by Elks, Carrie
The corner of Autumn’s lip quirked up. “Stop it.”
“Anyway, your run in with the town busybody isn’t what I’m interested in. Tell me more about this Griff guy.”
“There’s nothing more to tell. He’s my tenant, he’s become a friend, and he’s apparently commitment phobic.” Autumn sighed.
“According to his ex-girlfriend, who has an agenda,” Lydia pointed out. “And he’s hot. I saw his photo on Instagram.”
“How?”
“You were tagged in a photo on there. Didn’t you see it? A group of you all grinning around a fire pit. I’m guessing Griff is the hulk whose lap you were practically sitting on.”
Autumn grinned at her sister’s description of him. “The Hulk. I think he’d like that.”
“He’s gorgeous, Autumn. He looks like he eats lions for breakfast. Hell, if you’re not going to persue that, I might just have to fly in.”
“Who said I’m not going to?”
Lydia let out a whistle. “Does that mean you are?”
“It means I’m thinking.” And she had been all night. Ever since Griff had pressed his lips to her brow. She’d wanted to run her hands over his body, to feel those muscles that swelled and dipped, to touch his skin that always felt so warm.
“Maybe you should think a little less and do a little more,” Lydia suggested.
Maybe Lydia was right. Not that Autumn would ever tell her that.
“What’s stopping you from doing what you want?” Lydia continued.
“Well, there’s the fact that we kind of work together. And we both know mixing business and pleasure is never a good thing.” Autumn picked at a piece of lint on her shorts. “Then there’s my divorce. The ink is still wet on it. And everybody says you shouldn’t date for at least a year after.”
Lydia made a funny sound.
“Not to mention his ex who seems really keen on warning me off. Either she’s right and he really is a commitment phobe, or she’s crazy and I don’t want any part of that either.”
“And none of that matters if you keep it between two consenting adults, right?” Lydia asked. “Who cares if he doesn’t want a commitment? You don’t either. You said it yourself, you shouldn’t commit to anything serious so soon after your divorce. And anyway, you’re not planning on staying in town for long. What happens between you and him is nobody’s business but yours.”
“I guess…” Autumn pressed her lips together.
“He likes you, right?”
She thought about the way he looked at her last night. “I think so.”
“Stop being so modest. You know he does. Guys don’t dance with girls they don’t wanna bone.”
“You have such a way with words.” Autumn shook her head, amused.
“Thanks.”
“But you’re right. There’s a connection there. He looks at me the same way I look at him. And when we touch…” She sighed again. “It feels like magic.”
“I’m jealous. It’s been a long time since somebody’s touched me like that.”
“What about that guy in Quebec?”
“Anton? That was years ago.”
“Five months.”
“Almost half a year.” Lydia laughed. “Anyway, we’re talking about your love life, not mine. Now go and have some fun, and stop thinking about everything that could go wrong.”
“Goodbye, Lydia.”
“And don’t forget to keep me updated. I’m having a dry spell.”
Autumn ended the call with a grin and grabbed her sandals, sliding them on her feet. Lydia was her little sister, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t talking sense.
Maybe it was time to start listening to her.
11
The beach was packed full, even for a Sunday morning. Autumn weaved in between towels and umbrellas, tiptoeing past baby tents and upended surfboards, as she headed toward the pier. In front of the surf zone, she saw Ember sitting on a blanket next to her friend Brooke, whose son Nicholas was playing with baby Arthur. They looked up with a grin as she arrived. Ember shuffled along the blanket, inviting Autumn to take a seat next to her.
“Where is everybody?” Autumn asked. “I’m sure there were more of you here last week.”
“Alyssa barely slept a wink, so Harper and James decided to stay home and catch up on some rest,” Ember told her, passing Nick a bottle of water. “Ally and Nate are beyond swamped at the coffee shop, and Caitie and Breck are driving to LA for a few days.”
“Is Lucas working?” Autumn asked her.
Ember smiled and shook her head. “No, he’s in the water with Griff.”
Autumn shaded her eyes and looked in the direction Ember had nodded, spotting two distant figures out in the waves. She could tell the difference between the two of them just by the height disparity. Lucas was a tall man, but Griff was a giant. When he climbed on his surfboard and rode the waves it looked like he was defying every gravitational law Newton had discovered.
“I hear Frank Megassey collared you last night,” Ember said, grabbing Arthur’s hand before he smashed a fistful of sand into his mouth.
“Yeah. He wants me to hold a fundraiser on the pier.”
“I’m sorry. I thought he might give you a little longer to settle in.” Ember’s eyes met Brooke’s. “I know Ally tried to warn you.”
“It’s okay.” Autumn smiled at them. “He only pushed up a few plans I had anyway. I’ve wanted to do something that brings the community to the pier, and shows them how change is a good thing. I’m going to contact a few companies tomorrow to see if we can have some fairground rides put on there. Maybe some music, too. It should be fun.”
“If you need any help, just say the word,” Ember said. “A couple of years ago, Lucas and I had to help with the Angel Day Fair, so I know what Frank can be like.”
“I might take you up on that.” Autumn felt her heart warm at the offer. In New York, everybody would have called her crazy and refused to meet her eye if she asked for help. Here, people fell over themselves to do what they could, even though it didn’t benefit them.
“I can help, too,” Brooke offered. “Although I also have a wedding to organize.”
“You’ve had a wedding to organize for years,” Ember said, biting down a smile.
Brooke shook her head. “You’re exaggerating. And we will get married. Our lives are so crazy busy at the moment. With Aiden running the resort, and me doing my post graduate training, plus there’s Nick to think of,” she said, referring to her son. “Trying to sort out the wedding is taking longer than we hoped.”
“I keep telling you to get married at the resort.” Ember grinned at Brooke. “You sleep with the owner after all.”
“I don’t want us to get married where he works. Can you imagine it? He’d be in the middle of saying his vows a phone call would come in and he’d have to take it.” She shook her head. “Definitely not happening.”
“Well, congratulations anyway,” Autumn said, looking over at the pier, her eyes narrowing as a thought took root in her mind. “Actually,” she said, running her finger over her lip. “That’s given me an idea.”
“It has?” Brooke tipped her head to the side. “What kind of idea?”
Autumn pulled her lip between her teeth. “Has anybody gotten married on the pier before?”
Ember looked at Brooke, and the two of them shook their head. “I don’t think so,” Ember said. “It’s always been kind of run down.”
“I wonder if it could be another way to raise some money,” Autumn murmured. “Holding ceremonies there.”
“Delmonico’s could host the wedding party afterward,” Ember said, grinning at Autumn’s suggestion. “Or Griff could take everybody out on the boat.”
“It would make a great alternative to the resort or the Beach Club,” Brooke agreed. “And you could make it look so pretty, too.”
Autumn felt the anticipation lick at her belly. She could picture it. The wooden struts and bannisters festooned with garlands o
f flowers. Strings of lights overhead. And the pretty backdrop of the water – perfect for photographs. She’d start investigating tomorrow.
“Do you think you could have it up and running by next spring?” Brooke asked her.
“Is that when you’re planning on getting married?”
Brooke smiled. “Yeah. Aiden wanted to do it this year, but, seriously, there’s not enough time.” She glanced at Ember. “And not everybody has an event planner for a sister-in-law to pull a rabbit out of the bag.”
“I’m almost certain we could be up and running by next year.” Autumn looked at the pier again, ideas spinning through her head. She couldn’t stop the excitement from bubbling up inside her. She’d spent the last few days trying to figure out how to make a profit from the pier without hiking the rents beyond anything affordable. Using the space for events and weddings could be the exact answer she was looking for. Part of her wanted to run across the sand and up the warm wooden slats of the pier to her office to start working on her plan right away.
But then a movement caught her eye. She turned to see Griff riding a wave, surfing his body into the crest as the board weaved in and out of the spray. He made it look so easy, as though the board was glued to his feet, as he effortlessly surfed to the shallow. When he got there, he jumped off the board and pulled it with him, wading to shore.
“He looks like Aquaman,” Brooke murmured. “But bigger.”
As soon as he spotted Autumn sitting with his friends, Griff grinned and walked over. “Hey, how’s the light bulb?”
“Still working.” Autumn smiled up at him. “Thanks for changing it.”
Ember looked curiously at her. “Did a bulb blow?”
“Yes, last night. But Griff came to the rescue.” She smiled at him again. “Actually, can I talk to you for a minute?”
He blinked. “Yeah, sure.” Pitching his board in the sand, he ran his hand through his wet hair, droplets spraying everywhere. “You wanna take a walk?”
She nodded, following him to the shoreline where there was room to move in a straight line. Blowing out a mouthful of air, she tried to decide what she wanted to say. It’d seemed so easy when she was talking to Lydia earlier.
“So, um, thanks for last night.” God, she was lame.
“Any time.”
“I was wondering about what you said…” She looked up at him. His bronzed skin was covered in water droplets, clinging to him like limpets. The sun reflected from them, making tiny rainbows appear.
“What I said?”
“About kissing me.”
He stopped walking and turned to look at her, his eyes soft. “About wanting to kiss you,” he corrected.
She felt a little flutter of excitement. “Yeah,” she said, her breath catching. “About that.”
The corner of his lip quirked up. “I’m listening.”
She could feel her heart race. “I wanted you to kiss me, too.” She kicked her toes across the surface of the water. “Just so you know.”
That half-smile was still playing on his lips. “I got that impression.” He reached out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, his finger tips trailing across her skin. “But I’m guessing you don’t mean here.”
She shook her head. “I was thinking you could come over for dinner tonight. I’ll cook for you and we can talk.” She ran her tongue across her lips, tasting the salt of the ocean. “And maybe kiss again.” She looked at him through her lashes.
“Yeah. We can do that.” His voice was low. Thick. It sent a shiver through her. “What time do you want me?”
“Does six work?”
“It does for me.”
She let out a long breath. “Okay, I’ll see you then.”
“Yeah, you will.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against her brow, his hand cupping the back of her head. The warmth of his mouth was like a shock to her skin. Then he was gone, walking back across the sand as he lifted his board with one hand, waving goodbye to her with the other.
“You okay?” Ember asked her once she’d returned.
“Yeah.” Autumn nodded. “I’m good.”
Brooke eyed her speculatively, but said nothing. She could feel their unasked questions lingering in the air.
“So tell me about your wedding plans,” Autumn said to Brooke. “Maybe we can start to work something out.”
* * *
Griff ran his fingers through his hair, raking it back from his face before he rapped on Autumn’s front door with his knuckles. Funny to think about how much time he’d spent here over the past few years since Lucas had renovated it. Long hours watching sports on his big screen television, even longer cooking out on his grill and drinking ice cold beers as they laughed. But not once had he felt the rush he was feeling now.
And it was all down to her.
Autumn opened the door, a huge grin on her face. Her hair was down, light brown waves cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing a dress again, this one with spaghetti straps and a fitted bodice that skimmed her curves before it flared out at the waist. Her skin held a light tan, enough for him to guess she’d sat on the beach for a while after he left this morning. The glow suited her, made her even more attractive, if that was possible.
The caveman in him wanted to lift her up and carry her to her bedroom.
“I brought wine,” he said, passing her a bottle as he stooped to kiss her cheek. She was barefoot again, and he liked the way she looked so relaxed. It was as though any vestige of her life in New York had left her, making her as laid back as the Californian sun.
“Sauvignon blanc,” she murmured. “My favorite.”
“I know. I saw the way you were knocking it back last night.” He winked at her.
She shook her head, the grin still lifting her lips, then gestured for him to come inside.
“I’m making steak and potatoes. I hope that’s okay.”
“Are you kidding? I love steak.” He followed her into the kitchen where she opened the bottle and poured them both a glass. She passed one to him and lifted the other. “To new friends,” she said, her eyes sliding to his. “And working light bulbs.”
He clinked his glass against hers. “I’ll drink to that.” The wine was cool and crisp against his tongue. He swallowed it down and put his glass on the counter. Next to it was a plate holding the biggest steak he’d seen in a while. It had to be at least twenty ounces.
“Are we sharing that?”
“That one’s yours. Mine’s here,” Autumn told him, pointing at another plate. “I wasn’t sure how hungry you’d be, but I figured you probably eat a lot. You have a busy job and you’re…” she gestured at his height. “You.”
“If you cook it rare, I’ll probably eat the whole thing before you lift a fork,” he told her. “Can I help with anything in here?”
“You can set the table while I cook the steaks,” she said, pointing to the silverware on the side of the counter. “The potatoes are in the oven and the salad’s in the refrigerator. I think I have the food covered.”
* * *
The food tasted amazing. Within fifteen minutes Griff had finished everything on his plate, laying his silverware down on the white porcelain and leaning back on his chair to rub his stomach.
“How did you learn to cook steaks like that?” he asked her.
“It’s all in the cut.” She lifted another forkful of steak to her mouth. “And the preparation. I like to tenderize it and let it rest, then add a rub an hour before I cook it.”
“Well it was delicious. Thank you.”
She smiled. “It’s nice to cook for more than one person. I’ve been living on pasta for a while. There never seems much point in doing all the work when there’s nobody to eat with.”
She didn’t sound sad about it. More matter-of-fact than anything else.
“How long have you been divorced?” he asked her.
“About six weeks.”
“That recent?” He tried to hide his surprise.
“We w
ere separated for over a year. We had to be. And the settlement was… contentious.” She sighed. “So it feels like a lot longer. Waiting for the paperwork was the hardest part.”
He ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. She was a fascinating combination of strong and vulnerable. Maybe they were two sides of the same coin. Whatever it was, it enticed him in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Maybe ever.
“I have no idea why you divorced, but your ex was a damn fool.”
Autumn laughed. “What if it was my fault?”
“Then it was his fault for not keeping you happy.”
“Yeah, well that part was true. And I guess it was both of our faults. Living with somebody and working with them was a recipe for disaster.” She thought about the NDA she’d signed. Best not to tell him too much about that.
He raised his eyebrows. “You worked together?”
“Yeah. He bought me out of our company. I used the money to buy the pier.” She ran her finger around the rim of her wine glass. “How about you? You ever been married?”
He shook his head. “No. But I never wanted to. Still don’t. My parents weren’t exactly a great advertisement for marital harmony.”
She remembered Deenie telling her something similar at the party. “Are they divorced?” she asked him.
“They should be. But right now they’re probably screaming at each other in a bungalow outside of Fort Lauderdale.” He caught her eye. “Thankfully I don’t have to listen to them tear each other apart anymore.”
As though she could sense his discomfort, Autumn pulled her bottom lip between her teeth then released it, her mouth curling into a shy smile.
It was like she was standing on the edge of something. Afraid, but elated. Her eyes were feverish, glancing at him, then looking down at her hands before catching his gaze again. When was he going to kiss her? Her body ached for it. She’d barely thought about anything else all day.
“I’m not looking for anything serious,” she told him. “But I really like you, Griff.”
“Being un-serious is completely fine with me.” He looked serious, though. Deadly. And it made her body heat up.