Chapter Twenty-Five
Cammie
The cafe was packed for the first time in a long time, actually, probably ever. Dorrie must have been doing a phenomenal job of advertising and encouraging everyone to stop in. The town was a buzz with excitement for the parade, and I couldn't wait to see what everyone's floats looked like.
Busy Bee's float was decorated with a lot of flowers from Eden's Bouquet, the florist in town. It was going to look beautiful and, with any luck, bring in more business in the coming days.
I wanted Dorrie to ride on the float as the Queen Bee since she was the town's honey supplier, but she insisted her honey was nothing without my recipes, so apparently I was going to ride on the float instead.
I was grateful when everyone in the cafe shuffled out early enough for us to make it to the parade on time. I locked the door behind myself, and Mel grabbed my hand and squeezed. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," I said, squeezing her hand back.
We rushed a couple of streets over to where the floats were already lined up and found Dorrie waiting with ours. It looked even more beautiful in the daylight.
"There you girls are," she said. "About time, too. Come on over and get into your outfits."
"Outfits?" I asked, looking at Mel and growing alarmed that she didn't look all that confused. "What does she mean outfits?" I asked.
"You didn't think we'd send out the Queen Bee without a Beekeeper Guard, did you?" Mel asked.
"Seriously?" I asked.
Mel grinned as a matching grin spread across my face.
"You're coming with me?"
"Of course I am," she said, before pausing for a moment and adding, "if you want me to?"
"Of course she does," Dorrie called from on the float, where she was rummaging through a bag. "Come on now, we don't have time." She threw the body of a beekeeping suit down to Mel, who caught it quickly.
"You're sure?" I asked one more time.
"Positive."
I helped her suit up while Dorrie rushed us, then she placed a crown in my hair and a honey dipper wand into my hand and said, "Up you go."
I hopped up on the float with Mel right behind me, and a few moments later we were on our way.