Page 34 of Finding Forever

“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.

twenty-five

ERIC

I searched the faces of people coming through the arrivals gate. So far, I hadn’t seen anyone who looked like a feminine version of Riley.

“There she is.” Riley walked toward a woman wearing a blue dress.

I wasn’t surprised I hadn’t seen a family resemblance because there wasn’t one. Riley’s mom was nearly a foot shorter than her son. Blond hair, cropped close to her head, framed a smiling face. If I had to guess her age, I’d say she was in her late fifties, but I could be wrong. So far, she hadn’t looked away from her son.

Riley wrapped his arms around his mom and gave her a hug. It was the kind of reunion that made me homesick for my own parents. It had been too long since I’d seen them, but I wasn’t taking any chances with their safety.

After Riley finished hugging his mom, he brought her across to meet me. “Eric, this is my mom, Kathleen Murphy. Mom, this is Eric, the man who’s renting Grandma and Granddad’s cottage.”

I took off my baseball cap and held out my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Murphy.”

Her grip was firm. “There’s no need to be so formal. You can call me Kathleen. Are you enjoying living in Sunrise Bay?”

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