Chapter 3
Penny hated when her mother was right.
Especially when it meant that Zander Bouras, the guy who’d waved his middle finger at Sullivan’s Glen for four summers—and who’d left his grandfather alone and never looked back—was standing in her bee yard like some bear, all broad shoulders and dark mussed hair.
She’d never known Zander well. He had made sure of that, never showing an interest in socializing with the locals beyond tussling with the Brads or shooting a cocky smile at a group of girls as they dissolved into giggles.
Anytime she did spot him, he’d give her the stink eye, like somehow her sheer presence offended his too-cool sensibilities.
But she still recognized him easily. He had the same wide, imposing body she’d watched him grow into summer by summer from a distance, and the same way of standing with his body slightly turned in, like he was bracing for something.
Back then his near-black hair was always obscuring his face, but it was cut shorter now, messy on top and leaving room for the late morning sun to hit his thick, dark brows and cheeks dusted with dark stubble.
The sharp, long angles of his body were filled in, and he looked strong but soft, like he’d give a little under her fingers. A curl of black ink peeked from under the collar of his long-sleeved shirt, hinting at more art beneath.
Penny cleared her throat and shifted her gaze to his face to find him watching her with narrowed eyes. “I guess the rumors are true. You really are back.”
His brows rose, framing eyes that carried the richness of the forest, all dark browns and coppers. “If it isn’t Penny Becker, Sullivan’s Glen’s golden girl,” he said in a rumble.
His searing attention on her didn’t waver, so Penny straightened as a line of sweat dripped between her shoulder blades. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged, a haughty grin playing on his lips. “Everybody comes back to Sullivan’s Glen. Isn’t that what the locals always say?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Pretty sure that graffiti you gifted us when you left made it clear you weren’t interested in coming back.”
Zander’s chest puffed out enough to tug the fabric of his shirt tight. “Graffiti? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah.” Penny pushed out a strained laugh. “I’m sure. Maybe you finally came back to apologize?”
His amused expression closed off as his smile flattened. “No. I actually came to claim my inheritance.”
“Your what?”
“The house next door is mine now,” he answered, nodding to where the Bouras property began less than thirty yards away.
Penny pulled her gloves off and shoved them in her pocket as her brain reeled. She’d disregarded her mom’s gossip, sure that Zander would never step foot in this place again. But not only was he here, he was her neighbor.
And while they’d known of each other—in a place the size of Sullivan’s Glen, it was impossible not to—Penny’s busy path hadn’t crossed his for more than glances in town, when he’d always mustered up a scowl to send her way.
“I came to invite you to my housewarming party.” He interrupted her thoughts. “It’ll be potluck style, and it’d be great if you could bring the potato salad.”
“What?”
Zander’s laugh bellowed. “You should see your face. It would really be that bad, huh?” When Penny only stuttered, Zander shook his head. “Don’t have a heart attack on me here. I’m kidding.”
“Kidding?” Penny’s long exhale emptied her lungs. “Right, obviously. You wouldn’t—” Possibly deem this place worth your presence. “The house isn’t really—” Yours. Why would he have left it to you?
“Well, half kidding. I know you’d never come to my potluck. But the house is mine. Fancy lawyers confirmed it and everything.”
“But why?” Mr. Bouras kept to himself, but a couple of years ago word filtered down that the older man was getting treatment for cancer, with all his home care provided by hired nurses.
People wondered, often and loudly, if his daughter or Zander would make an appearance, but they never did. “Why would he leave it to you?”
Zander laughed again, but this time it was darker, edged with gravel that scraped on Penny’s skin.
“Good question.” He stepped farther into the clearing, walking slowly around the edge of the bee yard as he looked up at the trees.
“I bet there’s more you want to ask, too, right?
Like, Why did that man leave his property to his no-good grandson when he let him die alone, when he didn’t even come back to bury him?
” His gaze dropped to Penny with a challenge.
“How about, Why didn’t this place go to someone who deserves it? ”
Penny blinked at him as she pushed down a dry swallow. She was thinking all those questions, along with some others, like, What would happen to the property now? And how would it impact Becker Farms?
“Zander!” another voice called from in the trees. “Are you out here?”
Mallory Robinson stepped into the bee yard, yanking a twig out of one of her black space buns. Her dark brown skin glowed in the morning sun, as did the collection of silver rings and studs that decorated the sides of both ears like shimmering vines.
Mallory and Penny had gone to school together, where they’d shared some honors classes early on.
But as high school progressed, Mallory started ditching classes and getting into minor trouble until finally running off with Zander after graduation.
She’d started coming back a couple of years ago, always bringing her son, Winter, whom Penny had met a few times at the farmer’s market.
But she had no clue Zander and Mallory were still in touch.
Zander blinked once at Penny before exhaling loudly. “Mal? What the hell?”
Mallory smiled, gazing around at the scattering of goldenrod, eyes not yet landing on Penny.
“Good morning to you, too, Zander. Upon a second cup of coffee, I was sent by my delightful partner to ensure you actually did get out of bed. And here you are! So proud.” With a chuckle, she looked back to where she’d emerged from the trees.
“Luckily for us, you walk through grass like the bear you are and left us a trail to follow.”
Zander pinched the bridge of his nose. “Us?”
Mallory stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled. “Winter! I found him! This way!”
After a few more crashing steps, Mallory’s son appeared through the trees. He was taller than when Penny had seen him last summer, with curly black hair cut short to his head and skin a few shades lighter than his mom’s.
Penny knew Zander was his father. Mallory had stayed in touch with enough friends that news traveled when she’d become pregnant, then actually married Zander.
But a few years later when she heard they’d split up, Penny assumed things had gone the way they always had in her own life. Father gone, Mom on her own.
But now Zander’s body was relaxed, his fighting stance abandoned for something loose, almost goofy. He jogged the few feet to Winter and mussed his hair as the kid rolled his eyes. When he turned back to the clearing, the ashen look he’d had a minute ago was washed away by an easy smile.
This was even more unexpected than the town’s former bad boy appearing in Penny’s bee yard. Because she realized that Zander might not just be Winter’s father, but his dad as well.
Mallory laid a gentle hand on Zander’s forearm. “Quinn had to reply to some work emails, but we thought it’d be good to say hi. Don’t be pissed. And anyway, what are you doing out—Oh my god! Penny! I didn’t even see you there. I’m so sorry!”
Penny raised one hand weakly, feeling awkward and frumpy in the bee suit. “Morning.”
“You remember Winter, right?” Mallory urged the boy forward with a hand on his back.
“Yeah, of course.” She looked to Winter, who was surveying the spread of hives. “You’re a lot taller than last year.” Penny winced. “Sorry, you probably hear that from every adult.”
Winter shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s okay.” He was clad in skinny jeans, beat-up Nikes, and a T-shirt from a science fair, and looked on track to inherit Zander’s height. He glanced from hive to hive. “Is this where you keep all the bees?”
Winter stepped close to a hive box but was halted by Zander’s hand on his shoulder. “Watch out, buddy. They’re all over the place.”
“Dad. It’s fine.”
Penny couldn’t look away from Zander’s hand, curled protectively over Winter. It was so at odds with the man she’d encountered a few minutes ago, the one poised at the border between fight and flight.
Her gaze traveled up Zander’s thick arm, over the smooth bulge of his bicep, then caught again on the tattoo peeking just above his collar. It could be anything—the tail of a small snake, or the edge of a leaf, branches spreading across his chest.
Damn, it was too hot outside for this bee suit.
Penny cleared her throat and smiled back at Winter. “This is where we keep some of the bees. We have more on the other side of our house, in the orchards.”
“This is so cool.” Winter stepped closer to the hive, Zander an oversize shadow behind him. “We did a unit on honeybees in science this year and watched a bunch of videos, but I haven’t seen this stuff up close. Can I see them closer up?”
Normally, Penny loved showing off the bees and revealing the magic of the colony.
But this—Zander, appearing out of nowhere with a chip still on his shoulder, as her neighbor and a dad, looking fairly stressed at the thought of his kid dabbling with venomous insects—was too much. Superstition or not, she wasn’t opening up a hive feeling like this.
But she couldn’t deny the kid’s excitement. She knew exactly how he felt.
“I would love to but can’t just now.” Winter’s smile dropped, and Penny went on. “But you’re welcome to come back another time. We could probably squeeze that in while you’re here. How long will you guys be in town?”
Winter huffed, shooting a glare full of daggers at his mom. “We’re here all summer because Mom is making us.”
Mallory sighed. “I’m so glad we all have beautiful attitudes this morning.
” She directed her attention to Penny. “My mom just had surgery, so I wanted to be here for longer to help out. Which means we have plenty of time. Hey—do you still do the market? Maybe we can stop by Saturday and figure out a time for Winter to come back over?”
Penny smiled and nodded as her brain went fuzzy again. “Yeah. Yeah, sounds good.” She dared a look to Zander. “You’ll be here all summer, too?”
He cracked a wide smile, like he knew just how frazzled she was, and liked it. “Where my kid goes, I go. And like I said, I’ve got a whole house to deal with right over there.”
Zander Bouras next door. All summer. As if Penny didn’t already have enough to worry about.