Page 138 of The Lost Book of First Loves

Beck ran a hand through his hair. “Well. That went well.”

“I’m sorry,” Ali said. “I wish I could talk some sense into her and persuade her to stay and work things out.”

He mustered a half smile. “Not your fault. Thanks for letting me know she was leaving this morning.”

He gave her a brief hug, held the driver’s-side door open for her and then he and Hank stood in the driveway watching as they drove away.

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.

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