Always Be Mine: Sweetbriar Cove: Book Nine

by Melody Grace

  Whatever she’d been expecting him to say, it wasn’t that.

  Lila felt an ache of regret. He’d come all this way to rehash the past? “It’s OK,” she said slowly. “I told you, I don’t blame you for the photographs. Besides, it’s ancient history now.”

  “No, not that.” Griffin shook his head. He moved closer, and took her hand, cradling it between his as Lila’s heart beat faster. “You were right, about everything. I should have supported you and been the one on your side. I got scared,” he confessed, searching her gaze. “I thought that if you went back to Hollywood, it would be the end for us, that you would choose all of this over me. I went through that with Ruby, and I felt like it was happening all over again.

  But that wasn’t fair,” he added, before she could interrupt. “It was my own bullshit insecurities talking, and if I could take it all back now, I would. I swear to you Lila, I’ll never do that again.”

  Again . . . ?

  She looked at him, hope taking flight in her chest. “Do you mean . . . ?” she whispered, but she couldn’t even bring herself to put it into words.

  “Give me a second chance. We can make this work,” Griffin vowed. “What we have is too special to just walk away. You don’t have to choose between me and your career. I’ll be right here with you, whatever you do.”

  Lila felt tears of joy stinging in the back of her throat. Was he really saying this?

  “I can move out here,” he continued. “There are a ton of clients in California who’ve wanted to work with me, and I can fix my schedule so that when you’re away, shooting the movie, I can come visit, or stay longer with you . . . anything you want,” Griffin said with a heart-stopping smile.

  “I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work. Because this is real, you and me. I love you, Lila,” he vowed. “I love you, and I can’t stand losing you, not if I can help it.”

  Lila felt as if she were dreaming, but it was the middle of the day.

  He loved her!

  Enough to put the past aside and come after her. He was willing to turn his whole life upside down to be with her, and Lila couldn’t find the words to say how much that meant.

  She’d never known a man like this before. Brave, and strong, and true.

  “Say something?”

  Griffin looked nervous, and Lila realized she’d been dumbstruck for too long. She was floating with joy, two feet off the ground—but then she remembered what she still needed to tell him, and that brought her back down to earth with a bump.

  “You don’t need to move here,” she started, and Griffin’s face fell. “No!” she blurted. “I just mean . . . You don’t have to come here, because I’m moving back. To Sweetbriar Cove. The movers are coming in the morning,” she explained. “I had already decided to go.”

  Griffin started to smile, but Lila held up her hand. “Wait, there’s something you need to know first,” she said, taking a shaky breath. “The reason I’m moving back . . . I’m pregnant, Griffin. We’re having a baby.”

  She stared at him anxiously, wondering how this bombshell was going to land. Would he freak out and take it all back? Would he say the right things, while his eyes told a different story?

  But there was no mistaking the pure joy in the smile that slowly split across his face. “You’re . . . We’re . . . ?” He caught her hands in his. “For real?”

  Lila nodded, happy tears already welling up in her eyes. “We’re having a baby,” she whispered.

  Griffin let out a triumphant whoop, and then he was sweeping her into his arms and spinning her around. “You’re crushing me!” she protested, laughing, and he immediately set her down.

  “I’m sorry. Are you OK?” he asked, looking anxious. “I mean, is everything . . . ?”

  Lila grinned. “Everything’s great. It’s still early,” she added, “but the doctor says it all looks normal.”

  Griffin exhaled, and then smiled again. “I can’t believe it,” he said, sounding stunned.

  “Me either. I only found out for sure this morning,” she added. “I was going to call you. But here you are.”

  “Here I am.” Griffin pulled her in close, and cradled her face in his hands. “We’re going to be parents,” he said, tenderly gazing into her eyes.

  “I know.” Lila had to swallow back a sob. “I love you,” she said softly. “Even before all of this, I missed you so much.”

  “I missed you too. I’m sorry it took so long to get my head together,” Griffin added, but Lila shook her head.

  “It doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what’s ahead for us.”

  “You mean, sleepless nights and dirty diapers?” Griffin asked with a smile.

  She grinned. “I can’t wait. There’s nobody else I would want to do this with,” she added, pressing her palm to his chest. To his heart. “Only you.”

  Griffin kissed her, and Lila lost herself in his touch. There was a lifetime of hope, and hurt, and searching wrapped up in that tender embrace. She held him, and she knew she’d found everything she’d been looking for. A love without conditions or expectations, just acceptance and grace.

  His mouth was hot and sweet against hers, and she pressed closer, loving the feel of him, and how right it felt to be facing the future—together.

  Griffin finally drew back and wiped her tears away. “I love you,” he murmured again, and Lila saw forever in his smile. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

  “Let’s go home.”

  23

  A few months later . . .

  * * *

  Lila stretched her toes in the sunshine and let out a contented sigh. It was a couple of months since they’d returned to Sweetbriar Cove, and she was lounging in the shade of the old oak tree, a plate of snacks on one side, a cold drink in her hand, and a view of a hunky, shirtless man right in front of her.

  What more did a woman need?

  Griffin looked up and saw her staring. “Are you checking out my ass again?” he asked, teasing.

  Lila tossed an ice cube at him. “It is a particularly fine ass,” she pointed out. “I can see why Lady Chatterley got all riled up about her lover.”

  Griffin chuckled. He was weeding a flower bed . . . or planting . . . or something else that involved his muscles flexing and his skin glistening with sweat. Lila wasn’t asking too many questions. “Have you decided on the plants yet?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Can I smell them again?”

  “My baby is so demanding . . .” Griffin smiled and brought the sample pots over, each with a different fragrant rose. Lila sniffed them in turn.

  “I like them all.”

  “That doesn’t help.”

  “Why not?” she protested. “Let’s just plant dozens. Hundreds. Until this whole yard is covered.”

  Griffin smirked. “Something tells me you won’t like it when you can’t take a step without catching on the thorns.”

  “Good point. There’s a reason you’re the landscaper,” Lila said with a smile. “Plus, you look better with your shirt off.”

  “I disagree . . .” Griffin leaned down and claimed a hot, sweaty kiss. Lila arched up to meet him, savoring the taste. Even though it was a simple, everyday gesture, she still felt butterflies, every time.

  “Do you need anything from the house?” Griffin asked, pulling away. “A refill?”

  “Yes please,” Lila beamed. “And some of those cookies. And chips. And I think I left a slice of pie . . .”

  Griffin laughed. “So I’ll just bring the whole pantry?”

  “Great idea!”

  She watched him go, smiling. Griffin had moved into Rose Cottage, and already, they’d fallen into an easy routine. Sure, they had their moments, like when Griffin kept tracking mud in through the back door, and when Lila used all the hot water in the mornings, but even the little annoyance and spats were resolved with a smile.

  And sex. Lots of mind-blowing, earth-shaking sex. Her hormones were in overdrive, but luckily, Gr
iffin was more than happy to play his part.

  She placed her hands on her belly, wondering what the little one would be like. It seemed impossible that in six more months, they would get to meet him or her, but never once had she second-guessed her choice to move back here and build this life with Griffin. The bright lights of Hollywood already seemed like a lifetime ago, and without any new scandal to whet their appetites, even the tabloids had already forgotten she existed. Her former agents still hopefully sent her news of new roles or opportunities, but Lila left the emails unread.

  Sooner or later, they’d get the message she’d already embraced: that part of her life was over, at least for the foreseeable future.

  “Do you feel anything yet?” Griffin asked, returning with a tray of treats.

  Lila smiled at the hopeful expectation in his voice. “The baby won’t kick for another few weeks. But . . . the first trimester is over,” she said, biting her lip. “Maybe we could start telling people, at the fireworks tonight?”

  Griffin grinned. “Sounds good to me.”

  He went back to work, unspooling the garden hose and giving the garden a soak. Everything was in full bloom, a riot of color and life. It was her favorite place to sit and doze . . . listening to the birds in the trees and the buzz of insects enjoying the flowers. Their own little hideaway, just the way Griffin had promised.

  Lila shifted, feeling the heat of the sun. “Can I get a spray?” she asked, wriggling her toes, and Griffin turned the water on her feet. “That’s enough,” she warned him, but Griffin already had a devilish glint in his eye.

  He sprayed higher, drenching her.

  Lila leapt up with a shriek. “I’m going to kill you!” she cried, laughing, and she lunged for him.

  He ducked back, soaking her with another burst. “You’re forgetting, I owe you!” he called back, and Lila remembered the very first day they met. She’d had no idea what fate had in store for them, but she probably wouldn’t have believed it, even if she’d known. “Now we’re even!” he called, spraying her again.

  Lila felt the cold water dripping through her clothes. Actually, it felt pretty good . . . but that didn’t mean she was giving up the fight. Lila wrestled the hose away and turned the spray on him. Griffin laughed and wrapped his arms around her, wrestling her to submission. They wound up tangled in the damp grass together, both of them dripping wet.

  “Surrender?” he asked, teasing.

  “Never,” Lila grinned back. She reached up and kissed him, loving the weight of his body and the feel of his bare skin against her chest.

  Griffin’s hands roamed over her, teasing up under her soaked skirt. Her breath caught. “What time do we need to be at Jenny’s?” she asked, already reaching for his jeans.

  “Does it matter?” Griffin asked, his breath hot on her neck.

  Lila giggled. “Nope . . .”

  “Then let’s get out of these wet clothes . . .”

  * * *

  It took an hour in bed and some very thorough towel-drying before they made their way over to Jenny and Fraser’s place for their Fourth of July party. They lived in a big old house up on the hill, with a panoramic view of the fireworks down on the beach, and by the time Lila and Griffin arrived, what looked like half the town were gathered in the overgrown back yard, enjoying food, drink, and music as the twilight faded over the shoreline. Kids played amongst the trees, and laughter rang out over the bay.

  “Lila!” Jenny greeted her with a hug the moment they stepped out the door. “You made it! Come on back. We’ve got food for days and about a million pies. I swear Summer must have been baking all week.”

  “Close,” Summer said, grinning. “I couldn’t help it! I have a problem.”

  Lila laughed, her stomach already rumbling. “Well, I’m happy to help. Point me to the blueberry. And peach.”

  Griffin dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll leave you in her capable hands,” he said with a wink, and headed over to join Riley, Fraser, and Cooper, who were tending to the oversized grill with all the concentration of a nuclear equation.

  “Look at them,” Jenny said affectionately. “Acting like big shots with that thing. Who wants to break it to them that we could grill them under the table?”

  Lila laughed. “But then they wouldn’t do all the hard work and leave us to relax.”

  “Good point,” Summer agreed, leading Lila over to the groaning dessert table. “Do your worst.”

  “I think you mean her best!” Poppy piped up, from where she was filling a plate. “You have to try some of this strawberry.”

  Lila was happy to follow the order. “What did I miss?” she asked, taking a bite.

  “Just the usual gossip,” Summer replied. “Plus, my brother’s coming to stay. Apparently, he’s tired of gallivanting around the world, and wants to come annoy me, instead.”

  “Does he cook?” Lila asked hopefully.

  Summer laughed. “Aside from burned toast, I’m afraid not. He prefers just to mooch off me, instead.”

  “Look on the bright side,” Poppy said. “Weren’t you just telling me you wanted to repaint the bakery? You’ll have free manual labor captive under your roof.”

  Summer brightened. “You’re right, that is a plus!”

  Lila laughed and reached to pour herself some punch. Then she paused. “Has Aunt June added her not-so-secret ingredient yet?”

  Jenny took a sip, then coughed. “Umm, yes.” She sipped again. “Delicious, though.”

  “I’ll stick with soda,” Lila said quickly.

  “Still on that detox?” Jenny asked, and Lila paused. She’d wanted to wait until Alice was there before sharing the good news, but looking around, it seemed like her friend was running late. But Jenny was giving her a curious look, and it didn’t seem like her secret would stay secret for long.

  “Well . . .” Lila said, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face, “Actually . . .”

  Summer and Poppy whipped their gaze around. Their eyes widened. “No way!” Poppy squealed, putting two and two together.

  “Oh my God!” Summer joined her, excited. “Are you . . . ?”

  “Yes.” Lila beamed. “Twelve weeks along.”

  They smothered her in excited congratulations and looking across the yard, Lila could see Griffin accepting handshakes and back-slaps, too. Their eyes met, and Lila sent him a happy grin.

  “Finally, someone to complain with about my sleepless nights!” Poppy celebrated. “And, you know, the joys of motherhood.”

  “Naturally.” Lila laughed. “But seriously, I’m going to need a crash course in all of this. Griffin and I aren’t anywhere near prepared.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll never be,” Poppy replied, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “But I’m here for whatever you need. This is going to be so great.”

  “We’re thrilled,” Lila agreed. “And terrified. But mostly thrilled.”

  “Any cravings yet?” Summer asked. “Just say the word when they kick in. I love whipping up crazy stuff.”

  “I’ll let you know,” Lila promised her, just as the first fireworks lit up the night’s sky.

  The party all gathered at the edge of the yard for the best view of the display. Lila felt a pair of strong arms slide around her waist from behind, and she sank back against the man’s chest with a smile.

  “How did you know it was me?” Griffin’s voice murmured in her ear, teasing.

  “I’d know you anywhere, Hank,” she replied, and he laughed, his chest vibrating against her.

  “Minx.” He dropped a kiss on her shoulder, and Lila snuggled happily in the warmth of his embrace. Darkness had fallen, and the bay was a glitter of lights and celebratory noises as the first fireworks exploded in the dark.

  Griffin’s hands slid lower, over the slight swell of her belly, and Lila covered his hands with her own. She was filled with contentment and anticipation for everything to come. Next year, they’d be watching the fireworks with their little one, and every y
ear after that. Right here in a town that had offered her a home, with the love that had given her the strength to start over, to believe in herself and everything she could become.

  It was only just the beginning, and Lila couldn’t wait.

  * * *

  THE END

  Thank you for reading! If you’d like more from Sweetbriar Cove, keep scrolling to sample the next book in the series, where Griffin’s friend Alice finds love… TWO HEARTS is available to order now!

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  Sweetbriar Cove: The Kinsellas #1

  TWO HEARTS

  Discover summer love in Sweetbriar Cove with the new standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Melody Grace!

  Alice Evans wants to shake things up. Two years after tragedy first brought her back to Cape Cod, she’s still going through the motions, stuck in the same old routine. She’s looking for something to get her heart racing… Something, or someone — like the handsome stranger who comes roaring into town on a classic motorcycle, turning heads and sending the summer temperatures soaring.

  Jackson Kinsella isn’t looking to be tied down. A world-class photographer, he’s just in town visiting his grandfather and getting some much-needed rest and relaxation. But the mysterious brunette he meets on the Fourth of July won’t let his mind rest, and the sparks between them are anything but relaxing…

  The connection between them is immediate, and soon, their romance is heating up Sweetbriar Cove. But can Alice find the strength to start over? And will Jackson’s restless spirit keep him from true love?

  Find out in the new swoon-worthy standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author, Melody Grace!

  Available to order now!

  1

  Alice Evans was stuck. She’d known it for months now, the creeping feeling that she was sleepwalking through her life, re-living the same familiar routine. She’d tried to ignore it by throwing herself into her work and pretending everything was OK, but she should have known it was only a matter of time before the universe decided to send her a message.