Page 7 of Finding Forever

“You’ve been writing too many thrillers. Not everyone has a dark side.”

“Only people who have something to hide don’t answer direct questions.”

Alex picked up his coffee mug and took it across to the kitchen sink. “My life isn’t as interesting as yours. I bury myself in computer networks and program code. Until I met you, visiting the general store was about as exciting as my life got.” His mouth dropped open. “Jenny has rubbed off on me. I’m turning into the town busybody.”

I laughed. “You have a long way to go before that happens. And for what it’s worth, your social life’s ten times more exciting than mine.”

“Except for tomorrow night. I’ll see you at six.”

I followed Alex to his truck. “Do you want to come here for dinner before the concert?”

“It’ll have to be another night. I need to do a final sound check before the band arrives. Jenny’s paranoid about something going wrong.”

“I don’t blame her. How many people will be at the concert?”

“About three thousand.”

I glanced at the light coming from Riley’s side of the cottage. No wonder all the accommodation was booked. Sunrise Bay had a population of about eight hundred people. If Riley hadn’t moved into the cottage, he wouldn’t be the only person sleeping in a vehicle.

Alex slid into his truck and rolled down the window. “I’ll see you tomorrow night. And even if it kills you, try to be nice to your neighbor.”

As Alex drove away, my phone beeped. I read the text and cold dread crept along my spine. My publisher had received another letter from my stalker, and the message was getting worse.

six

RILEY

The next morning, I stepped off the veranda and smiled. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept so soundly. Taking a deep breath, I relaxed my shoulders and let the clean, fresh air fill my lungs.

In all my travels, Sunrise Bay was the only place where I felt truly at home. Here, I could hike in the mountains, swim in the clear blue water, or walk around the edge of Willow Lake, skipping stones across the gently lapping water.

With my backpack sitting snugly against my shoulders, I strode away from my grandparents’ cottage and into the woods.

Walking through the trees felt like stepping back in time. For as long as I could remember, I’d trodden this same path, ducking under stray branches and jumping over fallen logs. Even the stubbornest worries melted away when I was there.

And those worries had dragged me out of bed at five o’clock that morning. I’d spent an hour going through everything in my studio. My grandma used to tell me my art supplies would be there for whenever I returned. Even though I was five years too late, I’d never been more grateful for her thoughtfulness. My easels, a pile of old canvases, my brushes, even my tubes of paint were still sitting where I left them.

I stopped in the middle of the path, frowning at a commotion in the trees. Before I could decide if it was a bear, Sherlock bolted from between two trees. He ran straight toward me, only slowing when it looked as though we were about to collide.

“Hey, boy. Where’s your dad?”

Sherlock sat in front of me, tilting his head to the side.

“Does he know you’re here?” It didn’t seem likely that Eric would let Sherlock roam the forest on his own. There never used to be many bear attacks, but attracting more tourists to town sometimes brought wild animals closer. I patted Sherlock’s thick black coat and peered through the trees. Apart from the German Shepherd’s heavy breathing, I couldn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

Sherlock was wearing a collar but, with no harness or leash, he might not follow me. “Come on, boy. Let’s go back to your house.”

Sherlock woofed, then looked over his shoulder. Eric walked toward us with a slight limp. I wondered if he’d hurt his leg trying to catch his dog.

“Are you okay?” Eric asked. “I would have kept Sherlock closer if I’d known you were here. We usually have this trail to ourselves at this time of the morning.”

“I’m fine. I thought Sherlock might’ve been a bear or a wild animal.”

Eric patted his dog’s head. “He’s big enough to be a bear. Are you heading down to the lake?”

I nodded. “It’s the best part of the day. Everything’s so peaceful on the water.”

“If you’re planning on swimming, be careful. A couple of kids nearly drowned last week.”