“No. She’s pretty cool, my mom. She thinks that you don’t choose when love comes along, but if you’re lucky enough that it does, then you have to grab it. College, jobs—all those other things can be figured out, but love is too precious to lose. She’ll give us all the support we need. And talking of support, you still haven’t told me where you’ve been staying.”

“With Joanna.” Joanna! How could she have forgotten Joanna? Ashley pulled away and saw Joanna talking to Greg.

Where was Nate? Why was there no sign of Nate?

She’d been sure that once he woke and found Joanna gone, he’d be in touch.

She felt guilty feeling so happy when Joanna must be miserable.

Joanna waved at her and gestured that she was going back to the bookstore. She looked fine, but Ashley knew that was probably an act. No one hid her feelings as well as Joanna.

Ashley felt a desperate urge to talk to her but she was already walking away and Jon was standing in front of her and she hadn’t seen him in so long. And they still had so much to talk about.

“Wait—” Jon looked confused. “You’ve been living with Joanna Whitman?”

“Rafferty.” Ashley watched Joanna walk away from the beach, Greg by her side. “She’s not Whitman anymore. And yes, I’ve been living with her. She’s amazing, and I can’t wait for you to meet her properly. I have so much to tell you.”

“I can’t wait to hear it. Any chance you could tell me over some food?” Jon glanced at the Surf Café. “I’ve been traveling for hours and I’m starving.”

She started to laugh because it was so, so Jon. “You’re always hungry.”

“I know. And I haven’t changed in the short time you had your phone turned off. Maybe it’s because we’re pregnant.”

“I’m the one who is pregnant.”

“I have sympathy hunger. What’s the burger like here?”

“Er—the best I’ve eaten anywhere?”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

She hesitated. “You don’t want to go somewhere more private?”

“Later. But for now this seems like a good place to celebrate this new chapter in our lives.” He grabbed her hand and they headed back to the table she and Joanna had vacated earlier.

Ashley held his hand tightly, because only by touching him did this whole thing feel real. He was here. Jon. Her best friend. The person she loved most in the world. The father of her baby. Her past and now, it seemed, her future.

It was definitely something to celebrate.

25

Joanna

Mary-Lou was waiting for her when Joanna arrived back at the store.

“I hear Silver Point is suddenly a popular destination.”