Chapter 47
Juniper
By sheer force of will, June managed not to completely break down as Alison drove away from the cabin. She refused to look
in the rearview mirror at the man and the dog who had come to mean so much to her.
“That was brutal, sis.”
She glared at Alison, even as some part of her rejoiced at the nickname and a relationship that was already so important to
her.
“It’s for the best. We all know that.”
“Beck doesn’t seem to agree.”
“When he has time to think about it, he will know I’m right. And I would rather not talk about it, thanks. How are things
with Xander?”
She’d had a goodbye dinner with her and their grandmother the night before, and Ali had been glowing with the news that she
hadn’t gone out on her date with her cowboy crush and had instead gathered her courage and told her best friend how she felt
about him.
Ali gave a besotted sigh now. “So good. Amazing. He came over after you went home last night and stayed for hours. It’s a
wonder I can stay awake to drive this morning. I never knew it was possible to be this happy.”
A hard knot of regret and pain lodged in her throat, knowing that sort of happiness simply wasn’t in the cards for her. Ever.
Still, she mustered a smile. “I’m glad for both of you. What’s next for you?”
“That’s one of the reasons he stayed so long last night. We’ve been trying to figure that out. He has decided to take an extended trip through India and he wants me to go with him.”
June’s gaze sharpened. “What about the bar exam?”
“I’m going to take it first. Don’t worry. I haven’t missed a single one of my online study groups for a week. Xan is going
to take shorter trips through the western United States over the next month, until I have taken the test.”
“Good. Even if you don’t end up practicing, you at least need the option to decide for yourself, especially after all your
hard work.”
“You sound exactly like Grandma.”
Did she? She could only hope, since she liked and admired Loretta.
They drove in silence for another mile before Ali spoke again.
“Beck is the best guy I know. Next to Xander, of course. You won’t find better.”
“I know that.” She curled her fingers together in her lap. “I care about him. But I don’t want anyone in my life right now.
I can’t.”
She braced herself for more arguments. To her relief, Ali only gave her a compassionate look as she turned in to the small
airport, where the sleek Move Inc jet looked incongruously elegant next to all the twin-engine prop planes.
Ali pulled onto the tarmac at June’s direction and parked next to the plane.
Glen, the same pilot who had flown them here weeks earlier, stepped forward to grab her bags.
“I think that’s everything,” Ali said, looking in the cargo area to make sure they hadn’t overlooked any items.
June again found herself close to tears. She didn’t want to leave, though she had no choice.
“Thank you for the ride. And for everything else.”
Ali reached out to hug her. “I’m so glad I found you, June.”
As she returned the hug, June thought of all that had happened since the two of them met.
Her life had been saved first and then changed forever.
“I’ll miss you so much,” Ali said. “But it won’t be for long. Grandma will make sure we see each other again soon.”
“Goodbye for now, then,” June said. After a final squeeze, she released her sister and let Glen help her up the steps into
the luxurious interior of the plane. In a weird way, she felt as if she were stepping back into the familiar.
Her last sight as they headed into the clouds was of the jagged Tetons in the distance, cutting into the sky.