Always Be Mine: Sweetbriar Cove: Book Nine

by Melody Grace

  “I know,” he replied with a grin. But however cool Griffin was playing it, he couldn’t hide his proud expression. “Even I have to admit this turned out to be pretty special,” he said.

  “It really did,” Lila agreed, giving his hand a squeeze. And not just the gardens, either.

  Griffin squeezed back, but suddenly Lila remembered something. “The wine!” she exclaimed. “I forgot to buy the wine!”

  “Relax, I’ll go,” Griffin said. Lila exhaled, trying to get a grip.

  “You’re just offering so you can go avoid the crazy.”

  “What? No.” Griffin smirked. “Besides, I think the crazy is kind of cute.” He dropped a kiss on her lips, and then headed out, leaving Lila to roast the vegetables and take some deep, calming breaths.

  She knew why she was getting so wound up, and it wasn’t over hosting a simple get-together. The question of her future was still looming, no matter how many tomatoes she crushed into a rustic pasta sauce.

  Was the movie really what she wanted?

  It all added up on paper. A plum role, the chance to come blasting back in the spotlight and wipe away all her scandal and shame . . . The stories would be about her victorious return to form, not whatever Justin was doing to mend his broken heart. Plus, her agents had been right: offers like this didn’t come along every day, even for an actress at the top of her game. The industry moved on fast. Lila had been away so long, there were a dozen other pretty starlets already snapping up the roles that used to come to her first. She should have been thrilled, it was the perfect solution to her career problems, and yet . . .

  Lila still didn’t know how she felt about it.

  Sweetbriar Cove was just starting to feel like home. And sure, the movie was just a temporary gig—a few months’ work on location, and then she could be back here again—but still, the thought of uprooting back to her life in Hollywood didn’t fill her with excitement. Instead, she thought of everything she would be leaving behind.

  Like Griffin.

  It was new, but it felt real. More real than anything she’d ever felt before. Every day they spent together made Lila feel like this was just the beginning. She could imagine a future with this man, and the idea of leaving right now, when they were still just getting to know each other . . . Would she be throwing away the possibility of real love, before she’d even had a chance to let it grow?

  Lila’s thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. She wiped her hands and made her way through the house, finding Alice on the doorstep, wearing a cute red jacket and her tortoiseshell glasses.

  “I’m early, I know,” Alice greeted her with an apology—and a bottle of champagne. “But I had a client lingering, wanting to talk about his awful grandkids, and the only way I could escape was to leave the building. A hazard of my home office,” she added.

  Lila smiled. “Come on in! I’m just getting everything together. Mind if I rope you into place settings?”

  “Rope away,” Alice replied. She followed Lila out back, and gasped when she saw the gardens. “Wow, I can’t believe this place. I remember how overgrown it used to be!”

  “All Griffin’s handiwork,” Lila said proudly. “Except for that rose bush in the corner. I planted that one. Although, he probably bred it from scratch, so yes, his too.”

  Alice smiled. “He can be a cocky ass sometimes, but he’s great at his job.”

  “He definitely has the goods to back it up,” Lila agreed. Alice raised an eyebrow, smirking, and Lila blushed. “I didn’t mean it like that!” she protested, laughing.

  Alice grinned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She helped Lila set the table with fresh-cut flowers that Griffin had brought over, and some cute candles, too. It was already staying light out later, and Lila could tell that summer was just around the corner. “I can’t wait to actually enjoy all of this, when the weather is hot,” she said, making sure they had enough chairs around the antique patio table. “Everyone’s been telling me about all the crazy summer festivals coming up.”

  “So, you’re going to be staying in town?”

  It was just a casual question, and Lila tried not to panic all over again. “Maybe,” she replied instead. “I’d like to.”

  “In case you were wondering, I think Griffin would like that, too,” Alice said. “Not that I’m butting in,” she added with a grin. “But I know that guy can keep his cards close to his chest.”

  “Oh.” Lila couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “We’ve talked about it a little,” she confided. “I’m trying to figure out my next steps. You’ve lived her a while, right?”

  “No, actually,” Alice replied. “I moved back a couple of years ago. It was just supposed to be temporary, but I never got around to leaving.”

  There was something in her tone that made Lila wonder if Alice was so happy about that, but before she could ask anything more, the doorbell rang again. “Oh no, people are already arriving!” she exclaimed. “And look, I’m still a mess. Could you go answer it while I pull on a clean outfit?”

  “Go,” Alice shooed her. “I’ll hold the fort.”

  Lila raced upstairs and breathlessly exchanged her sauce-splattered shirt and jeans for a cute print dress and cozy cardigan. By the time she returned, she found the party in full swing: Alice passing champagne glasses and beer around on the patio with Mackenzie, Jake, Poppy, and Cooper—who had baby Emma in tow.

  “This place is gorgeous!” Mac greeted her with a hug. “I had no idea you were hiding this wonderland back here.”

  “Thank you.” Lila beamed, feeling a wave of relief. People were here! And they actually looked like they were enjoying themselves, nibbling appetizers and taking in the new patio space.

  “I’m so sorry, I know this was supposed to be adults only,” Poppy piped up. “But our babysitter called in sick at the last minute. She’ll be quiet, I promise. I just fed her, so she’s out like a light.”

  “Are you kidding? Emma is always welcome,” Lila exclaimed, catching sight of those irresistible pink cheeks. “Do you want to tuck her in inside?”

  “No, she’s good in her carry-crib,” Poppy replied. “We’ll just stash her in the corner here.” She set the seat down, nestled between two planters of roses, and Lila’s heart did a little flip.

  “She’s too cute for words.”

  “Right?” Mac agreed. “Almost enough to get my biological clock ticking.”

  Jake choked on his beer, and Mac slapped his back, laughing. “I said ‘almost,’ ” she told him with a grin.

  “I was drinking too fast,” he protested. He slung an arm around her shoulders with an affectionate smile. “I wouldn’t mind a little one running around.”

  “How many for a Pee-Wee football team?” Cooper asked, grinning.

  “Don’t give him ideas!” Mac cut him off. “One is plenty to be getting started with.”

  The doorbell rang again, and Lila went to let in Griffin, returning with the wine at the same time as more guests.

  “Sorry we’re late,” Brooke said, with a hug. “I was just finishing up a wedding event at the hotel.”

  “Did this bride make a quick getaway in the delivery truck?” Lila joked.

  Brooke grinned. “No, thankfully. Although, she was shooting some meaningful looks at the best man, so you never know.”

  Lila laughed and ushered them through to the back. “I know you didn’t say to bring anything,” Summer said, offering a bakery box. “But I’m physically incapable of showing up anywhere without baked goods.”

  “Gee, what a shame,” Lila teased. “You’re the worst kind of guest. Mmm, cannoli?” she asked, taking a peek in the box.

  “Chocolate hazelnut and pistachio crème,” Summer replied.

  “Which is restrained, for her,” Grayson added, in his dry English accent. “She made six types of cake when my parents came to visit.”

  “I was nervous!” Summer protested. “And also, there’s no such thing as too much ca
ke.”

  “I agree,” Lila declared. She stashed the box safely in the fridge before she was tempted to skip past the entire meal she’d planned. “Go on back. I just have to finish up a few things in here, but there are drinks and snacks on the patio.”

  They moved out, and Lila looked around happily. Everything was going smoothly so far.

  “See? Everyone came,” Griffin murmured to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You don’t have to worry.”

  “I know.” Lila turned so she could steal a kiss. “Thank you for putting up with all my stressing,” she said, resting her hands on his chest.

  “My pleasure.” Griffin tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, and gave her a smile that she felt all the way to her toes. “I’m at your service for de-stressing anytime.”

  “And other things?” Lila couldn’t help asking with a flirty smile.

  “And other things,” Griffin agreed. He kissed her again, and for a moment, Lila forgot she had a patio full of guests, and a meal waiting to be served. All that mattered was the taste of him, the warmth of his embrace, and how easy it felt in his arms.

  How right.

  Lila heard laughter drifting in, and finally pulled away. “We shouldn’t keep our guests waiting,” she murmured, even as she ran her hands over Griffin’s chest.

  “You’re right,” he said, kissing her again.

  Lila giggled against his mouth. “I mean it.”

  “Me too.” His kisses moved to her earlobe, her neck. Lila shivered in his arms—just as Alice stepped into the kitchen.

  “Whoops!” Alice laughed. “Sorry to interrupt. I was just checking if you needed any help. But clearly, you have all the help you need.”

  Lila’s cheeks flushed, but Griffin gave a good-natured chuckle. “Perfect timing, as always, Alice.”

  “It’s a gift,” she agreed, and made to leave, but Lila managed to pull herself together.

  “No, wait,” Lila said, stepping back from Griffin. The makeouts could wait. For now, she had hungry guests waiting—and plenty of food to serve. “I’d love some help, thanks. Can you please grab the salad? And Griffin, that platter. But be careful, it’s hot.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Griffin said, and Lila loaded up her own arms with delicious dishes.

  “Now, let’s eat!”

  * * *

  The evening unfolded in a leisurely blur of laughter and gossip, as the dusky twilight faded into dark. The wine and conversation flowed, and Lila’s efforts in the kitchen were all met with groans of approval, until the table was a spread of empty dishes and nobody could eat another thing.

  “You’ll have to show me how to make that pasta,” Brooke told her, and Lila smiled.

  “There’s no secret, really. It’s all just elbow grease, using the crank. I’ll be getting muscles in no time,” she added, flexing.

  They all laughed. “That’s the kind of workout I like,” Summer agreed. “The kind with carbs waiting at the end of it.”

  Lila paused. “What’s that scent?” she asked, breathing in something sweet and fragrant.

  “Night-flowering jasmine,” Griffin replied, nodding to the row of pots against the wall. “I thought it would be nice to have some out here. They’re pretty delicate, so we’ll need to move them inside if there’s another cold snap.”

  We.

  Lila felt a glow at the casual way he said it, as if he knew he planned to be around whenever that cold snap came.

  “You’re making me wish I could keep plants alive longer than a week,” Mac said, cradling a sleeping Emma. “I can’t even get basil to grow.”

  “Start with succulents,” Griffin suggested. “They only need water once a week.”

  “I don’t know, that’s pretty high-maintenance,” Mac joked.

  “Seriously,” Jake agreed, with an affectionate smile. “We were housesitting for my parents, and she forgot to water the plants.”

  “Ahem,” Mac coughed.

  “OK, we forgot,” Jake admitted.

  “But luckily, they didn’t even notice!” Mac grinned.

  Lila let the conversation drift around her. She felt a surge of gratitude—that she had this moment, these friends, this place to start over. Griffin dropped a casual kiss on her shoulder, and Lila leaned back against him for a moment, feeling the contentment all the way to her soul.

  This was what she wanted, right here.

  No pressure to be perfect, no fear of not measuring up. She wasn’t stuck trying to live up to an image in a magazine, wondering if everyone only wanted a taste of her fame. The people around this table couldn’t have cared less if her last movie was a hit or not, or if she could get them courtside seats or into the latest club. If they liked her, it was for her, not the woman from the pages of a magazine.

  It was what she’d been searching for, without even realizing. All these months hiding away, she hadn’t just been escaping from her old life, she’d been building a new one, too. A place to call home.

  And she wanted to stay.

  Lila exhaled softly. The decision she’d been grappling with didn’t feel like a choice anymore, now she knew it in her bones. It was simple. She could choose this, there was nothing stopping her. Nothing was forcing her back to Hollywood, except her own fear of letting go and somehow being labelled a failure. But Griffin was right, the past was done.

  And her next chapter had already begun.

  Dinner wound down, and the last of the coffee and cannolis were polished off. “This was so much fun.” Brooke hugged her as everyone finally headed for the front door. “Thank you for inviting us!”

  “There’s poker night next week,” Cooper added, as Poppy bundled Emma back into her carrier. “You should both swing by. Pizza and beer at the bookstore.”

  “Yes!” Poppy agreed. “I need some real competition. These guys have no poker face,” she added, and Lila laughed.

  “Me either, but I’d love to come.”

  “See you soon!”

  Lila closed the door behind them all with a smile. She wandered back through the house, and found Griffin already clearing away the dirty dishes. “Leave them,” she said, holding out her hand.

  He took it with a curious smile. “Where are we going?”

  “I want to take a closer look.”

  She kicked off her sandals and stepped barefoot onto the new lawn. Then she walked out into the dark gardens. Away from the warm glow of the lights from the house, she could see the stars blanketing the night’s sky and hear the rustle of the breeze in the trees. She breathed it in: the scent from the garden, the salt air, and the feeling of freedom, running like wildfire in her veins.

  She turned and reached for Griffin, kissing him hungrily. His hands were on her in an instant, sliding over her body as he yanked her closer and claimed her mouth with an intensity that made Lila gasp with desire. She ran her fingers through his hair, and down, over the muscular planes of his back, arching up against him, wanting to leave no space between them at all. He pulled her back until they found a solid surface, up against the old oak tree. Lila sank back against it, already tugging Griffin’s shirt up, over his head, and burying herself against the hot, solid weight of him as his hands roamed her body, drawing gasps from her lips. They sank to the ground, and Lila straddled him, her skirt hitching higher as Griffin gripped her thighs and kissed across her chest, his mouth finding her through the fabric of her bra, teasing and nipping lightly at her nipples until she was taut and aching for him.

  Lila reached between them, and freed his erection from his jeans. He guided her into position, and she inhaled a ragged breath, poised there above him. Griffin’s eyes were dark in the moonlight, locked on hers. Lila gazed back, and then she sank down and took him inside.

  Lila shuddered. God, the feel of him, thick and deep. She began to move, losing herself completely. Or maybe she found something: a firm point on the horizon, a center of gravity, pulling her down. After so long running, hiding away, pretending, it was a shock to her system
to feel this exposed. Not just her body, but everything she’d been keeping locked inside for so long. She was sharing it all with him, in every urgent kiss and damp thrust of their bodies. The past fell away, and Lila found something new in its place. In Griffin’s arms, she was brave, and reckless, shameless in her passion.

  For the first time in as long as she could remember, she was enough.

  18

  Lila woke the next morning feeling more certain than ever. This was where she belonged now. She didn’t want to go back; now her future was blooming as sweetly as the roses planted in the garden. She was ready for the next act of her life to begin . . . She just had to find a way to break it to her agents that she wouldn’t be starring in Dash’s movie—or any others, for a long while.

  Griffin headed out to check on a new project, so Lila decided to take a walk into town. After all, if she was going to bite the bullet, she may as well do it with cinnamon buns. The sky was a powdered blue, and there was already the promise of warmer weather in the air. Summer on the Cape . . . Lila happily imagined the possibilities. More lazy dinners in the garden, more get-togethers with new friends. There would be town festivals and Fourth of July celebrations. And ice cream, she decided.

  Lots of ice cream.

  After all, there would be nobody snapping photos of her on the beach, musing whether her bikini body was a pass or fail. She would be free to exist in her own skin, without judgment or shame.

  Lila couldn’t wait.

  The bakery was half-full when she arrived, the bell ringing out with a cheery ding as she stepped through the door. Lila took her place in the line, trying to ignore the curious looks she drew. They would soon fade, she reminded herself. The novelty would wear off along with her fame, until one day, people would just get a vague sense of recognition that she looked like that actress they used to know, the one they haven’t heard of in a while.