Pieces of Us - Carrie Elks Page 0,18

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.”

Autumn reminded herself to say nothing about Griff or the hike they had planned that afternoon.

“Autumn?” Lydia’s voice was full of amusement.

“Yeah?”

“You haven’t hooked up with anybody, have you?”

“No.” She laughed. “Of course I haven’t.”

“Oh. My. God.”

“What?” Autumn shook her head even though Lydia couldn’t see her. “Stop it.”

“I’m your sister. I