Like Bees to Honey | gxg

27. Orchard Dreaming

The day of the Festival of Peaches dawned clear. The forest fire beyond the next mountain range was finally under control, and the sight of the seared blue sky seemed like a good omen as Sabina drove up the back road to Verger Orchards to pick up Mel.

High Valley Honey always ran a booth at the festival, but since this was supposed to be Sabina's day off, Mom and Dad were taking over for her. She'd shown them how to pack the exhibit hive she'd made, and they'd left earlier that morning for the city. She didn't mind letting her parents handle it for one day. The stress of the competition, of the fight with Riley and the late nights with Mel, had caught up to her.

She turned onto a bumpy road that was just two grassy ruts between rows of orchard trees, apple on one side and peach on the other. Her teeth nearly rattled out of her head before she saw Mel waving at her and hit the brakes with relief.

"Why couldn't I just pick you up at the house?" she said out the window, but it wasn't really a complaint. How could she complain about anything when Mel was dressed like that, in denim shorts and a soft white button-down that she'd left buttoned down far enough that it was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra.

Mel took off her sunglasses and hooked them over those buttons. They were the same rainbow glasses she'd found in Sabina's car. "The whole family's still at the house. Anyway, I wanna show you something."

Sabina looked around. She had seen orchards before. "I thought we were heading to the festival."

"The festival's gonna last all night. And I know you're impatient, but Mr. Chibana's announcement isn't until later this afternoon." A twist of smile. "Everyone will be at the festival. I just want you alone for a minute."

"Why didn't you say that to begin with? I swear, every conversation with you is a maze." Sabina stepped out of the car and shook out her skirt. She'd dressed up, too, in an eyelet lace dress and a ribbon in her long curls, and even though those curls were already wilting in the heat, the look in Mel's eyes made the effort worth it.

Mel held out a hand. Her palm was warm and soft, and Sabina laced their fingers together. Those brown eyes crinkled. "Come on."

A breeze swept through the leaves as they started down the row of trees, carrying with it the sweet scent of peaches. The branches around them hung heavy with the fruit, rosy pink blushes on their fuzzy orange skins.

"You can grab one if you want," Mel said. "They're ripe. The crew is supposed to be out here tomorrow to pick them."

"I shouldn't."

"Why? Because they're Verger peaches?" Mel laughed. "I'm pretty sure our situation is more of a fuck you to that stupid feud than eating a few peaches." She tugged Sabina over to the nearest tree and plucked a fruit from a willing branch. The peach was so ripe that her thumb bruised it, a soft hollow sinking into its flesh as she held it out. "Go ahead. Next year your bees will be pollinating them, won't they? Consider it a deposit."

Sabina accepted the peach, her own thumb slipping into the impression left behind by Mel's. "I haven't talked to my parents about that, yet," she admitted. "I was going to do it tonight. If I win Best Vendor, I know they'll be in a good mood."

"When," Mel said, and tucked a loose curl behind Sabina's ear with the softest of touches. "Not if."

"Right." She smiled and squeezed Mel's hand. "When."

A little further down the row, the trees opened out into a wide grassy space with a barbed wire fence stepping down the middle. On the other side, espaliered grape vines marched away up the hill.

"Here," Mel said. In the shade of the last peach tree, a worn grey blanket was spread over the grass, a white basket anchoring one corner. One hand against the small of her back, Mel guided her over to it. "We might have to wait a minute, so I thought we'd want to be comfortable."