Sweet as Honey by Jennifer Beckstrand

Author:Jennifer Beckstrand [Beckstrand, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2016-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Lily abandoned all her pride and ran like the wind to the weeping willow tree near the pond on the south end of their farm. This was her favorite spot on the farm. She often concealed herself beneath the tree’s protective branches to read books or spend a few minutes by herself when afternoon chores were done. In full summer, the tree’s branches floated mere inches above the thick grass, creating a canopy that gave her shade as well as privacy. The willow hovered over the pond, sometimes dipping its fingers into the water when the breeze blew just right. It was her own little cottage in the deep woods where she could find solitude and peace without leaving the farm. Dan wouldn’t think to look for her here. Maybe he’d give up for good and never come back.

Her breath shook. She’d like that very much.

She sat down with her back against the tree, laid the meat cleaver on the ground near her feet, and indulged the tears. She’d been so foolish to believe that Dan actually liked her. He’d made it perfectly clear that he didn’t. It felt as if she were back in school all over again.

Hey, Amtrak. What time does the train get in?

To Lily’s surprise, Farrah Fawcett came padding into her tree sanctuary as if she visited there often. She must have followed Lily out the front door. Without asking permission—Farrah Fawcett never condescended to ask permission for anything—the cat crawled onto Lily’s lap and made herself comfortable. Lily wrapped her arms around Farrah Fawcett and nuzzled the cat’s furry face against her cheek. “You were always a gute friend, Farrah Fawcett.”

Farrah Fawcett gave Lily that snooty, I-really-couldn’t-care-less look, but she gave herself away when she purred softly and let Lily run her hand along her snowy white fur. Even though Farrah Fawcett was a snob, she didn’t mind Lily being homely or dumb or wearing glasses as thick as Coke bottles. She didn’t even seem to mind the beekeeping outfit that both Dan and Paul had found so outrageous. Best of all, Farrah Fawcett turned up her nose at both boys whenever they came over. She had better judgment than Lily ever would.

“Lily?”

Ach du lieva. It had taken Dan mere minutes to find her clever hiding place. She should have expected it. She wasn’t nearly as clever as she wanted to be.

“Go away, Dan.”

With a purely miserable look on his face, he parted the stringy branches of the willow like a curtain and stepped into her space. She retaliated by scooting partway around the tree so her back was to him, taking the cat and her cleaver with her.

“Please, Lily. Please can I apologize?”

She refused to look at him, even when she heard his footfalls come closer. “Why are you even here?”

He squatted in front of her and tilted his head sideways so he could meet her eye. She blinked away her tears and studied a blade of grass near her big toe. Why

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