Chapter 17 June
JUNE
The call from Lacey had been exactly what June needed. After the emotional upheaval of seeing Holt again and the stress of yesterday’s fire, the prospect of spending a quiet morning with one of her oldest friends felt like a gift from heaven.
She hadn’t seen Lacey Peltz in over a year, not since Shaun’s memorial service the previous year.
Life had a way of pulling people in different directions, but their friendship had endured for decades, built on the foundation of those magical teenage summers when June’s family had first started coming to Sandpiper Shores.
June stood in front of the mirror in the guest bedroom, adjusting her light blue cotton shirt and checking her appearance one final time.
She’d chosen capri jeans and comfortable deck shoes, knowing they’d be walking through the strawberry fields for the better part of the morning.
The excitement of their planned adventure had helped push thoughts of Holt to the background, at least temporarily.
It was a shame Lucy and Carmen couldn’t join them.
Both women had worked late into the night after yesterday’s fire, tending to injured campers and coordinating medical supplies.
They deserved a break, but duty called. At least Carmen had given her permission to borrow her car for the trip to Henderson’s Fresh Farm Market.
June smiled to herself as she grabbed her purse and wide-brimmed hat.
She loved Henderson’s farm—the sprawling operation offered everything from pick-your-own strawberries and vegetables to a charming restaurant that served farm-to-table breakfasts.
If Grace and Becky had been here instead of at their sleepover, she would have brought them along.
The farm offered activities for all ages, from toddlers chasing chickens to teenagers learning about sustainable agriculture.
Walking to Carmen’s car, June clicked the remote to unlock the doors and moved to toss her purse and hat onto the passenger seat. The moment she opened the car door, a clutch of fear gripped her stomach like a vise, and a flash of panic made her hands tremble.
The steering wheel. The dashboard. The view through the windshield. Everything rushed back at once. The screech of brakes, the grinding of metal, the sickening moment when she’d realized the other car wasn’t going to stop.
June forced herself to slide behind the wheel, her hands shaking as she adjusted the mirrors and seat position.
She couldn’t let fear control her life. She was a successful attorney who had built a career on facing difficult situations with courage and determination.
She could certainly handle driving to a strawberry farm.
Don’t think, she told herself firmly. Just do it.
She pushed the button to start the engine, and Carmen’s reliable sedan came to life with a gentle purr. So far, so good.
Pulling out of the driveway required every ounce of willpower June possessed. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she checked both directions twice, then twice more, before easing onto the street. She kept her speed well below the limit, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel.
A car flashed past in the opposite direction, and June’s entire body tensed, her foot instinctively moving toward the brake pedal.
The rational part of her mind knew the other car was in its proper lane, traveling at a normal speed, posing no threat whatsoever.
But the traumatized part of her brain sent alarm signals coursing through her nervous system.
By the time she reached the outskirts of town where Henderson’s farm was located, June was perspiring and her muscles ached from constant tension. But as she turned into the gravel parking lot and saw the familiar red barn and hand-painted signs, a wave of accomplishment washed over her.
I did it, she thought with genuine pride as she turned off the engine and sat for a moment, collecting herself. I drove here on my own. I’m sure a few snails and sloths passed me along the way, but I did it.
Lacey’s pickup truck pulled into the space beside her just as June was stepping out of the car.
Her friend looked exactly the same as always.
She wore practical clothes, her soft auburn hair streaked with silver pulled back in a ponytail, and the kind of genuine smile that reminded June why their friendship had endured for so many years.
“June!” Lacey called out, hurrying around her truck to envelop June in a warm hug. “You look wonderful. How are you feeling after that terrible accident?”
“Much better,” June replied, returning the embrace and feeling some of the morning’s tension finally ease from her shoulders. “A few more weeks of taking it easy, and I’ll be as good as new.”
They walked toward the main building together, chatting easily about the drive and the perfect weather for strawberry picking. Inside, they checked in with the staff, collected their picking baskets and bottles of water, and secured small lockers for their purses and other valuables.
“Coffee before we head to the fields?” Lacey suggested, gesturing toward the farm’s small café area.
“Absolutely,” June agreed. “I need the caffeine, and maybe a muffin before we get started.”
They settled at a picnic table with steaming mugs of coffee and fresh-baked muffins, surrounded by the cheerful atmosphere of families preparing for their own farm adventures.
“Lucy told me you’d run into Holt for the first time in thirty-eight years,” Lacey said gently, her expression full of understanding. “That must have been quite a shock.”
June nearly choked on her coffee. “That’s putting it mildly. I had no idea he was here, or that his son and grandson live in Sandpiper Shores now. Apparently, Tyler is best friends with Andy.”
“Fate has quite a sense of humor, doesn’t it?” Lacey observed with a rueful smile.
“Or a very twisted sense of timing,” June replied. “What are the odds that we’d both end up back here after all these years?”
“Maybe it’s the universe giving you both a chance to find some closure,” Lacey suggested. “Or maybe a second chance at something that was never really finished.”
June shook her head quickly. “I’m not looking for second chances. I just want to get through this summer without any more complications.”
Lacey studied her friend’s face with the perceptive gaze that came from years of friendship. “How are you really doing, June? I mean, with everything? Especially after such a terrible accident.”
“Some days are better than others,” June admitted honestly.
“I found myself coming around, and the first person I wanted to call was Trevor.” She gave a soft snort.
“Even after eighteen years, I still find myself in situations where I turn for him, or I think, ‘Trevor would have loved this,’ and then I turn around and he’s not there. ”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Lacey said, her voice growing soft with shared understanding.
“After five years, there isn’t a morning when I don’t wake up and reach for Jerry.
Then there is always that moment when reality hits, and I remember he’s no longer here.
That’s when the loss feels the sharpest.”
June reached across the table and gently squeezed her friend’s arm. The grief never really left, she’d learned. It just changed shape over time, becoming something you carried with you rather than something that crushed you.
“We just have to push through each day,” Lacey said, taking a steadying breath as she picked up her coffee. “Find the good moments where we can.”
“Have you thought about dating again?” June asked carefully. “Jerry wouldn’t want you to be alone forever.”
“No,” Lacey said with a definitive shake of her head, almost snorting at the suggestion. “Without Jerry, I’m so busy running the wildlife clinic that I barely have time to breathe, let alone think about romance.”
“I thought you were hiring an assistant,” June reminded her.
“I’ve been interviewing candidates,” Lacey admitted.
“But finding someone with the right combination of veterinary skills and willingness to travel constantly isn’t easy.
Most people want stability, a home base, and regular hours.
The work I do doesn’t offer any of those things.
” She sighed. “And now, I have to find a local vet to run the practice here after the last one left for a better position in a big city.”
“Lucy told me,” June said, her heart going out to her friend. “You need to find help soon, Lace, or you’re going to burn yourself out.” A thought struck her. “I could help you. I used to help out at the vet when I was a teen.”
“That’s right,” Lacey remembered. “It’s not a bad idea, but I’ll have to check with Carmen, Willa, and Lucy first.”
June rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, really, and you need the help.” She raised an eyebrow. “And I think Becky would love to volunteer as well.”
“I’ll think about it,” Lacey promised. “Although it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Zoe is also interested in becoming a vet just like Becky.”
“Well then, you have another two helpers,” June pointed out with a soft laugh.
They finished their coffee and gathered their picking supplies, heading out toward the expansive strawberry fields that stretched from the main farm buildings toward the forest boundary.
The morning sun was warming the air, and June felt her spirits lifting as they chose a promising row of plants heavy with ripe berries.
“So tell me honestly,” Lacey said as they began filling their baskets with the sweet, sun-warmed fruit. “How do you really feel about seeing Holt again?”
June was quiet for a long moment, considering how to answer.
“Confused,” she said finally. “All these feelings I thought I’d buried completely just came flooding back the moment I saw him on the beach.
It’s like no time has passed at all, which is ridiculous because we’re completely different people now. ”