by Elks, Carrie
“Lucas told me you were bringing her,” Ember said, catching Griff’s gaze. “That was really sweet of you.”
He shrugged. “She’s new in town. It’s polite.”
“Sure.” Was she biting down a smile?
Arthur suddenly noticed him, and clapped his hands together. Then he leaned out of Ember’s hold, his arms reaching for Griff. “I think he wants you,” Ember told him. “As usual.”
“What can I say?” Griff shrugged. “I’m a baby charmer.” He scooped Arthur from Ember’s hold and lifted him up, blowing a raspberry on his downy cheek. “Hey buddy, what’s going on?”
“Ba ba blue.”
“Is that right?” Griff asked him, grinning at Arthur’s serious expression. “I agree. Forty years is something to celebrate. Though I hope you play the field first before you settle down.”
Ember slapped his arm. “Stop it.” She grinned playfully. “You’re supposed to be his godfather, not his wingman.”
“We all know he’s gonna be a heartbreaker,” Griff pointed out, laughing as Arthur nodded before he let out a huge burp. “That’s it, buddy. Start practicing now.”
Arthur reached out for Griff’s face with his pudgy hands, cupping his broad jaw with tiny fingers. “Giss,” he said, then blew a raspberry himself, covering Griff with baby spit.
“Ha!” Ember said, grabbing a cloth and passing it to Griff. “He got you back.”
“Careful, bud,” Griff told Arthur as he wiped his lips before wiping his own face. “Any more of that and I won’t be singing ‘Baby Shark’ anymore.” He looked over Arthur’s head toward where Deenie and Autumn were still in deep conversation. She looked so at ease, as though she’d lived here all her life rather than for a few short weeks.
She looked beautiful, too, in a short blue dress and matching shoes that made her legs look a mile long. She leaned forward to whisper something in Deenie’s ear and then they both laughed, Autumn’s head tipping backward as Deenie patted her arm.
Friends. That’s all they were. He could live with that.
“Na no,” Arthur said, then he raspberried again.
“Yeah, bud. My thoughts exactly.”
* * *
“Are you missing New York?” Deenie asked, as she poured Autumn a glass of champagne.
“Not really,” Autumn admitted, taking the glass and lifting it to her lips. “My sister says it hasn’t stopped raining for days. And if I was there right now, I’d be cooped up in an office with a view of other offices. I think I prefer the sun and beach.”
Deenie smiled. “Do you think you’ll go back?”
“I guess so. That’s where my family is.” The thought of it made her feel claustrophobic. It hadn’t taken long for her to get used to wearing shorts or sundresses every day. Her skin had already taken on a darker hue, in spite of the sunscreen she lathered herself with constantly. Even the air here felt different. Fresher.
“Well, for as long as you’re here, you’re always welcome at our house. I’m so glad you came.”
“So am I.” Autumn smiled into her eyes. “Thank you for being so welcoming.”
“It’s what we do in Angel Sands. Once you move here, you’re part of the community. And even if you do go back to New York, you’ll still own the pier. That means something here.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’m glad Griff brought you.”
“He’s a good guy.” Autumn took another sip of champagne.
“He really is.” Deenie nodded. “He’s like another son for me. All of Lucas’s friends are, of course. But Griff’s the one who had a horrible childhood. It broke my heart to always see him so alone.”
Autumn blinked. “He had a hard childhood?” She glanced at Griff from the corner of her eyes. The man-mountain was holding little Arthur, his expression soft as he stared down at the baby’s laughing face. Autumn swallowed hard, feeling her stomach twist at how gentle he looked. He was so at ease holding a baby. As though he was born to do it.
“He didn’t have the best upbringing,” Deenie said softly, her lips curling into a sad smile. “But that’s history now.” She looked at him holding Arthur. “He’ll make a good father, though he’d never admit to that. Sometimes having bad experiences make us more determined to do things differently in our own lives. Griff’s parents were always too busy with each other to pay him much attention.”
Autumn thought of her own parents. She could hardly remember her mom, but she knew from photos that she’d loved her and Lydia very much. Then, when her mom died, her dad stepped into the hole she’d left behind.
As a teenager, his helicopter parenting drove her crazy. But it was better than the alternative.
“Am I being a nosey old lady if I ask you whether you and Griff are dating?” Deenie asked.
Autumn pulled her eyes away from Griff. He hadn’t noticed her staring, thank god. “No,” she said. “We’re just friends.”
“Oh. That’s a shame.”
It was on the tip of Autumn’s tongue to agree. She swallowed the idea down with a mouthful of champagne. “I’m recently divorced.”
Deenie gave her a half-smile. “That doesn’t sound insurmountable.”
Maybe it wasn’t. Autumn frowned, trying to work through the confusion in her mind.
“Don’t listen to me,” Deenie said, topping up Autumn’s glass. “I’m an old romantic at heart. Blame it on all the books I read at work.”
It wasn’t books that were the problem. It was the way Autumn’s stomach did a loop-de-loop every time Griff looked this way. She liked him, but it was crazy. Too soon after her divorce and way too close to her business.
“Ember told me you own a book store,” Autumn said, thankful for the change in subject. “Tell me all about it. I can’t wait to come and visit.”
10
“Are you enjoying yourself?” Griff whispered in Autumn’s ear. They’d been at the party for a couple of hours. The evening sun was disappearing behind the rooftops, and the paper lanterns were glowing, along with pillar candles whose flames flickered on every table. Somebody had turned the music up, the deep beats pulsing through the warm twilight air. Ember and Harper had taken their babies inside to sleep, the tots’ eyes drooping as everybody blew them a kiss good night.
“I am.” She tried not to shiver at the way his warm breath tickled her skin. Turning her head, she looked up at him. He was standing behind her, his eyes fixed on hers, the setting sun making his skin glow.
He was so damn masculine. If she could bottle it, she’d be a millionaire in weeks. It wasn’t only the strong lines of his face, or the way he towered over everybody here. It was more than skin and muscles, no matter how glorious they were.
It was in everything he did. He had this way about him that made you feel safe. As though nothing could hurt him. She had no doubt that he’d throw himself in front of a car to save a stranger.
There were good people in New York, she knew that. But most of the people she met on a daily basis cared more about themselves than anybody else. They were drawn to Manhattan because they wanted to make money, or make something of themselves. And she’d bought into that, too.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
The music slowed down, and Deenie and Wallace began to dance on the grass in the space they’d cleared by moving some tables. Ember and Harper walked out of the kitchen door, whispering softly to each other, then grinned as they saw the happy couple dancing in front of them. The next moment, Lucas held his hand out to his wife, and Ember took it, allowing him to spin her across the grass. Pulling her against him, he held her tenderly, leaning down to kiss her hair.
Guests joined them on the grass, until there were more people dancing than not.
“You want to dance?” Griff asked her.
“Yeah, I do.” Warmth spread across her skin. “Let me take my shoes off, though. These heels will sink into the dirt.” She slid them off her feet, then took Griff’s hand and let him lead her across the grass. She felt shorter than ever in her
barefeet. The top of her head met his chest as he pulled her close, slipping his arm around her waist, and pressing his palm into the small of her back as he slid the fingers of his other hand into hers.
The music was slow and smooth, as the haunting melody filled the evening air. Autumn leaned her head against Griff’s warm pecs, feeling the buttons of his shirt press against her cheek, and the warmth of his smooth skin through the cotton. She took a deep breath, smelling his woody cologne, and let him move her around the grass.
He was a surprisingly good dancer. So sure of himself. She glanced up to see him staring down at her, his eyes dark, his neck undulating as he swallowed. Autumn’s mouth felt suddenly dry, as though she hadn’t drunk anything for weeks.
“Thank you for inviting me,” she murmured. “I’m having a good time.”
The corner of his lip quirked up. “I’m glad you came.”
So was she. So glad. Only a few weeks ago she’d felt as if life as she knew it was over. But now, there was something new. Something interesting.
Something that made her stomach do tiny flip flops.
The music suddenly turned off. Griff stopped moving but kept her hand in his as he glanced over his shoulder to see what had happened.
“Um, there’s a baby crying,” Jackson said, looking sheepish as he stood in the kitchen doorway. “Not sure whose though.”
* * *
“Are you ready to go?” Griff asked her later that evening as the final guests began to say their farewells.
“Yeah. Let me go and thank Deenie and Wallace first,” Autumn said, pulling her jacket on. It was almost midnight and the air had turned distinctly cool, causing goose bumps to break out on her bare shoulders.
He slid his palm along the small of her back and steered her over to Lucas’s parents. Strange how natural it felt to have him touching her.
Lucas was in the corner, dousing the fire pit that most of them had huddled around for the past couple of hours. Ember and Harper were inside again, along with Harper’s fiancé, James, getting their babies ready to take home. Autumn was getting used to everybody’s names, thanks to being able to sit around the fire pit and listening to them all talk. She knew that Nate and Ally were engaged, worked together at Déjà Brew and had a daughter, who was out with her friends tonight.
And that Brooke and Aiden were here with Brooke’s son Nick, who Aiden had adopted recently. Jackson was here with a girl he’d introduced as Maura, but they’d left early because she’d gotten a headache.
Then there were Caitie and Breck, Harper and James who had baby Alyssa, and of course, her landlords, Ember and Lucas.
And Griff. Her skin tingled at the memory of dancing with him. If she’d been another girl, or this had been another time, maybe something might have happened between them.
Her body certainly seemed to think so. Every time he smiled at her she could feel her heart battering her ribcage.
Most of the glasses had been stacked in the kitchen, and Deenie had waved off everybody’s offers of help to clean up, telling them she’d leave them until morning.
She looked up with a smile as they approached.
“We’re leaving,” Griff told her, leaning forward to give her a hug. “Thanks for letting us come.”
“It was a wonderful party,” Autumn added when Deenie turned to embrace her. “Congratulations again. Forty years together is something to be proud of.”
Griff glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She didn’t look upset, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she was. Anniversaries must be a reminder of her divorce.
“Are you leaving?” Frank Megassey asked them, hurrying over to where they were standing. His face was bright red, the way it always was when he drank more than one beer. “I was hoping to have a word with Autumn.”
Autumn blinked. “With me?”
“Yes. I’m Frank Megassey,” he said, reaching his hand out to her. She shook it, her expression still confused. “I run the Angel Sands Chamber of Commerce. I wanted to introduce myself because we’ll probably be seeing a lot of each other.”
Autumn’s gaze caught Griff’s. He was biting down a grin. “We will?” she asked politely.
“Yes. You’ll want to come to our meetings as the new pier owner, of course.” Frank beamed. “And I also have a little favor to ask you.”
She swallowed. “Of course.”
“Each year we raise money for a different charity. This year we’ve chosen the Angel Sands Animal Shelter. And I was wondering if you’d like to hold an event to help us reach our target.”
“What kind of event?” Autumn asked him.
“I don’t know. Maybe a fun day or a party on the pier. Something that gets the community together. It would be a good chance for you to introduce yourself to the local community and raise money for a good cause at the same time.”
Griff coughed, though it sounded suspiciously like a laugh. When she turned to look at him he was staring over at the house, as though he was avoiding her gaze.
“Of course. I’d be happy to help.”
“That’s great.” Frank patted her shoulder. “Do you think you could come up with a plan by next week? We’re hoping to have the event next month, so it doesn’t clash with our town celebrations in June.”
“By next week?” Autumn repeated. “I’m not sure if I can do something that fast. I don’t know anybody here, and it’ll take me a while to figure everything out.”
“That’s where we come in,” Frank told her. “You come up with a plan and the chamber will help you with the rest.” He nodded, as though it was a done deal. “Thank you for being so supportive, Ms. Paxton. And welcome to the town. We’re very happy to have you here.”
“I’m happy to be here too,” she murmured, feeling bulldozed. Had she really just agreed to plan for a charity event in a few weeks?
From the beaming smile on Frank’s face – and the amused crinkles at the corners of Griff’s eyes – it looked like she’d done exactly that.
* * *
The ocean was quiet, waves gently lapping at the shore in a soft rhythm, as Griff walked her to the door of her beach bungalow. “I had a great time,” she told him as she slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open.
“I’m glad.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he leaned on the doorjamb, his hands pushed into his jean pockets. “Everybody loved you.”
She flicked the light switch. The sunken spotlights flickered for a moment, then plunged into darkness with a loud bang. Frowning, she flicked again, but nothing. “I think I just blew a fuse,” she told him. “You go on home, I’ll find a spare bulb and the electrical box.”
“The electrical box is at the back of the laundry room,” he told her. “And there should be spare bulbs in the kitchen. I can change it for you if you’d like?”
“It’s okay. I can do it.”
“I know you can,” he said gently. “But it’ll be easier if there’s two of us. It’s dark in there, and you’ll need to stand on a chair to change the bulb. I just want to help.”
She caught his eye. “Your help would be much appreciated.” She smiled at him. “Here, I’ll turn on the flashlight on my phone. That should help us a bit.”
Just as he promised, the fuse box was in the laundry room, the main switch pointing down. Unlike Autumn, he didn’t need to pull a chair over to reach it. He flicked it up, and a moment later they were plunged into light.
Then it clicked and everything went dark again.
“Do me a favor,” he asked her. “Go into the living room and see which light doesn’t come on when I hit the switch again.”
She walked into the living room and called out for him to try again. This time, when the lights flickered on she could see the bulb by the front door was dead. Griff used his own phone light to rummage around her kitchen to locate the bulb, then quickly changed it and reset the circuit breaker.
“There.” He smiled at her. “Now I can go home without worrying about you breaking your n
eck on the wooden floor.”
She laughed at his expression of mock-horror. “My hero,” she murmured. “Thank you.”
The flash in his eyes had nothing to do with the lights shining overhead. The lines next to his eyes disappeared, a seriousness coming over him.
Autumn swallowed. Hard. He was standing right next to the front door. Another step and he’d be back outside. She couldn’t hear the waves anymore, her ears were too full of the blood rushing through them.
“I’m going to head out,” he said softly, reaching down to cup her face. She tipped her head up to look at him. Their gazes connected and it set her skin on fire.
His palm was warm against her skin, his fingers rough against her cheek. He ran the pad of his thumb along the line of her chin, and it sent a shiver down her spine.
“I really want to kiss you,” he murmured.
“You do?” she breathed. God, she wanted that, too.
“But I’m not going to. Not until you’re ready to be kissed.”
Disappointment shot through her.
“Good night, Autumn,” he said, pressing his lips against her fevered brow. “Sweet dreams.”
Then he was gone and all she was left with was the burning memory of his lips on her skin.
* * *
“Stop laughing,” Autumn told her sister, as Lydia’s chuckles echoed over the phone line. “It’s not funny.”
“Sure it is. Only you would end up running the joint within weeks of arriving in a new town. They must have smelled it on you.”
“Smelled what?” Autumn frowned.
“The nice-girl vibes. You should have remembered what I told you. Never make eye contact. Never say yes. That’s the way to avoid responsibility.”
Autumn chewed her lip. “I must just have that kind of face.”
“A sucker face?”