Chapter 29
Beckett
He was becoming entirely too fond of Juniper Connelly.
As Beckett walked with her back to Carson’s cabin, he somehow managed to keep the conversation flowing. They talked about
early mountain men and trappers who were the first Europeans to pass through the area, about the winters that could be harsh
and relentless, about some of his upcoming projects.
The entire time they spoke, a corner of his brain kept asking what the hell he thought he was doing.
Even if he might have thought he was ready for another relationship, which he definitely wasn’t, what would be the point in
even thinking about Juniper like that?
A month ago, he would have thought a woman like her was absolutely not his type. He could not imagine two women more different
than Soledad and June.
His wife had been petite, barely up to his shoulder and curvy. June was only a few inches shorter than he was, tall and willowy.
Beyond the physical differences, she was a driven tech executive, probably married to her work, at least according to Ali.
She lived in a high-rise condo in the middle of bustling Seattle, whereas Beck did not even like visiting a smallish city
like Jackson these days.
Despite that, he had these random moments when he was struck by her vulnerability, when he wanted to wrap her in his arms
and protect her from any possible harm.
Hank loped ahead of them and was waiting on the porch of the cabin, tail wagging.
“I think you want a treat,” she said, scratching the dog behind the ears. She opened the door to the cabin. She must have had dog biscuits inside somewhere close to the door because she emerged seconds later with one in her hand that she handed to a grateful Hank.
Despite everything going on in her life, she had taken the time to purchase dog treats for an animal that wasn’t even hers.
She was a very hard woman to resist.
“Would you like a cold drink of water?” she asked.
He hadn’t thought to bring a water bottle for himself. While he only had a five-minute walk to his place, it was always good
to hydrate, right?
“That would be great.”
“What about Hank? Does he need one”
“Sure.”
He followed her inside, noting again how the place had already begun to seem like hers in only the short time she had been
here. A blanket had been tossed over the edge of the sofa; those wildflowers he had been silly enough to send to the door
with Hank earlier now graced the room, and the kitchen table was covered with Carson’s journals.
It looked less like the cluttered writing retreat of a brilliant writer and more like a comfortable guesthouse.
“You look like you’re making progress going through the journals,” he said after she handed him a glass of water and filled
a bowl for the dog.
“They’re so good. If you end up using all the entries I’ve marked for a collection of essays, you will have to put out more
than one volume.”
“You’re really into this.”
“Yes. And I think I found more proof about the missing manuscript.”
She picked up a journal that had been open on the table, flipped to a page she had marked with a sticky note and handed it over. He scanned the words, feeling a pang of loss again as he looked at his friend’s familiar handwriting.
“It’s not definitive proof, but I have to admit it’s intriguing.”
“I would love to discover a missing manuscript. I am not one who believes in a lot of woo-woo stuff, but I almost feel like
he wants me to find it.”
She looked embarrassed at her words. “That probably sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? I can’t explain it, but I feel a strange
connection to Carson, probably because my mom loved his work so much.”
He found her passion and drive compelling, but he didn’t tell her that. He also couldn’t mention that any connection she felt
to Carson might have to do with genetics.
“I need to apply one more coat of varnish to the project I’m working on, then I can come back here and start going through
boxes of his papers with you tonight, if you want.”
Her smile widened. “That would be great. Thanks. Why don’t you plan on dinner here? I have some chicken breasts I was thinking
about grilling.”
That probably wasn’t the smartest idea. The more time he spent with June, the more time he wanted to spend with her.
He ignored his misgivings. “That sounds great. I’ll bring a salad.”
“Great. I’ll see you this afternoon. Thank you again for the hike. It was exactly what I needed.”
“I’m glad. That’s what I had hoped. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
He called to Hank, then headed for the door, already anticipating when he would see her again.
The rest of the day passed quickly. After applying the penultimate coat of varnish to the table he was trying to finish, he
decided to run into town and pick up more lumber to be used as forms for future projects.
The lumberyard two towns over that he had found offered the best selection was busy with people working on home -improvement projects on a Saturday, and by the time he returned and unloaded the lumber from his truck to his workshop, he only had a quick few minutes to shower and change out of his work clothes.
He was coming down the stairs when his doorbell rang. Hank only lifted his head from his dog bed, not bothering to even bark.
“Some guard dog you are,” he muttered.
He was surprised to find Alison on the other side.
“Hey, you.” He gave her a quick hug. “What brings you out here?”
“I was hoping I could ask you a big favor. Xander and I are supposed to be riding up to Hidden Lake tomorrow. As I was throwing
things together, I suddenly remembered our tent got a rip in it last year when Dad and I went on that quick fishing trip before
I left to go back to school.”
“Did it?”
“Yeah. The whole zipper came loose on our last night, which means if I take it I’ll be sleeping with every mosquito in Wyoming.
Plus, if it rains, I’ll be completely drenched. I’ll never dry out and be miserable the whole time.”
“We can’t have that.”
“Right? I don’t have time to order a new one and every place in town is closed by now. I was wondering if you might have one
I could borrow.”
“Of course. It’s in the garage. You can help yourself. You can take anything else you need. Just lock up when you leave.”
“Are you going somewhere?” she asked, looking with interest at his wet hair.
“I’m heading over to the cabin.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Is that why you smell so good and look like you stepped out of the shower two minutes ago?”
He gave her a quelling look, hoping he wasn’t flushing. “I’ve been hauling lumber all afternoon. I smelled like a locker room.”
“Ah.”
He didn’t like her knowing look. “I usually take a shower at the end of the workday. It just so happens that at the end of
this particular workday, I’m heading over to help your guest go through your dad’s boxes, looking for a lost manuscript.”
“Seriously? I want to help!”
Beck knew he was becoming too drawn to June when he instinctively wanted to discourage Ali from coming along. Was it because
he had been looking forward to spending the evening alone with June?
So much for being careful around her. Maybe it would be for the best to have Ali along as a buffer to make sure Beck wasn’t
tempted to kiss her houseguest again.
“Unless I’m going to be a third wheel,” Ali said when his silence lengthened. “In which case, I am more than happy to leave
the two of you alone. Forget I said anything.”
He frowned at her implication. “There’s nothing between me and Juniper except friendship.”
“I didn’t realize you even had that.”
“We’ve gone on a few hikes,” he admitted. “And she is interested in my work and has watched me a few times.”
Ali’s eyes widened. “You really let someone come to your inner sanctum?”
“It’s not like I’m working in isolation, in some locked compound hidden away from the world. I have a stupid YouTube channel.
Anybody with an internet connection can watch me work.”
“Still. That’s different. I remember how hard it was for you to even let Xander come that first time to film you.”
“I can’t help that I’m a private person.”
“Which makes it even more shocking that you let June watch. You like her, don’t you?”
Now he did feel himself flush and had to hope his coloring would mask it.
“I feel compassion toward her. She’s been through a tough time and is struggling to come to terms with her condition. Not to mention that the whole reason you invited her here was with the underlying motive of shaking her world all over again when you tell her the truth about your dad.”
Ali sighed. “It’s becoming harder and harder not to tell her.”
“Then why don’t you? While you are having trouble finding the right time and the right words, I have to struggle every time
I talk to her not to spill the beans.”
He studied her. “You should come with me. What better chance to finally tell her the truth?”
Panic flashed over her features and she looked like she wanted to grab his tent and bolt back to the ranch house.
After a long hesitation, she nodded. “Maybe you’re right. She seems to be doing so much better. If I feel like she’s in a
good place to hear it, I’ll try to find the perfect time to tell her.”
“There is no perfect time, Ali. Keeping the secret is only going to be harder as time goes on.”
“I know,” she said. “Fine. I’ll come with you, if you’re sure it’s okay.”
“We’re having dinner first. I’m sure June won’t mind if you come along.”
“I don’t need dinner. I grabbed a sandwich on the way home from the bookstore, but I can hang out while you eat and then help
you go through boxes. Want me to give you a ride?”
He was relieved, he told himself, that she would be there to provide a buffer.
“Sure. Let me grab my tent out of the garage for you, then we can head over.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Beck.”
As they both walked toward the garage, he felt a twinge of apprehension. He could only hope June would still talk to him after
Ali told her all the secrets they had both been keeping from her.