Pieces of Us - Carrie Elks Page 0,56

unlocked her phone and read the message.

I missed you last night. My bed’s too big without you. – G

She shook her head, a smile on her face, and quickly tapped a reply.

Your bed is big, but so are you. I’m pretty sure you survived okay without me. - A

Almost immediately, another message flashed up.

I have to work late tonight. A friend’s taking his boat down the coast for repairs and asked me to crew for him. But I still want to see you. Will you hate me if I turn up at your place after midnight? – G

Like a booty call? – A

Pretty much. ;) - G

In that case, you’re on. See you at midnight, Cinderella. – A

“These shoes are amazing,” Ally said, lifting them to the light and turning them around. “But where the heck will you wear them around here? One step on the beach and they’d pin you to the ground. And if the tide came in you’d have to call the Coast Guard out.”

Autumn laughed as Ally handed them back to her, carefully placing them into the dust bag and back into the box. She was sitting with Brooke, Caitie, and Ally around a table at Pancho’s Taqueria, sipping at ice-cold margaritas and nibbling on tortilla chips while they decided what food to order.

“I have no idea where I’ll wear them,” she said, lifting her glass and taking a sip. “But they were too pretty to pass up.”

They’d shopped at the mall for almost three hours, and though the time had passed quickly, Autumn’s feet were aching from walking on the tiled floors. She’d slipped her sensible two-inch heels off and was circling her bare feet under the table. Maybe Griff could give them a rub tonight.

“You don’t need to wear them anywhere. Just put them on for Griff and he’ll fall at your feet. You ever notice what a thing most guys have for high heels?”

“Aiden loves them,” Brooke admitted, lifting a tortilla chip between her lips. “He’s always asking me to wear them, but they’re so damn uncomfortable.”

“I like the extra height they give me,” Autumn told her. “And I’ve been wearing them since I was a teenager. It’s second nature now. It’s different here, but in New York power dressing is still a thing. Your clothes are the first thing everybody notices.”

She glanced down at the pile of shopping bags beside her chair. Two pairs of shoes, some cosmetics she was desperately in need of, and a black, white, and pink striped bag that contained the skimpiest lingerie she’d ever seen. It was pretty, though. Silky black lace, weaved with pink ribbon across the hem of the panties and the center of the plunging bra. She was planning to greet Griff wearing that and the shoes tonight.

It was fun to go shopping. For the months after her separation she’d felt too low to indulge. She didn’t really want to do anything, apart from work, and that was taken away from her pretty early in the process.

Trying on clothes and shoes had made her feel pretty. Alive. She couldn’t wait for Griff to see them.

“When are you planning on going back to New York?” Caitie asked her. She was sitting across the table from Autumn, next to Brooke. Harper and Ember couldn’t make it – Alyssa had a cold so Harper was staying home with her, and Lucas was working the night shift, leaving Ember without anybody to look after Arthur on short notice.

“I don’t know,” Autumn admitted. “At first I thought I’d only be here a little while. Long enough to get the pier up to speed. But I like it here, even if you guys don’t wear high heels.” She grinned at them all.

“I’d wear high heels if you agreed to stay,” Brooke offered. “It’s nice to see Griff happy.”

“It really is.” Caitie nodded. “He’s like a different guy. Have you noticed he’s always smiling now?”

“Let’s make a toast.” Ally lifted her glass. “To new friends who make our old friends happy.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Brooke grinned. They clinked their glasses together, and Autumn swallowed another mouthful of her margarita, looking over the rim of her glass at her newfound friends.

It felt as though she finally belonged somewhere, after years of searching for a place to call home. Maybe she’d been looking in all the wrong places.

And trying to please all the wrong people.

Her life in New York had felt like a constant battle. To be the best at work, to make