Chapter 10

RILEY

I pulled my cap onto my head, scanning the crowd. "They're coming."

Jonathan clambered to his feet and looked across the field. "He's with Alex."

"Who?" I frowned, trying to place the tall man walking beside Eric. He seemed familiar.

"Alex Quinn. He owns an IT consulting business and lives about twenty minutes north of you."

"He looks worried about something."

"I saw him when I was setting up my stall for the craft fair. Alex organized the sound system for the concert. He's probably hoping nothing goes wrong."

I smiled, appreciating Jonathan's knowledge of the town. "Is there anyone you don't know in Sunrise Bay?"

Jonathan glanced around the field. "There are a lot of people I don't know at the moment. But I've met most of the residents at the Saturday morning market. If they don't have a sweet tooth, they buy my candy for their family and friends."

Even though I was a teenager when I left Sunrise Bay, I remembered the close sense of community, the way everyone looked out for each other. I hadn't realized how much I missed that feeling until now.

Jonathan sighed, bringing my attention back to him. "It's not every day you see two handsome men heading toward you. Why did you want to see Eric?"

"I needed to give him something."

"Now?"

"It's important. I was supposed to give him his dog whistle when I got back from my walk, but I was longer than I thought I'd be." From behind my sunglasses, I studied Eric. His short brown hair framed a face that was strong and kind. Jonathan was right. In a quiet, unassuming way, Eric was one of the best-looking men I'd met. A restless energy surrounded him, drawing me closer, leaving me wondering what was behind his steel-gray eyes.

Eric's friend definitely looked worried about something. "Hi, Eric."

"Hi." His gaze shifted to the man beside him. "Riley, this is my friend Alex."

Alex held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you. I saw you at the general store when you arrived in Sunrise Bay."

I smiled, shaking his hand. "I thought I'd seen you before."

"If you have a free afternoon, I'd be happy to show you the tourist hot spots."

"I forgot to warn you about Alex," Jonathan said with a sigh. "He can be extremely charming when he wants to be."

"Which is most of the time," Alex replied.

Eric cleared his throat and looked at me. "Did you want to see me about something?"

I nodded and handed him the whistle. "This is for you. By the time I arrived home, you'd left the cottage. I didn't need to use it, but thanks for thinking of me."

"That's okay. Did you enjoy your walk?"

"It was amazing. The sound of the water washing to shore is so relaxing. I'll have to allow lots of time for hiking while I'm here."

Eric slipped the whistle into his pocket. "If you want to take the whistle with you again, just ask." He moved out of the way of a person wanting to sit behind them. "Alex and I should head to our seating area. Enjoy the concert."

"You could sit with us," Jonathan said. "There's plenty of room, and we have food."

Eric looked at Alex.

"I have a better idea," Alex said quickly. "Why don't you sit with us? Jenny gave us tickets not far from the stage. No one will complain if you join us."

Before I could say anything, Jonathan picked up our picnic basket. "That's the best idea you've had since I met you."

I looked at Eric, then at Alex. Something didn't feel right. "That's nice of you, but we're?—"

"Happy to accept your offer," Jonathan said. He handed me the blanket and smiled at Alex. "Lead the way."

Jonathan and Alex stepped around a family sitting on the ground.

I looked helplessly at Eric. "I'm sorry. If you have other plans, Jonathan and I could sit somewhere else."

"It's okay. I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You'll see more of the concert from where we're sitting."

I silently followed Eric across the field. He didn't seem happy that we'd be sitting together, but what could I do? Especially when Alex and Jonathan were well ahead of us, chatting away like long-lost friends. Eric, on the other hand, was as talkative as a block of wood.

When we stopped behind a line of people, I made sure I wasn't standing too close to him. He was probably annoyed he was seeing more of me than he wanted to. I'd have to make doubly sure that I stuck to my side of the cottage and didn't disturb him. Keeping out of his way wouldn't be too hard. As soon as I started painting, I wouldn't see much of him, anyway.

I jumped when Eric touched my arm.

"We should go that way," he said as he pointed to a gap in the crowd. "It'll be quicker than waiting for this line to move."

I ignored the tingle of awareness shooting along my arm. Eric wanted me to respect his personal space, and so far, I hadn't stopped bumping into him. It was time to distance myself from my neighbor and concentrate on why I came to Sunrise Bay.