Chapter 34
Juniper
June yawned as she spooned some yogurt out of the container on the porch. Even the silly antics of the resident squirrels
who lived in the trees near the cabin couldn’t shake her from this malaise.
She hadn’t slept more than a few hours, her mind chasing thought after thought, trying to come to terms with Ali’s shocking
announcement that they were half sisters.
Was it possible? Could she actually be the secret daughter of Carson Wells? How could her mother have withheld something of
such significance from her?
She would likely never know the answer to that, unfortunately. She sipped at her coffee, trying to calm her breathing and
her thoughts, as she had been doing since Ali had told her everything the night before.
She had managed to focus on the beauty of the morning when she saw movement coming through the trees and spotted Hank loping
down the path. She would truly miss this guy when she returned to Seattle.
“Good morning,” she called out as he headed straight for her. “Yes, I’ve got a treat for you. They’re inside.”
When she returned with his promised treat, she found Beck walking through the trees after his dog.
The hitch in her breathing severely annoyed her. Yes, the man had kissed her. So what? It hadn’t meant anything for either
of them.
“Morning,” he called as he approached the house.
She lifted a hand in greeting, wishing he didn’t look so ridiculously gorgeous in the slanting morning sunlight.
He stepped up onto the porch and leaned against the railing, studying her with disconcerting scrutiny.
“I gave Hank a treat. Would you like coffee for yours?”
“I’m good. I’ve already had two cups this morning. Any more and I’ll get the shakes. Were you able to sleep at all?”
She sighed, though she felt herself flush. Did she really look that haggard? “Not much.”
“Understandable. You’ve had a lot to digest over the past twelve hours.”
“You have no doubt that I’m Carson’s daughter, do you?”
He shook his head. “I might have questioned the DNA results when Ali first told me about them. When I saw the two of you together
and really looked at you both, I could see it. Your coloring is different and you’re obviously taller, but there are definite
similarities in your bone structure.”
“I finally logged in to the DNA database for the first time since I did my initial test. I saw the link to Ali and to the
user who is apparently Carson and also to Loretta.”
“Are you convinced?”
“Getting there. But I still need further proof. That’s how I am.”
“I completely understand.”
She wished she understood any of this. “It’s so hard for me to wrap my head around the possibility. I feel as if everything
I thought I knew about myself is a lie.”
“What’s different, other than your paternity? You’re still you. Juniper Connelly. You still had the same wonderful mother.
You’re still a passionate, driven professional trying your best to make your mark.”
She wasn’t even sure of that anymore.
“I came over to go through boxes with you, but I’ve got a better idea. My trailer is loaded up with that console table I was working on. I need to deliver it to a place in Jackson Hole. I planned to take it tomorrow, but how do you feel about a drive today? We could even grab a picnic lunch and head into Grand Teton National Park.”
“I might be pretty lousy company,” she said. “After last night, I’ll probably sleep the whole way.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he said.
She had to admit she really didn’t want to be stuck here with her thoughts, and she didn’t want to go through more of Carson’s
papers. Now that she was viewing them through a different lens, she couldn’t bring herself to read the journals, either, though
she knew she might find the answers she was seeking.
“Sure. I’ve never been to Jackson. I’ve heard it’s a great town.”
“I think you will love it,” he said with a delighted smile. “I’ll go grab the truck and hitch the trailer and I’ll be back
in twenty minutes to pick you up.”
“Do you need help?”
“No. I’ve got it.”
Before she could respond, he trotted down the steps, whistled to Hank and headed quickly back the way he had come, leaving
June shaking her head.
Why had she agreed to go with him?
The idea of an entire day with Beck was both exhilarating and somewhat terrifying. She was already so drawn to him, and that
attraction only grew stronger as she spent more time with him.
On the other hand, he had an uncanny ability to calm and center her. What would be the harm in going with him? She had wanted
to see Grand Teton National Park while she was in Wyoming. This would provide the perfect opportunity.
She had already wasted five minutes of the limited time he had given her trying to make up her mind, she realized. Whatever
happened to the decisive, no-nonsense professional she had always thought she was?
She would go. A distraction from the hamster wheel of her thoughts would be refreshing.
Final decision made, she hurried inside to shower and dress for the day and was pulling her hair into a loose updo when she
heard his truck out front. A glance at her watch told her it had been exactly twenty minutes. There was something to be said
for a man who kept his word with such precision.
She grabbed her cross-body purse and water bottle and hurried outside, locking the house behind her. An enclosed white trailer
was hitched to his pickup truck. He smiled as he walked around the truck to help her inside, looking gorgeous and masculine.
What had she done?
Too late to back out now. She climbed inside and settled into the passenger seat, pulling on her seat belt as he walked back
around to the driver’s side and climbed in.
“Glad you brought your water bottle,” he said, nodding as she found a space for it in one of the drink holders. “I have a
cooler back there with more water, if you run out.”
“Thanks. I’m on orders to stay hydrated for my heart. I’m doing my best, but there are days I feel like I’m going to float
away.”
“I hope you don’t. And on that note, if you need a rest stop, let me know. There are a few nice places along the way where
we can stop.”
“Is it a long drive to Jackson Hole?”
He pulled out of The Painted Sky driveway onto the main road. “Depends on the traffic. If we don’t run into any bear jams
or road construction, we can be there in about ninety minutes.”
She sent him a sidelong look. “You’re pulling my leg. Bear jams aren’t a real thing.”
“Around here they certainly are. All visitors seem legally obligated to stop and take pictures if they see a bear anywhere
near the road.”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing a bear, as long as it was from the safety of your truck.”
“We can keep an eye out. They’re pretty rare close to the road this time of year, as they have plenty of available food in
the backcountry. It’s possible, though.”
She settled into the comfortable passenger seat, already feeling more relaxed than she had in hours, probably since Ali had
given her the news about Carson.
She pushed away the thought. “Where are we taking the table?” she asked instead.
“I’m meeting an interior designer at a renovation she’s doing near the elk refuge. It’s a really beautiful house. I think
you’ll like it. I’ve already done the dining table and a few occasional tables, and the homeowner decided she would like a
console table in the hallway, as well.”
“She’s lucky to have you. I’m sure it will be a piece that lasts forever.”
His smile flashed, though he kept his attention on the road as he turned onto another road with a sign pointing the way to
Jackson. “Thanks for saying that. I hope so.”
They drove in a silence broken only by the low jazz on the truck’s sound system. She could feel herself growing sleepy, but
forced herself to take a sip of water instead.
“Thanks again for inviting me. This is nice. I really did need a break from my thoughts. That doesn’t mean I’ve completely
forgiven you for not telling me why Ali invited me here.”
He glanced over briefly before turning his attention to the road. “Duly noted. If you do end up accepting that you are Carson’s
daughter, will you try to maintain a relationship with her?”
“Yes. Of course. Even if we’re not half sisters, I would have maintained a relationship with her of some sort for the rest
of my life. How could I not? She has been a lifesaver. Literally.”
“I’m glad she was there, for both your sakes,” he said, the sincerity in his voice unmistakable.
While she didn’t want to think about Carson, now that the subject had been broached she asked the question she had been wondering
all night. “What kind of father was he to Ali, really? I mean, it’s obvious she adored him, but I’ve read about other famous
authors whose families really suffered because of their pursuit of their craft.”
“Keep in mind, I’ve only been here five years and she’s been away at school most of that time. But from everything I could
see, he was a wonderful father. He adored her and they were very close. More friends than parent and child, from everything
I saw.”
June was uncomfortably aware of a tiny spark of envy. “Growing up, I was always jealous of my friends who had fathers in their
lives. Even if their parents were divorced, at least they occasionally got to spend time with their dads. The only time I
spent with mine were the monthly visits we made to the cemetery.”
She thought of her mother’s devotion to Jimmy, how she had insisted they stop often to pay respects at his grave, decorating
with fresh flowers in seasonal colors.
She gazed out the window at the passing trees as a memory suddenly rose up from deep in the recesses of her mind. She made
an exclamation that had him shifting to look at her, alarm in his expression.
“What is it? Did you see a bear?”
“No. I remembered something I haven’t thought about in years. I used to ask my mom why she never dated and she always used
to say she loved my dad too much to even think about caring for another man. Was she talking about Carson or Jimmy Connelly,
the father on my birth certificate?”
“That’s something I think you’ll probably never know.”
She sighed as all those questions that had kept her tossing and turning all night crowded back.
“Why don’t you give your brain a rest?” he suggested when she couldn’t hold back a yawn. “I’ll wake you up when we get there.”
The idea held undeniable appeal. Something about the soft music, the warmth of the truck and the calm of his presence soothed
her.
“You brought me along to keep you company. What kind of company will I be if I’m snoring away beside you?”
He smiled. “If you can relax and find a comfortable position, go ahead and sleep. You could at least get an hour’s nap.”
While she tried to resist, the truck was too cozy. Finally, she leaned her cheek against the seat, closed her eyes and surrendered
to her exhaustion.