“I am,” Caitie told him, grinning. “Or at least I should be to you.”
“And you are.” He leaned down to kiss her nose. “How are you holding up, baby?”
“I’m good. Autumn’s been distracting me. Autumn, this is Breck, my fiancé.”
Autumn reached her hand out. “It’s good to meet you.”
“You too. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” She should be used to the small-town talk by now. But it still shocked how everybody knew each others’ business.
Then she saw Lucas walk up behind him and recognized her new landlord immediately, from when he and Ember helped her move into the cottage.
And behind him was Griff, wearing a half-wetsuit unzipped and hanging from his waist, exposing his tan, muscular chest and oh-so-broad shoulders. She felt her stomach do a flip.
“Hey, Autumn.” Lucas gave her a wave, and she grinned back.
Griff’s eyes locked with hers, and her lips curled up. “Hi,” he said with a smile that sent her pulse racing.
“Hey.”
“This is Autumn?” Another man joined Griff and Lucas, slapping them both on the backs. “Hey, it’s good to finally meet you. I’m Jackson.” He wasn’t as tall or as broad as Griff, but he was still a good looking guy. “How are you settling in?”
“Really well.” She smiled at him as he sat down on the sand next to her, being careful not to get her wet. “I’m loving Lucas and Ember’s beach cottage. I used to play white noise to get to sleep in New York, but now I get to nod off to the sound of the waves.”
“And you’re planning on being here for a while?”
“I think so. I’m still hashing out the details, but if the weather is always like this, then I’m in.”
“It really is,” Jackson told her. “The best thing about living here is the climate.”
“And the ocean,” Breck pointed out.
“Well, yeah.”
“And the mountains,” Lucas said. “If you like hiking.”
“I do like hiking,” Autumn told them. “I didn’t get to do a lot of it in New York, but I’d try to get to the Catskills at least once a year to climb some hills.”
“You got your hiking boots with you?” Griff asked.
“Um, yeah. They’re somewhere in the cottage.” Still in the box she’d packed them in.
“I can show you a trail later if you want,” he said, his voice nonchalant.
“Today?” Autumn blinked. It was a simple friendly offer. Her skin didn’t need to heat up like it was on fire.
“Yeah. If you’re not busy.”
“I’m not busy,” she said quickly. “And I’d love to check out some trails.”
Jackson looked from Autumn to Griff, a bemused smile on his face.
“Okay, then,” Griff said, ignoring his friend’s questioning gaze. “I need to go home and wash up. I’ll pick you up at your place at one.”
7
“What’s with the caveman attitude over the new girl?” Jackson asked as they carried their boards up the beach. “Me Griff, you Autumn. You were practically beating your chest, man.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Griff felt his jaw twitch.
“Come on. I was shooting the breeze with her and you jumped in so fast it took my breath away. You like her, right?”
“She’s my landlord. A colleague. And she’s new in town. I just didn’t think you should be hitting on her like that.”
The corner of Jackson’s mouth quirked up. “So if I ask her out on a date you’ll get angry.”
“I don’t want to deal with the fallout when you mess it up,” Griff said, raising an eyebrow. “I have to work with her.”
“But what if I don’t mess it up?” Jackson tipped his head to the side. “What if I like her and she likes me. You’d be okay with that?”
The thought of it made Griff feel weird. And he had no idea why. Yeah, she was pretty, and clever as hell. But he knew better than to date somebody he had to work closely with. Look at what happened with him and Carla.
“I don’t think she’s planning on sticking around forever,” he finally said, avoiding Jackson’s question altogether. “Just until she has the pier under control. Then she’ll head back to New York.”
“So we could have a fling.” Jackson shrugged. “Suits me.”
Griff’s fingers tightened on his board, his knuckles blanching. “Leave her out of it.”
Jackson started to laugh. “Oh man, you’ve got it bad.”
“Shut up.”
“You like her, don’t you?” Jackson persisted.
“It doesn’t matter,” Griff said through gritted teeth. “It’s not happening.”
“Look, I know what happened with you and Carla was bad. That she made your life hell when things were over, but you’ve got to get back on the wagon, my friend. Not all women expect you to put a ring on it after the second date. If you feel something for Autumn, then go for it.” Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Or somebody else will.”
They’d reached the showers in front of the parking lot, and Griff pressed the lever down, letting the cold spray wash over him and rinse the salty ocean water away. He closed his eyes and shook his hair, water flying everywhere. Then he washed his board off before grabbing a towel from the flatbed of his truck.
“I’m not interested,” he said roughly, rubbing the towel over his hair and neck.
“Sure you’re not,” Jackson said grinning. “That’s why you’re spending the afternoon with her.”
“As friends.”
“Whatever you say. Good luck with keeping it at that.”
“Dad wants to know why you’re not answering your phone.”
Autumn could hear the amusement in Lydia’s tone. Wedging her phone between her shoulder and her ear, Autumn pulled her hiking boots over the thick walking socks she’d bought last year but never used.
“He called once this morning and I was busy. I figured I’d call him tonight.” Or tomorrow. Or maybe next week. Whenever she felt up to hearing how disappointed he was again.
“But she always answers her phone, Lydia. Unlike you,” Lydia said in a deep, gruff voice.
“Your impression of him is terrible,” Autumn told her sister. “For a start your voice was too deep.”
“Ouch! What a burn, and he wasn’t even here to hear it. I’m going to tell him you said that the next time we talk. Anyway, what was so important that you didn’t pick up the phone?”
“I was at the beach with some friends.”
Lydia laughed. “Okay. Now what were you really doing?”
“I was at the beach. Honestly. The woman who owns the cottage I’m renting invited me to join her and her friends for coffee this morning. I figured why not.”
“But you don’t meet people for coffee. Or do anything but work on Sundays. Oh my god, Autumn, is Dad right? Have you lost your mind?” Lydia was loving this. Autumn could hear it in her voice. “Next thing we know you’ll be hooking up with a guy without knowing his portfolio.”