Chapter 24

RILEY

The next morning I stepped away from the cottage and sighed. Eric was standing beside my truck, looking like he belonged there. "I thought you might have changed your mind."

He sent me the type of grin that made my heart pound. "There was no chance of that. Are you ready to paint the town cherry red?"

I smiled at his early morning joke. The Cherry Festival could have used his words in their advertising. "You're in a good mood."

"I finished chapter eleven at three o'clock this morning."

"Congratulations." I looked around the yard. "Where's Sherlock?"

"Alex is looking after him."

"For the whole day?"

Eric nodded. "Sherlock's stayed with him before. Is there anything you need me to carry?"

I unlocked my truck and left my pack on the back seat. "No. I have everything I need. What about you?"

Eric swung a small day pack off his shoulder. "Everything's in here."

"Including your gun?"

"That's here." Eric turned around and lifted his shirt.

I stared at the gun sitting in a holster at his waist. "I should tell you that I don't like weapons of any kind."

Eric stared at me in mock horror. "Really? You could have fooled me."

"I'm serious. Guns freak me out. I don't care whether they're stun guns, tasers, or use bullets. All of them are dangerous."

"Only when you don't know what you're doing."

"Maybe." I slid into the truck. While Eric adjusted his seat, I checked my cell phone. "Mom's flight must be on time. She was going to text me if her plane was delayed."

"Where does she live?"

"Indianapolis. When my grandparents died, she moved there and bought a house around the corner from her sister."

"Are you and your mom close?"

I thought about the long phone calls and unexpected gifts we sent each other. "Yes. After my parents divorced, I didn't see my dad very much. Mom means the world to me."

"Have you thought about living in Indianapolis?"

"I have, but I'd prefer to live somewhere else." I turned right and headed out of town. "When I was younger, I thought moving away from here sounded exciting. Going to college in New York City was a dream come true. But it didn't take long to miss what we had in Sunrise Bay. Nothing beats waking up to birds singing in the trees and hiking in the clean, fresh air."

I glanced across the cab. "What about you? Before you moved here, had you ever thought about living in a small town?"

Eric shook his head. "My job was in New York City, and my family was in Brooklyn. Leaving wasn't an option."

"And now?"

"I'm not sure."

I thought about the person stalking Eric and the constant worry about what they'd do next. I didn't blame him for not knowing where he wanted to live.

"What's your mom like?" Eric asked.

I grinned. "I hate to say this, but she's an awful lot like me."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

I laughed. "Wait until you see us together. Mom's like a human dynamo. She never slows down."

"It sounds as though we'll have a busy day."

Eric didn't realize how right he was. The festival was one of the biggest events in Broomfield. There'd be people, food, and cherry-themed activities everywhere.

It was the perfect place for a runaway novelist, a reclusive painter, and a mom who wanted to make sure her son was okay.