While You're Awake Read Online Free Page A

her cheeks in the bright light.
She was crying? Why?
    Had she already been
stung? Attacked by this dying swarm?
    Concern caused him to
rush through the process of releasing the bee out into the tall grass of Ava’s
front yard. As soon as the creature left his hand, he rushed back into the
house and joined Ava by the table.
    He scanned her face and
arms, looking for the telltale swelling. A deep breath filled his lungs and
released slowly as he realized she was fine. Physically, anyway.
    He looked up to find new
tears pooling in the darkness beneath her lashes. “Oh, hey.” His arm rose
involuntarily, and he began to rub her shoulder in what he hoped were soothing
motions. He glanced back at the bees, his own shoulders deflating at the loss.
While he was as guilty as anyone when it came to killing offending bugs that
entered his personal space, he was raised to respect the role of honey bees.
    “What happened?” he asked
after a few moments of watching helplessly as the tears fell one by one.
    Ava shook her head,
gulping in a shuddering breath. She rubbed tight fists over her closed eyes,
then held out her palm, showing him the car keys. “I’m sorry. We can go
now—I’ve got the keys.”
    He blinked. Wait…what?
    He dropped his hand and
tried again. “What happened with the bees?”
    “They got in somehow. I—I
wasn’t able to let them out.” Guilt resided in that hesitation. And fear.
    Before he could question
her further, she spun away and hurried through the house, turning off the music
and all the lights as she went along. He took one last look at the spot where
the dead bees now blended into the shadows, then followed Ava out the door.
    Ava crunched across the
gravel and climbed into the passenger’s side of his truck. Keegan rounded the
hood and got into the driver’s side, the cab painfully silent as he started the
engine. He backed the vehicle out of the drive and drove onto the paved road,
trying to decide how much he should involve himself in Ava’s life. He’d only
just met her. Prying should be reserved for friends, not strangers.
    So he didn’t say a word,
although his mind had quite a lot to say.
    So the bees got into
her house. How? Through a window? The front door? A vent?
    Wait. I opened a
window before I left. But there was a screen…wasn’t there?
    Oh please let there
have been a screen.
    He rubbed his fingers on
his forehead and glanced in the rearview mirror before switching lanes to pass
a slow minivan.
    Maybe there’s a hive
somewhere near her house. Or in her house. In the wall—that could happen. Or
they could have been trying to find a place to build their hive. It’s that time
of year.
    I guess it doesn’t
really matter how it happened. It’s over. As long as there aren’t more of them.
    He tilted his head
slightly to study Ava’s profile in the soft glow of the dashboard and
streetlights. The girl lived by herself; she might not have anyone around who
could help her transport a hive or even determine how the bees had gotten in.
    Traveling the familiar
streets and pondering Ava and the dead bees kept him occupied until they
arrived at the coffee shop.
    Keegan fingered the keys
but left them in the ignition. “Where did the bees come from, Tired Girl? If
you need help removing them from the house or keeping them out, my uncle is a
beekeeper. I could give him a call.”
    He turned to find Ava
watching him.
    “Really? That would be—it
would mean so much. You have no idea. I can’t pay much, though.” She bit her
lip, the panic returning to her eyes.
    That fear made him wince.
He just wanted to take it away. “I think he’d be happy to help. Money shouldn’t
be an issue.”
    She sagged in relief
against the seat. “Oh, my nickname for you is just perfect!”
    Nickname? A satisfied
smile crept onto his face. “You going to tell me what it is, Tired Girl?”
    She returned the smile as
she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Angel Boy. Because of the