“I’m not sure.We can ask Thea tonight, although he owned the property for more than a year before he hired her, so who knows what he did then.Lots of questions to ask.”
“Questions are good.”
Lawson hugged her.“They are.And you’ll keep asking yours.Someone will give you answers eventually.”
She sighed.“Evelyn and I were on the way to an actual conversation.If her idiot husband hadn’t interrupted, we might have finished it.”
He swayed her from side to side.“Do you have her number?Maybe text her asking her to call you when she has time.”
“You mean when she’s not with him.”
He chuckled.“Yep.Even if you don’t get answers, maybe you can get to know each other.”
She nodded into his chest and held on.
He brushed his hand up her back.“Do you want to take your truck over, or walk through the woods?We can check out Beatrice and her bee buddies on the way.”
She laughed.“That sounds perfect.”
Dani shoved her phone in the pocket of her dress, and they locked up.Bibi led the way to the apiaries, sniffing at every second bush or tree.
When they reached the clearing, he heaved a dramatic sigh.“You’re never going to let me move Beatrice, are you?”
Dani’s laugh was relaxed and happy.“Not a chance.”
“But she’s lingering here.I could bring her back to her shiny former glory.”
“She’s glorious as she is.”
He couldn’t argue with that, so he patted the tailgate.“What do you think, Beatrice?Would you like to get some polish on those pretty curves of yours?”
Dani laughed.“Don’t you fall for his lines, Beatrice.You’re absolutely perfect, exactly as you are.”
Lawson reeled her in for a kiss.“Yes, you are.”
Her skin flushed.“I think that’s my line.Thanks for being such a great guy.”
And then they were kissing again.The words wanted to spill out of his mouth, but he held them back.No sense in adding to her stress yet.If she didn’t love him back yet, he’d work his ass off to make it happen.
They caught up with Nash’s family and headed to the farmhouse as a group.Charlie had a million questions about bees that entertained everyone during the walk.Lawson wasn’t shocked that Dani knew the answer to every one of them.
She’d even known that a bee’s sense of smell was fifty times more powerful than a dog’s.And that they tasted with their antennae and their feet.
She grinned at the boy.“There’s even been some successful efforts in training bees to detect bombs and land mines.”
“That’s so cool.Did you hear that, Oggie?Bees can smell better than you and Bibi, and can be trained like you guys too.”
“Oggie.”Little Ella Mae squiggled down from Nash’s arms to hug their dog.The beagle was just her size.
Then the toddler turned to Bibi and held out her arms.“Oggie Bee.”
Bibi didn’t move a muscle as the little girl, who weighed about as much as Bibi’s tail, reached up to hug the dog.Toddler babble erupted as Ella patted Bibi’s face and neck, telling her an intense story.The Newfoundland’s head bobbed, and the girl hugged her again.
Then Ella turned and ran to Lawson.“Up Law.”
Complying, he hoisted her up to sit on his hip.“Hey there, Ella Mae.What do you think about heading to the farmhouse for some food?”
Ella patted his cheeks and nodded.“Cookies.”
