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This had better not be like the last time I opened the door to a stranger. If another one of Eric’s family members came out of the woodwork, I would be telling them to kick rocks. The adoption was well underway, and I would be damned if anything stopped it.
I opened the door to a woman with strawberry-blonde hair tied into a ponytail. Freckles dotted her cheeks, and she looked just like the woman I’d seen on TV, but dressed down.
“Uh, hi. You must be Wren.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You know me?”
“Mollie makes me watch your TV show.”
She slowly nodded, but I saw the way her shoulders slumped downward. “Right ... It’s nice to meet you, by the way. Hopefully you’re treating her right.”
“I’m trying to.”
I didn’t know her, but I did know she looked more downtrodden than I would have expected. I had a feeling she didn’t want to be talking to me.
“Hey, Mollie!” I called. “Come here a sec.”
“Is it pie-tasting time?” she asked as she walked around the corner.
But when Mollie saw Wren, her eyes went wide. “Oh myGod!You’re here.” She pulled her into a hug, a wide smile on her face. “I was worried about you!”
“No need to be worried,” she said. “Just needed some time to get affairs in order.”
She sounded flat even to me, and Mollie pulled away, her eyes narrowed. “You’re sad.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Come on. I know you. What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Wren . . .”
“I’m done with filming,” Wren said. “And that’s what’s important. I wanted to see the town you moved to and ... get away for a bit.”
“Get away from what?”
“Everything.” Her voice was dark, and Mollie raised an eyebrow. Wren didn’t answer.
“Okay,” Mollie said slowly. “You’re welcome to stay with us. Right, Cain?”
“Yep. I can get the guest room ready.”
Mollie nodded and gave me a look that said we would definitely be talking about this later. I barely knew the woman, but somethingwasoff. I could only hope that Strawberry Springs could work its magic on Mollie’s best friend.
Because it had definitely worked for us.