Like Bees to Honey | gxg

35. Among the Roses

The garden around the side of the Summer Harvest Winery seemed designed to be the perfect backdrop for photos of bachelorette parties and weddings: it was filled with profusions of roses, a chuckling fountain, and even a wooden archway with grapevines trailing emerald green over its gentle peak. In the twilight, the sandy garden paths were empty, just Sabina and one industrious bumble bee flitting between the roses. Twisting her hair between her fingers, Sabina watched the bee nose through frilly, pink petals and tried not to think about how this would be the perfect setting for some big, soul-baring confession of love.

Maybe she should have picked a less romantic location to have this conversation.

Although she had been waiting a while. Maybe Mel wasn't coming. Maybe she had only helped with the intervention to make up for what she'd done at the Festival of Peaches and now she could go home with a clear conscience. Maybe-

Something crunched behind her.

Sabina spun around, her heart leaping into her throat and then settling again. Mel strolled towards her, that sly smile on her face.

"Sorry for making you wait. I'd like to say that it was some kind of power move, but really my dad just decided we needed to have a conversation as soon as you left." Mel eased to a stop before her and cast a brief look over the garden before letting her gaze settle on Sabina. "Wow. This is romantic."

She meant to protest, to say that they were just here to talk about the hurt feelings between them. Instead, she found herself smiling. "More romantic than being at that table with our whole families. Even if they are actually getting along right now."

Mel laughed. "Are you saying you didn't think it was romantic when I swooped in to save the day? Damn. I thought I made a pretty good knight in shining armour."

"You didn't save the day." Sabina bit her bottom lip, then added grudgingly, "But I appreciate the help. I don't know if I would've been convincing enough on my own."

"We do make a good team."

As the light faded, the leaf-shaped solar lanterns lining the paths came to life. Mel's brown eyes took on a gold shine in the glow. She held out her arm.

"Would you like to have this chat while we walk, Your Majesty?"

"Shut up," Sabina muttered, glad the dimness hid her blush, and looped her arm through Mel's.

They moved slowly around the spiral, sand whispering under their feet, their bodies close and warm. Rose fragrance filled the air, sweet and rich, and the wash of the lake drifted up through the quiet night.

At first, neither of them said anything, as though unwilling to spoil the serene moment. They made it around the whole outer loop before Sabina spoke.

"Was it Riley's idea?"

"Was what Riley's idea?"

"For you to go to the archives. They told you what I was planning, right?"

"Yeah, they did. But the archives weren't their idea. You told me all about the feud that day at the diner, remember? And I got kinda curious, so I started asking around. You heard the Verger stories at dinner. They're just as bad as yours. So I had some serious doubts." Mel shrugged, jostling Sabina's shoulder. "I asked Marie where to find out about High Valley history. She suggested the archives."

"But I thought you didn't care about any of this. High Valley, or the feud, or..." Sabina didn't say me. "The feud isn't exciting. What happened to only doing things that make you feel alive?"

"It got pretty exciting at the festival," Mel said, chuckling. "I mean, yeah, digging through those dusty boxes was a little tedious sometimes. But it was like hunting for treasure. There's some wild stuff in there. And, anyway, it matters to you."