shuddered. “Ugh. I’m still not sold on the whole mango pesto sauce—sorry, Arabella.”
Arabella winked. “Don’t knock it til you try it.”
“Like with the bees,” Candace stated, her hands up in a defensive position. “I’m going to pass. I’ve got a dinner date of my own with Will I need to get ready for.” She looked at me. “Have fun seeing your man again, and practice safe sex.”
The flush on Arabella’s cheeks nearly had me laughing out loud. It wasn’t like she was a prude, not at all. She was, however, a very private person. The last guy I remember her seriously dating was Hunter Turner, Willa’s brother. In the last decade since she’s been home after leaving college early, I really couldn’t remember Arabella dating much. Maybe once or twice, but never anything serious.
“Have fun with Will, and see you on Monday!” I called out as Candace made her way toward the door.
“Trust me, Will and fun go hand in hand.”
The door clicked shut, and I turned back to Arabella.
“Thank you for stopping by and bringing the fresh veggies and honey. Hudson is going to love this pasta dish.”
She smiled and reached for her purse. “It was my pleasure. I had fun helping you get things ready. I can’t even remember the last time I went on a date.”
It was almost like she’d read my thoughts.
“Arabella, I’ve always tried to respect your privacy…but what ever happened between you and Hunter? It sorta seems like he still likes you—if the way he stares at you is any indication.”
She laughed, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hunter? I don’t think he still has feelings for me. He doesn’t seem the least bit interested in settling down with one person, at least according to the town gossip. Besides,” she added as she gave a half shrug, “Hunter and I dated years ago.”