Affectionately dubbed The Honeybee Sisters in their Wisconsin Amish community, the three Christner girls are devoted beekeepers who are coming-of-age—and discovering the sweet surprise of love…   Shy, skittish Rose Christner is more comfortable tending to the beehives on the family farm and keeping her aunt’s unruly cats in line than attending social gatherings with the rest of the die youngie . A childhood trauma and secret shame keep her heart under lock and key, and Rose just can’t accept the sweet attention she’s receiving from a handsome neighbor. But the more she shies away from Josiah Yoder, the more their families sneakily plot to bring them together. And when a vandal who’s been plaguing the Honeybee Farm starts targeting Rose, Josiah’s steadfast protection—and patience—just may lead her into his waiting arms… Praise for Jennifer Beckstrand and her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series   “Full of kind, sincere characters struggling with the best ways to stay true to themselves and their beliefs.” --Publishers Weekly   “A delightful voice in Amish romance. Sweet and funny.”--Emma Miller   “Sweet romance with a lot of heart…Readers will treasure this series.” --RT Book Reviews Jennifer Beckstrand  is the RITA nominated and award-winning author of the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill and The Honeybee Sisters series, as well as a number of novellas. Novels in her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series have been RITA® Award and  RT Book Reviews  Reviewer’s Choice Award finalists.  Huckleberry Hill  won the 2014 LIME Award for inspirational fiction and  Huckleberry Hearts  was named a  Booklist  Top 10 Inspirational Fiction Book of the Year. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people. She and her husband have been married for thirty-four years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten. Please visit her online at www.JenniferBeckstrand.com Like a Bee to Honey By JENNIFER BECKSTRAND KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. Copyright © 2016 Jennifer Beckstrand All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4201-4024-8 CHAPTER 1 Josiah Yoder's heart pounded so hard, they could probably hear it in the next county, and it made him kind of disgusted with himself. He'd been to the Honeybee schwesters' farm at least a dozen times. The mere thought of possibly, maybe, hopefully seeing Rose Christner shouldn't make him feel as if he were going to have a heart attack. Just because he had been completely and hopelessly in love with Rose for four long years didn't mean he couldn't be perfectly calm when he saw her. He had never managed to be perfectly calm before, but surely he could muster his levelheadedness today. He'd scare Rose away if he drove onto her farm jumpy and agitated like a spooked horse. His chicken heart only beat faster as his open-air buggy passed the sign on the road that stood at the entrance to the Christners' property. Beware The Honeybees, it said. Every time he saw that sign, his pulse raced out of control — not because he was especially afraid of honeybees, but because Rose had painted that sign herself. With her own two hands. It was almost as if she were standing there at the entrance to their property greeting him with a smile and a wave. Almost. It was almost like that. The sign had Rose's touch all over it. She'd painted red roses and bright yellow daisies, pastel tulips and spiky dandelions. Bees and butterflies frolicked among the flowers — kind of like the ones making a home in his gut at this very minute. His heart knocked into his ribs like a sledgehammer and smashed all the butterflies in his stomach. Oy, anyhow. He was hopeless. No matter how ferhoodled, he was determined not to mess things up with Rose — not when he had already made a connection with her. And by "connection," he meant that she didn't cower like a nervous bunny rabbit when he said hello. With a light tug on the reins, Josiah guided his horse, Max, onto the small wooden bridge that marked the entrance to the Honeybee schwesters' property. He caught his breath and nearly choked. Rose and her sisters, Lily and Poppy, were but thirty feet away tending to their beehives. Each of them wore one of those beekeeper hats with netting draped over the top, plus a long-sleeved jacket and jeans tucked into long stockings. The outfits weren't strictly Amish, but the sisters couldn't wear Plain dresses while tending the bees or they'd be stung for sure and certain. Josiah pinned his gaze to the shortest of the three beekeepers. Rose looked pretty no matter what she wore. All three sisters turned to see who was coming over their bridge and waved to him, even Rose. Surely his heart couldn't beat any faster. He raised his arm and waved back but tried not to look too eager. Eagerness tended to make Rose nervous. Once, after a fellowship supper, Josiah had watched Benji Kauffman follow Rose around like a lost