Chapter 44
Juniper
Two days after finding The Forgotten Road , June closed the second notebook and simply gazed out at the mountains, her chest aching with unshed tears.
Carson’s long-hidden manuscript had been raw and real, the story of a man who falls in love with another man’s wife and how
he worked to repair the gaping hole that love had torn inside him.
She had been deeply moved by each page, unable to read more than an hour at a time without having to take a break to regain
her composure.
It had felt like a love letter to her mother, a precious gift that made June not only come to love her father, but also admire
and respect her mother for the difficult choice she had made to walk away.
What would Elizabeth have done if she had read it? Jimmy Connelly had died by the time Carson wrote the tragic ending to The Forgotten Road .
Had Elizabeth tried to reach out to him and let him know about her husband’s death and about their daughter’s birth?
If she hadn’t, why not?
She would probably never know the answer to that. Perhaps, as she had thought before, her mother had considered it her penance
to live a solitary life, punishment for breaking her wedding vows with Carson. Or perhaps they had fought so bitterly when
their affair ended that she had been unable to see a way forward for them.
We were travelers on the same road for a short time , his protago nist and narrator had said in the final scene. She had a destination I could never reach. In the end, she continued walking and I stood still, left only with the dust of
her footprints.
It all made her so sad, though she reminded herself that Carson had gone on to have a wonderful life, after that initial time
of mourning. He had fallen in love again with Alison’s mother, had a child, bought this ranch and went on to have a brilliant
career.
Her mother had also been happy. She had loved her students, she had adored June, she had dear friends who loved her and she
had worked hard to make her community better.
While June wanted to sit and absorb the words she had read for the next few hours—or days—she also knew she had to give the
book to Alison to read now. She had promised to take it to her as soon as she finished.
After packing the notebooks back into the protective box and locking it again with the key, she threw on shoes and a sweater
and took off along the path toward the ranch.
Ali had texted her already that day to let her know she was at home studying that morning, but had to work that afternoon.
She could catch her before she left.
What would her sister think about the deep love their father had once had for Elizabeth Connelly?
Her sister. She shook her head as she walked. It was still so very difficult to process all the changes in her life in such
a short time.
Dew still clung to the grass, gleaming like scattered pearls on each leaf and blade.
She would miss Wyoming and this ranch deeply when she left, but she knew she had to go. Her life waited for her and it was
time she returned to it.
While she knew she would come back to see Alison and Loretta, she wasn’t ready to see Beck again.
As she read about lost love, he hadn’t been far from her thoughts, which was silly. She didn’t love him. Okay, maybe she was halfway there, but she would get over him as soon as she returned to Seattle.
She had no choice but to go back. Their relationship was doomed to failure before it had even begun. He surely understood
that.
Alison opened the door as soon as she rang the doorbell, as if she had been waiting on the other side since June had texted
that she was on her way.
“I’ve been dying to talk to you for the past thirty-six hours, but Grandma told me I should give you time to finish the book.”
“Thank you.”
“How was it?”
She couldn’t find any words adequate to convey the impact.
“It is a lovely book. Heartbreaking, bittersweet, sad. But filled with hope, too.”
Alison studied her features, probably taking in her reddened eyes and the tearstains that were likely still on her cheeks.
“Will it be hard for me to read?”
June considered. “Maybe. But it’s uplifting, too.”
“What do you think about publishing it? I keep thinking Dad had reasons for not putting it out there in the world. Maybe we
should honor those reasons.”
“That’s a decision for you and Beck to make as Carson’s literary trustees.”
Ali made a face. “Nice try, but you’re not getting out of it that easily. You’re part of this now. I know I speak for Beck,
too, when I say your input is absolutely necessary before we make any decisions. We won’t do anything without your okay.”
She wasn’t sure Beck would agree, especially after the way she had pushed him out the door the other night.
“Read it first. Then you can decide whether or not to publish it. I’m interested to know what you think.”
“I will.”
Alison took the box containing the book and the small key and set it on the table in the hallway. It was all June could do not to snatch it back up and hold it tightly in her arms.
“If we decide not to publish it, I will at least have it typed up and formatted so we can print bound copies for the two of
us and for Loretta and Beck. A friend of mine worked with a print-on-demand publisher a few years ago and the small-run print
edition of her book was stunning. I’ll check into it.”
“That would be lovely.”
“Would you like coffee or tea or something? Grandma also has some banana nut bread in the kitchen or I could find you some
toast or something.”
“I’m good. I’ll head back home so you can return to your studying.” She paused, bracing herself. “I need to tell you something.
I’m going back to Seattle this week. Day after tomorrow, actually.”
Ali stared. “You can’t go yet. You’re still recovering.”
“I’ve been here long enough, Ali. I’m doing well. I’m stronger every day. It’s time I start easing myself back into my regular
life.”
“I don’t want you to go.” Alison’s distress hurt, mostly because she shared the other woman’s feelings. Her sister had become
important to her since she had come to Wyoming, possibly the dearest friend she’d ever had.
“We’ll still be in touch,” June assured her. “As you said, I’m part of this now. I want to be in your life and in your grandmother’s
life.”
“ Our grandmother’s life,” Ali corrected.
“It will take me time to get used to that. But yes. Our grandmother’s life.”
“She’ll be sorry she missed you today. I know she would love to see you again before you go.”
“I’ll stop by before I leave, at a time when she’s home.”
“We should have a goodbye dinner tomorrow. I would invite you tonight, but I actually have a date. I could cancel it, though.”
She said the words with a hopeful tone in her voice that made June wonder. “With your cowboy again?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t sound all that excited.”
“I should be. I know I should be. I’m just—” Her voice trailed off. “I think I’m in love with my best friend.”
June didn’t know what to say. Was Ali looking toward her for advice? She had never been great at giving other people romantic
advice, probably because she was so lousy at relationships herself.
“With Xander?”
Ali nodded miserably. “We kissed when we went on our camping trip. It was... amazing.”
“That sounds promising.”
“I don’t know. We’ve been friends since we were kids and I’ve been careful never to blur any lines. Xander is too important
to me. My best friend. I can’t screw it up.”
“If he kissed you, maybe he’s looking for more.”
“He told me he had a thing for me in high school and everybody knew except me. And when I was helping him clear out his room,
he had a photo album filled with pictures of me.”
That sounded like a clear case of mutual attraction to June.
“So maybe you are the only one who cares about not mixing your friendship with romance.”
Ali rubbed at her temples. “Maybe. I don’t know. What should I do?”
“If you are looking for fabulous advice in this area, you chose the wrong older sister. I have a lousy track record with men.
I’ve only had a few relationships that lasted longer than a month or two.”
“Beck likes you, though.”
June tensed. She did not want to talk about Beckett right now. Especially as she hadn’t seen any sign of him or his dog since she had pushed him away.
She didn’t want to admit, even to herself, how much she had missed them both.
“He’s been very kind to me.”
“I get a definite vibe there’s more to it. I think it’s wonderful. You two are perfect for each other. Beck hasn’t dated anyone
since he came to Bridger Peak. It’s about time he found someone fantastic and I would be so happy if that someone was you.”
“It’s not,” she said bluntly. “I’m going back to Seattle this week. End of story.”
Ali looked as if she wanted to argue, but something in June’s expression must have caused her to reconsider, much to June’s
relief.
“Is Mr. Greene sending a plane for you?”
“That’s the plan.”
When she had told Adam she was going to catch a commercial flight back from Jackson, he had insisted on sending one of the
Move Inc planes for her. It felt unnecessary and uncomfortably pretentious to June, not to mention raising her personal carbon
footprint far higher than she wanted.
“I can give you a ride to the airport, then. I may have to rearrange my schedule at the bookstore, but I’ll make it work.
Grandma will make sure of it.”
“Thank you. I would appreciate that.”
She hadn’t been sure how she would get to the airport. She could never have asked Beck, certainly.
“We have to plan a time when you can come back to The Painted Sky. I insist on it.”
“I will,” she promised. “And you are welcome anytime you want to visit Seattle, too.”
She meant the words completely. Alison had saved her life. For that alone, June would have maintained a connection with her.
But she was her half sister, too, a relationship June intended to cherish.
She might not be great at doling out sisterly advice, but she had a huge penthouse in Seattle with plenty of room for visitors.