Finding Forever: A Sweet MM Small Town Romance (Sunrise Bay Book 1) by Josh King

Author:Josh King [King, Josh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rogan Press
Published: 2024-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

thirty-nine

RILEY

Sitting on the top stair of the veranda, I stared into the sky. It was the kind of night that made me homesick for my family and everything that had gone before.

When I was little, Granddad used to tell me stories about Greek kings and queens, dolphins, birds, and lightning bolts—myths about the constellations that felt as real as the world I lived in. I wondered if Granddad’s stories had opened the door to my imagination. Instead of words, I used paint and crayons to bring the magic in my mind to life.

Five twinkling stars shaped like a big W caught my eye. What was their name again? Granddad’s voice seemed to whisper through the trees, telling me about the queen who thought she was more beautiful than anyone else. Cassius... no, Cassiopeia. And there, behind the Greek queen, was the Milky Way.

“That’s a happy smile.”

My hand flew to my chest. “Thank goodness it’s you.”

Eric stepped onto the veranda with two mugs in his hands. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to give you a fright.”

“It’s okay. I was a million miles away.”

“Would a hot chocolate bring you back to earth?”

“That would be great.” I took one of the mugs and pulled my jacket closer. “Have you finished writing for the night?”

“I have. It’s nearly midnight.”

My eyes widened. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

“That’s what happens when you have a lot on your mind.”

“Not as much as you.” I cradled the hot mug in my hands. “How do you stay so positive?”

“You mean about Chapman?”

I nodded. “You’ve turned your life upside down to get away from him, but you never seem angry or depressed.”

The stair creaked as Eric sat beside me. “I’m just as worried as you are. The only difference is that I’ve learned how to hide what I’m feeling. And in case you’re wondering if that’s a good or bad thing—it’s definitely bad.”

“Does hiding your feelings help you focus on what you need to do?”

Eric nodded.

“That has to be better than how I’m coping,” I admitted. “My brain went on strike this afternoon. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Chapman was outside, waiting for us. After a couple of hours of staring at my canvas, I gave up and spent the next hour in Alex’s gym.”

“Did it help?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow during our self-defense class. I’m getting stronger.” I lifted my arm and flexed my biceps. “It’s hard to see under all these clothes, but my arms are pure muscle.”

Eric smiled. “I’m impressed.”

“You should be. Each day, I practice the moves you showed me. Maybe I could join the Broomfield PD.”

Eric shook his head. “I wouldn’t recommend joining any police force. It’s too stressful.”

I sipped my drink. “Are you proud of what you did as a detective?”

“I arrested a lot of people, but it was like a leaky faucet. As soon as one person was off the streets, someone else took their place. There were days when I wondered if the stress and long hours were worth it.

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