Honey Apiary

4. Larkspur Cascade - Dating

Larkspur looked down at the bouncy black curls as they passed under his chin. A scent tickled his nose. It was familiar because it was the shampoo Yarrow insisted be stocked for the resort's guests. When he smelled it wafting off of Honey's head, it was so much more than the smell of pine forest and wild roses.

"The sun won't set until ten in June," he said as he led her to the shortcut to the resort. "You'll love this shortcut, and the pine trees protect you somewhat if there is rain."

"Great, I was hoping that I was close enough, so I didn't have to drive. Is it safe?"

"If you hadn't noticed the cell reception sucks at your cabin, but you're well hidden from the main building and its guest. This area is virtually crime-free."

She laughed. "No, safe from bears and other wild animals."

"Yeah, pretty much, I don't know of anyone being mauled by a bear in this area."

He continued to take the lead through the forest and tried to remember the last time he heard about a bear around the lake. But, the image of her greeting him at the door in a white robe and sleepy eyes kept popping into his head. He wondered what she wore under it if anything. Her hair was still lively though smooshed in one spot. The smell of sleepiness clung to her and he wanted to cuddle her until it faded.

He could practically feel her snuggled in his arms when he saw the dining room of the resort. And, he remembered that this was not a date. That, she was an employee of his sister's, and he was not going to pursue any woman who obviously would only want him as a friend anyway. He needed to forget that he'd thought about her every moment, all day long since he met her.

The pathway led to the lawn below the dining room that had a bank of windows and an outdoor seating area. Larkspur stopped and made a tour guide gesture towards the lake and proceeded to try to be more guide than date.

"There it is, the lake, at least a tiny bit of it. The resort sits at the end of its southernmost finger. The guest cabins are through the forest opposite your cabin. And, as you can see, the dining room in the main building has the best view along with the patio." Honey walked in front of him while he talked. The waft of rose, pine, and Honey distracted all of his senses. He breathed out and found his thoughts. "Which is a favorite wedding reception area. There have been a lot of nuptials on this lawn."

She looked up at the patio. "It looks just like its website pictures. That's unusual. You know how most pictures crop out something ugly. Do you know how Ms.Cedar got the place?"

"Let's head up. I'm sure Sam is waiting for us. And, there is one thing that the pictures can't show you. This is the closest spot to your cabin to get cell reception." He deflected. How was he going to tell her he's Yarrow's brother and not just an employee of the resort? What had he been thinking? Sam, Mimi, the entire staff knows him. He mentally told himself he was dumb, dumb, dumb, or at least dumbstruck by the bouncy curls on Honey's head.

"I'm looking forward to meeting her in person. Do you know when she'll be back?"

"She's nice. She's been delayed." He started to whistle as we walked up the porch stairs. Did my sister add stairs? There never seemed to be so many. A girl that he liked, a lot, who ended up being a great friend with benefits said that his boyfriend personality came too late and that's why he could never be her boyfriend. Honey reminded him of her.

She smiled at him as she walked through the door he held open. He tried to close his nose, but her intoxicating scent made it through his defenses. He reminded himself this was not a date which, in a way, was a good thing because his first date impressions weren't good. He was just doing his sister a favor and nothing more.