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For all of a few seconds before she realized Beth was running. Not just

running but flying towards the office. In heels. And a skirt. Her face wasn’t

just flushed, it was red. She looked like she’d just run a hard mile uphill in

ninety-degree heat.

“Wait!” Beth careened to a halt. “Wait!” She huffed as she pushed

through the door. “You can’t fire her. It wasn’t her! It was me. I did it. It

was all me. I told Arabella it was me and she said she wouldn’t tell you. I

have no idea why, but she was going to take the fall for me, and I can’t let

her do that. I just can’t. I sat there and sat there and tried to make myself

accept it and move on, but I can’t. I can’t lose this job. I don’t want to lose

this job. I love this place more than anything, but I should have thought

about that before I did what I did.”

June crossed her arms, because it was all she could do to stay upright

after being just about literally bowled right freaking over by that little

newsflash.

It was Beth. Beth had sold Arabella’s designs. Arabella was going to lose

her job, take all the blame, be the one humiliated, and risk their relationship

as well. For Beth. A woman she hardly knew. Why?

Not that June thought Arabella was selfish or only wanted to look out for

herself. She’d thought the opposite. That desperation and love for her

family had driven her to do something very stupid and sad. Why hadn’t

Arabella just told her the truth? Didn’t she trust her?

June kept her eyes locked on Beth. She was the picture of misery. Her

flushed face had become very pale, and her eyes were wet with tears which

she furiously didn’t allow to spill. Her jaw and hands were both clenched

tight.

“I know it doesn’t excuse anything,” Beth said very, very quietly, the

strain of keeping her shattered emotions from flying all over the room

showing. “But I did it for Amelia. The reason Shannon went to that meeting

with her teacher was because Amelia said that someone called her a retard.”