“On the road? Driving?”
“Yeah,” she laughs.
“June, you live on the other side of the country.”
“I moved out of California years ago, Gavin. I’ve been living anywhere I wanted, though most recently that was Nashville.”
“Nashville? Were you trying to sing country music?”
“God no, though my life has turned into a sad country song for sure.” she laughs. “I guess I have a little more of my mother in me than I realized, always looking for a new town. I get restless,” she says, but when I look at her, I see shadows in her eyes. I start to turn back around, not liking how I feel at seeing Gavin with another woman. Joshua is watching the two really close too, and now I worry that I rushed things too quickly and didn’t protect Joshua enough.
“You’re nothing like her,” Gavin says, and even if I’m not looking at him, I can tell he really likes this girl. It’s not logical, but I suddenly have to fight the urge to cry.
How stupid is that?
“I think we might be more alike than I realized,” the girl says, and her voice sounds so sad that if I wasn’t busy hating her, I’d feel sorry for her.
“I know you’re not. I’m so damn glad to see you after all this time, though. I got some people I’d like to introduce you to.”
“You have people?” she laughs, and I hate that even her laugh sounds sweet.
“Luna, Joshua, I’d like you to meet Juniper Sellers.”
“Juniper, I’d like you to meet my fiancé Luna Marshall and our son Joshua.”
Fiancé?
“Oh God, Gavin you didn’t have to say my whole name, you know I hate that shit,” she mutters, and Gavin laughs as she hits him playfully on the stomach. I think I hate her. “And, you have a child, not to mention getting married?” Juniper cries and before I can even digest the fact that Gavin just told some woman that we are getting married, she envelopes me in a hug. “It’s so great to meet you. And you! Look at you,” she says, turning her attention to my son. “You look just like your dad.”
“I do?” Joshua voices, surprise coloring his face.
“I have pictures. I’ll show you.”
“Does that mean you’re staying in town?”
“Yeah, for a while. I need to regroup and figure out my next move. Stone Lake seems nice,” she says.
“I’m not sure that’s the description I’d use since we have a murderer on the loose,” Gavin says.
“I really am sorry about, Roy,” the woman says, looking somber again.
“Thanks,” Gavin says, his gaze looking a little lost for a moment and despite being confused, jealous and strangely terrified, I hug him. That brings Gavin’s attention back to me and he looks back down at me and smiles.
“Luna, Joshua, Junie here is my sister.”
“Sister?” I gape. I’ve never heard anything about a sister before.
“Half-sister, we share the same mother, although I’m not sure she can be called a mother really,” Juniper laughs, without a touch of humor.
“You can say that again,” Gavin says.
“I had no idea you had a sister. It’s lovely to meet you, Juniper.”
“June or Junie, please. I hate the name Juniper, it makes me shudder,” she jokes. “I can’t believe I have a nephew. You and me are going to have to spend some time together, Joshua.”
“That’s alright with me, you’re a fox,” Joshua says, proving he’s approaching those teen years at full force and also that he has no filter.
“Josh!” I mumble as Gavin and Juniper laugh.
“Lodge, there’s an Agent McKesson out front that wanted a word with you before the services start,” Ben says, coming up behind us. Gavin looks at him and nods.
“Come up front and sit with us, Junie. You’re family.”
“I wasn’t exactly Roy’s family, Gavin.”
“You’re my family and the only one I’ve truly liked and that’s all that matters,” he says and Juniper smiles at him, agreeing with a nod of her head. Gavin then turns to me, kissing me quickly on the cheek. “I’ll be back, Moonbeam.”
“Okay, Sweetheart.”
“Take care of your Mom, Josh,” he says, ruffling our son’s hair. Josh comes close to blushing, but I see the pleasure on his face too. He likes having a father in his life. I’m not sure of a lot, but I’m sure of that.
When Gavin leaves, Juniper sits down on the other side of my son and they start talking, leaving me standing there with Ben. There’s tension between us and I don’t like it. We were friends before we started dating and I like him.
“Ben, I…”
“It’s okay, Luna.”
“It feels weird between us,” I tell him, my voice quiet because I don’t want us overheard.
“It probably will be for a while. I cared about you. I wanted a life with you.”
“I know, believe it or not, I wanted that too… it’s just… I never expected for Gavin to come back into my life, Ben. I’ve tried to move on, but I’ve always loved him. I…”