Pieces of Us - Carrie Elks Page 0,68

bag as Lydia slid her arm through Autumn’s, and they followed him to the parking lot. “Oh my god, sun!” Lydia said as they emerged from the building. “It was raining in New York. You should have seen all the looks I got wearing this at the airport. Who’s the loser now?”

Autumn could see Griff’s shoulders shaking with laughter.

“How’s New York?” Autumn asked her.

“Same as when you left it. Boring. Stuffy. Cold.” Lydia wrinkled her nose. “I’ve stayed there for too long. I’m planning on flying to Hawaii when I leave here.”

“What about your date with the flight attendant?” Griff asked.

She shrugged. “I’ll contact him the next time I’m back.”

And he’d come running. Autumn was certain of it. Her sister was different, that was for sure, and that allure seemed to hook men like bait hooked a fish. They wanted to tame her, but she’d never be tamed.

Didn’t stop them from trying.

When they reached the truck, Griff slid Lydia’s case into the flatbed and opened the passenger door. Lydia clambered onto the backseat, her bare legs squashed as she tried to get comfortable.

“You want me to sit in the back instead?” Autumn asked her.

“Nope. You sit next to your man.” Lydia grinned. “I can interrogate him from back here.”

Griff raised an eyebrow as he started the engine. “I’m an open book.”

Lydia clapped her hands together. “Oh good. I can’t wait to ask you all the questions.”

Autumn bit down a smile and let the sun warm her face through the windshield, the same way her sister and Griff were warming her on the inside. She was surrounded by people she loved and it felt so right.

“This view of the ocean is wow,” Lydia said, pressing her nose against the glass doors that led to Griff’s balcony. “I’d sleep out here every night so I could hear the waves. So much better than listening to traffic.”

Griff poured a glass of wine for Autumn and her sister, then grabbed a beer for himself. “Autumn’s view is better. Her cottage opens onto the beach. You can hear the Pacific from her bed.”

Lydia turned her head to give him a cheeky grin. “I bet that’s not all you can hear.”

Autumn shook her head. “Lydia.”

“What?” She shrugged. “I’m just telling it how it is.” Griff passed them the wine, winking at Autumn as she rolled her eyes at him.

“Sorry,” she mouthed.

He leaned forward to press his lips against her brow. Her love for her sister shone out of her. It was in her smile, her amused exasperation, and most of all in her eyes. “She’s right, babe,” he told her with a grin.

“See. I knew it. I only had to take one look at him to know he’s good in bed. And after your ex, that’s a good thing. Am I right?”

“We should think about dinner,” Autumn said, ignoring her sister. “Do you want to get take out?”

“No, I want to go out and explore. We should go to that place on the pier.”

“Delmonico’s?” Autumn’s eyes met Griff’s again. “I don’t know…”

“It’s okay.” Griff told her. “We can go there. It’ll be fine.” He knew she was thinking about Carla and her reaction to them. But Carla would have to get used to it. He wasn’t planning on hiding his relationship with Autumn, not anymore. Wasn’t sure he could if he tried.

Not that he wanted to try.

An hour later, the three of them walked through the painted blue glass doors into the Italian restaurant, where most of the red-and-white checked covered tables were occupied, couples, friends and families leaning forward to talk to each other, the hum of their conversation filling the air.

“Griff. And beautiful Autumn.” Pietro held his arms out as he walked to the desk. “Welcome. A table for three?”

“I’m Lydia, Autumn’s sister.” Lydia reached forward to shake Pietro’s hand. “I love this place already. I bet you have the best baked ziti.”

Pietro smiled. “Yes, we do. And it’s a pleasure to meet you. I didn’t realize Autumn had a sister.”

“I’m visiting for a few days, and this is the first place I had to try. I’ve heard so much about your food. Autumn tells me your cannolis are to die for.” She leaned forward. “I don’t suppose you have a table for us on the terrace, do you? I really want to dine overlooking the Pacific. I’ve never seen the ocean before.”

Autumn’s mouth dropped open at her sister’s blatant lie. Griff tried to swallow down a laugh. Pietro didn’t notice, though, he was