Like a Bee to Honey Read Free Page A

were. But something told him that ambushing Rose wouldn’t be a gute idea. Not a gute idea at all. He couldn’t prove his love if she ran away.
    Rose pressed her lips into a determined line. “ Cum into the house. I will wrap it up for you.” She was too tenderhearted to let anyone suffer. Though fear often paralyzed her, she would brave a whole roomful of strangers if someone needed her help. It was one of the things Josiah loved about her.
    Spending even three more minutes in Rose’s company sounded wunderbarr , but knowing how uncomfortable she was, he would be selfish indeed if he took advantage of her kindness. “I don’t want to be a bother.”
    She lowered her eyes. “Please come into the house. I’ll feel better knowing someone saw to it.”
    â€œRose,” Josiah said. He paused long enough for Rose to lift her gaze to his face. “What will make you happy?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œWould you be happier taking care of my scratch or having me out of your hair?”
    She cracked a smile. “You’re not in my hair.”
    He returned her smile with an uncertain one of his own. “I don’t want to be a pest, and I want you to be happy.”
    She started playing with that strand of hair again. “What I feel doesn’t matter.”
    â€œIt’s what matters most to me.”
    That seemed to trouble her more than anything. She swaddled both arms around her waist. “It’s better if we just do what you want. If you do what I want, then it’s my fault if you’re unhappy about it.”
    He smiled to prove to her he didn’t care either way. He cared deeply, but she wouldn’t see that from him. “Maybe it is my fault if you’re unhappy. I can be very pushy. Your cats were right to try to scare me off your farm.”
    Rose’s lips curled slightly. “Would you like to come in, or would you rather I stay out of your hair?”
    He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair, cropped short, courtesy of his nephew. “I don’t have enough hair to answer that question.”
    Her smile bloomed like roses in late spring.
    His heart swelled until his chest felt crowded. “Although you have cleverly tried to change the subject, I’m going to walk to my buggy—backward so you don’t see the big spot of blood on my shirt. If you want me to come into the house, stop me now. Otherwise, I’ll climb in my buggy and go. No hard feelings either way.” He made the gesture of buttoning his lips together and took four steps backward.
    She glued her gaze to his, and he could see the choices struggle with each other on her face. “I’d feel better if you came in the house,” she finally said.
    He stopped short and smiled with his whole body. “Me too.”
    She smiled back and motioned toward the house. He let her lead the way up the porch steps. A tiny dead mouse lay on the welcome mat. Rose shuddered but pasted a pleasant look on her face. “Billy Idol is such a dear cat. He’s always leaving presents for us. He has taken care of our mouse problem, but Aunt Bitsy isn’t happy about the dead mice. She keeps threatening to give Billy Idol away.”
    â€œShe’ll never have to know about this one,” Josiah said, picking up the mat and shaking it so the mouse tumbled into the dirt to the side of the house off the porch.
    â€œ Denki ,” she said, not meeting his eye but smiling anyway.
    He opened the front door for her and followed her into the house, where the heavenly smell of freshly baked bread met them.
    â€œIt smells delicious in here,” Josiah said.
    Rose’s Aunt Bitsy stood at the butcher-block island, straining at the lid of a jar of pickles, and Josiah grew more agitated than he already was. According to Lily’s fiancé, Dan Kanagy, Bitsy did not like boys in the house, even if it was for something as harmless