Chapter 2 #2
Eventually, Dani quit searching the skies and returned to the front of her property. Instead of going into the cottage to research, she headed into the garage. She needed to burn off some of her worry and fear. Researching now would only amp up her stress levels, so she’d wait until she was calmer.
She didn’t want to head inside because that’s where her phone was charging.
She didn’t want to know if one of her family members had left her a message or if someone was trolling her blog.
Could people find her location through her blog?
She’d set the privacy settings as high as possible, and she didn’t want to give it up.
The Frannie B’s Honey blog expanded her reach and allowed customers to find her and her products.
Closing it down wouldn’t be good business.
Unless someone was using her blog to find and harass her, or hurt her bees to help their own business—so many awful possibilities.
Normally, she would have opened the large garage door to the beautiful day, but the drone had scared her. Instead, she locked the door as soon as she and Bibi were inside.
“Okay, girl, I’m going to bend up some metal. That should take care of some of the bouncing nerves.”
She had stacks of metal rods organized by their varying thicknesses. Today, she’d focus on the thickest rods to help kick out some of her nerves. And to ensure she didn’t waste any of the more fragile material. That required far more attention to detail, and her body was too shaky.
Dani grabbed a few rods and closed her eyes to imagine some of the new pieces she’d make. The bee, flower, and fairy wind spinners and signs for homes and businesses sold well. She planned to add little statues for patios this year.
The previous day, she’d been thrilled to open her business email to find two customers raving about their purchases. They both sent her photos of where they hung in their gardens.
Adding those to her blog would boost her spirits, and maybe her business. People loved inspirational photos, and they were great for encouraging impulse purchases.
Already feeling calmer, Dani chose the appropriate metal brake, and clamped it to her worktable.
She wouldn’t need the welder for the initial bends, and using the required force would benefit her.
She’d dealt with many frustrations over the last few years by bending metal.
Frannie B would love it, and Dani’s mother would be horrified. Even better.
An image appeared in her mind as she worked. An oblong-shaped wind spinner with a protective fairy guarding bees buzzing around some field thistle. Or wild bergamot.
The details would come later, but for now, she focused on bending the rods into shape for the outer edges of the pieces.
Each spinner would be different, with unique flowers and fairies. But they would work as a set. Six or eight. More?
Images flew through her mind as she set the rods into the correct areas and leaned her strength into bending them into the right shapes for the frames.
When sweat beaded on her forehead, she took a break and pulled out her notebook. She sketched out the ideas that had been forming in her brain. Strangely, her sketching skills were average at best. But once she started working the metal, the images took on life and shape.
For now, she sketched quickly and listed ideas beneath each of the eight designs: types of flowers, individual fairy details, and the number of bees.
Female power would flow through the art. Maybe she could find a name for the collection that implied that.
She never duplicated pieces, but she could imagine this collection expanding. Her imagination was the only limit, and there were days she thought there were no boundaries at all.
The flower choices were infinite, as were the variations of protectors.
Dragons. The dragons could protect the bees and the plants.
She flipped a page and jotted down more ideas. She’d bet lots of people enjoyed dragons as she did, especially when the dragons were on the side of the humans. These would soar and swoop with joy as they protected their domains.
Her brain buzzed with ideas, and she jolted hard when Bibi barked.
Her warning bark.
All the fear caused by the drone surged back, and Dani dropped the pencil to the worktable as a knock sounded on the door.
She shook out her hands and watched Bibi. The Newfoundland dog wasn’t growling or snarling. The person wasn’t someone she disliked, but it was probably someone she didn’t know.
Dani didn’t think anyone other than Lorraine had ever knocked on her door. And that was when her neighbor had brought her welcome to the neighborhood cookies.
Because Dani was in the garage, there wasn’t a peephole in the door. Something she would correct at the earliest opportunity.
Another knock. “Hello? Is anyone home? I’m your new neighbor, Lawson Malssum, and I wanted to introduce myself.”
Bibi barked her I want to lick you to death bark.
No immediate threat then. And Malssum was the surname of the people who owned the farm next door to Lorraine.
Wishing she had her phone, Dani wrapped her hand around Bibi’s collar and took a deep breath. She opened the door partway, leaving herself space to slam it closed if necessary.
At first glance, she saw a man about her age with a friendly expression on a gorgeous face similar to Knox Malssum. This meant he was telling the truth. He didn’t crowd her. Instead, he stayed a few feet back and smiled.
She nodded to show she’d heard him, but didn’t respond with her name. Not until she was sure.
Her first instinct was that Bibi was right. The man was lickable. Probably safe. Gorgeous face, athletic build. Jeans and a flannel shirt over a t-shirt.
Nothing like anyone from her parents’ world, which was more good news. He didn’t look like a threat. The Malssums knew about her apiaries, and she doubted they would start their own to drive her out of business.
Bibi wagged her tail hard enough to whack Dani’s thigh. The Newfoundland whined and wiggled, trying to get closer to the stranger.
Some guard dog.
Lawson Malssum’s face softened as he lowered his gaze to the dog. “Well, hello there. You’re another beauty, aren’t you?” His face flushed at his words, but he kept his eyes on the dog.
Dani didn’t want to get closer to a stranger, but Bibi was nearly frantic, so she released the dog and stayed with her hand on the door.
She didn’t sense any creepy vibes from Lawson, but she wasn’t taking chances.
He murmured to Bibi and rubbed her down until she was belly up and begging for more.
Grinning, he complied. “You’re a great dog. I wonder if you’ve met Fox.”
Dani relaxed a fraction more at further proof he was exactly who he said he was. “Fox was here earlier. He and Bibi are good friends.”
“So, Bibi’s your name. Hi, Bibi. I hope we’ll be friends, too.”
Nothing about this man screamed fake or creepy, but Dani still didn’t relax her position, even if her body wanted to follow Bibi’s example.
Then Lawson looked up from where he petted her massive dog, and his eyes sparkled with fun and appreciation. “I have to confess I came with an ulterior motive.”
Everything inside Dani shut down. So much for her instincts. He was a threat, after all.