“Uh-huh.”
“I like the green, but I’m not sure.” She studied the house’s lines and roof color, trying to imagine what would look best. “And it really needs fresh paint. So maybe it’s time for a change. You know, to make it more inviting for guests.” She knew she was using too many words, but her dad seemed to enjoy the attention.
“Uh-huh.” He nodded with a blank expression.
“And I’m trying to think of a name,” she continued.
“Name?”
“For the B&B.”
“Bees and bees?” His forehead creased just like it always did when she mentioned the B&B. “My bees?”
“For the bed and breakfast, Dad. It’s called a B&B.”
“Honey bees and bees?” He held up his golden jar of honey. “Lots of bees.”
She decided to humor him. “Sure, honey bee and bee.” And then it hit her. Why not? “Maybe we should call it the Honey Bee and Bee. You know, like bees. Buzz buzz.”
His eyes lit up. “Yeah, buzz buzz.”
“The Honey Bee and Bee,” she repeated. “Buzz buzz.”
“Bees and bees, buzz buzz. And honey.”
“That’s it, Dad! That’s our name. The Honey Bee and Bee. Like honey bees. I like it.”
“Honey. Buzz-buzz bees. I like it,” he echoed happily.
She began to imagine cute honey and bee logos that could go with the name. And she’d find recipes involving honey for breakfast items. And they could sell jars of honey too. Maybe open a little gift shop in the barn. So many ways to utilize what was literally under their noses. It was perfect!
She peered at the house again. “So you helped me name it, Dad. What color should we paint it?”
He squinted up at the house. “Honey.”
“Honey?” She turned to him.
“Like this.” He held his jar toward the house. “Honey.”
“The color of honey?” She considered the golden amber in his jar. She hadn’t included any shades of yellow in her color palette choices. Probably a reaction from the new house’s original color. “It could be friendly.”
“Friendly honey.” He grinned. “I’m hungry.”
“Okay, Dad.” She firmly nodded. “I think you’re right. The Honey Bee and Bee will be painted the color of honey. And you will help me paint it. And now you should go get your Honey to make you a sandwich.” She wasn’t exactly sure what shade of yellow she’d choose but definitely nothing like that screaming bright yellow the new house had been painted. She imagined a subtle golden yellow. She’d have to check out the honey jars inthe cabinet for inspiration. She knew various seasons produced different colors of honey. Hopefully one shade would be right. Anyway, it was an interesting idea.
By the end of the day, she’d decided the color of the siding would be a rich warm hue of amber. Like autumn honey. Not too bright, but not too muted either. She even mixed up the color herself, using her acrylic paints. Finally, she held up the cardboard sample to the house, studying it in varying light. She would paint the farmhouse trim and shutters olive green, to complement Honeymoon Cottage. And the doors would be a rich rusty red to match the weathered barn. She held up her new paint samples near the barn and new house, concluding they would be sweetly compatible.
The next morning, she told her mom about the Honey Bee and Bee name, then showed her the paint color selection. After getting Mom’s approval, Jewel headed to town for the paint. As fate would have it, she ran into Aaron at the hardware store. Although she wanted to maintain a congenial working relationship with him, he always seemed to assume it should lead to more. Apparently today was no different.
“Come on, Jewel. Youhaveto eat lunch,” he urged for the third time.
“It’s a little early for me.” She pointed to where the young man behind the paint counter was mixing the first five-gallon bucket of paint. “And I want to get started on painting today.”
“More reason to grab a quick bite now,” he insisted. He called out to the paint guy. “How long is that mixing going to take?”
“The whole order?” The guy looked upward as if the ceiling held the answer. “Twenty minutes. Maybe more if I get busy with other orders.”
“Come on.” Aaron tugged her elbow. “The deli has their gyro special today, and they’re really good.”
