Page 32 of Finding Forever

“If there is, no one’s said anything to me. He could have done this before.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘he’? Could the stalker be a woman?”

Eric sat on the veranda. “In theory, yes. But statistically, there’s more chance the stalker is a man.”

I wiped my face on the towel and sat beside him. “We should add that to the spreadsheet.”

After a few changes, Alex had created a document we could use to compare what happened in Eric’s book with the stalker’s activities. We’d just started adding data but, so far, we’d come up with some disturbing similarities.

I wasn’t sure how Eric would react to my next piece of news. “Mom’s coming to see me this weekend. I told her she can’t tell anyone about your real identity, but not why.”

Eric dropped his head to his chest.

“I know it isn’t the best timing, but Mom’s discreet.”

“I’m more worried about her safety.”

“I’ll be with her the whole time. Besides, I’m used to disappearing into crowds.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed. “There aren’t many crowds in Sunrise Bay.”

“I’m meeting her in Broomfield. The Cherry Festival starts on Friday and it’s a huge annual event. There’ll be so many people that no one will know who we are.”

“I’ll ask Alex for the name of the security company he told us about. You should have at least one bodyguard with you.”

I smiled. “Mom and I aren’t immune to the charms of big, muscly men, but we can manage on our own.”

Eric didn’t return my smile. “It’s too dangerous.”

“If anything makes us feel uncomfortable, we’ll come home right away.”

“We’ll see.”

“Don’t get a bodyguard,” I repeated.

“I bought some chicken at the general store yesterday. Do you want to have lunch with me?”

I studied his face. “No bodyguard, Eric.”

His jaw clenched tight.

“I mean it.”

“So do I.” Eric crossed his arms in front of his chest. “If you won’t let me hire a bodyguard, you’ll have to take the next best thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Me.”

My eyes widened. “You?”

“You’re not the only person who can disappear into a crowd. And most importantly, I have a Concealed Weapons Permit.”

“Carrying a gun doesn’t make anyone safer.”

“From where I come from, it does.” Eric stood in front of me. “Lunch?”

“You can’t come with us,” I growled. “If the stalker’s in Broomfield, he’ll recognize you.”

---