Pieces of Us - Carrie Elks Page 0,79
developer? Why is he here? Are they talking about changes to the pier?”
The door opened again, and the three of them looked at it expectantly. But instead of Autumn walking out, it was Josh. He gave Lydia a huge grin. To Griff’s satisfaction, she gave him a scowl in return.
“You want me to point you to the airport?” she asked him.
“Hi, I’m Carla Delmonico.” Carla pushed past Griff and Lydia to offer Josh her hand. “A friend of Autumn’s. I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”
Josh’s eyes lit up. “Hey Carla, it’s good to meet you.”
“And you are?” Carla prompted.
Griff looked at Lydia, and she lifted her shoulders back at him. It was like watching a train wreck. If two exes meet, does the universe implode?
“I’m Josh Garner. Autumn’s husband.”
“Ex-husband,” Lydia corrected him, and Josh turned to look at her.
“Sorry,” he said, that inane grin never wavering. “It’s been such a short time, I forget about that.”
“I didn’t know Autumn was married.” Carla’s gaze slid to Griff. “Did you know?” she asked him. He hated the way her expression was full of compassion.
“Yeah,” he said roughly. “I know all about the divorce.”
“You must be Gruff. The whaleboat captain. Autumn’s dad has told me all about you.”
“It’s Griffin,” He shook the man’s hand, trying not to smile as his grip made Josh wince.
“Of course it is. Though Gruff rhymes with rough, which kind of suits you, right?”
“Sorry, can we get back to the property developer that Autumn’s talking to?” Carla said. “I didn’t know she had plans to develop this place.”
“Oh, she doesn’t,” Josh said casually. “She wants to sell it to him.”
It felt like a punch in Griff’s gut. “She’s selling the pier?” he asked, frowning as he tried to take it in.
“His offer’s too good to refuse,” Josh carried on. “I should know, I’m the one who found him. She’s one lucky son of a gun to find someone willing to pay that much money. Especially since she was completely hammered when she clicked the buy button.”
“She was?” Carla’s mouth dropped open. “As in drunk?”
“To her eyeballs.” Josh grinned. “Didn’t she tell you the story? She woke up to the listing on her browser. Couldn’t even remember sending an offer in, but she did. If it had been me, I’d have rescinded right away, but you know Autumn.” He shook his head, chuckling. “She has this sense of duty and felt she had to do her best for the place.”
The way Josh was talking about Autumn, as though she was still his wife, made Griff’s teeth grind together.
“How do you know all of this?” Lydia asked Josh, her face even redder than when she’d run after Griff.
“Well from you, of course,” Josh said, shaking his head as if she’d just told the funniest joke. “Via your dad. He said you told him it was all a drunken mistake.”
“I didn’t say that,” Lydia muttered. “Not in those words, anyway. You’re twisting them.” She turned her head, her eyes catching Griff’s. “It wasn’t a mistake. It never has been. She wanted to come here.”
“She wanted to hurt her dad. And probably me, too. God knows I hurt her enough.” For the first time, the smile slid from Josh’s lips. “I’m just hoping I can make it up to her and get her to come home with her head held high.” He shrugged. “I can’t help but feel this is all my fault.”
“So that’s why you’re here? To make up for being such an asshole?” Lydia’s laugh was short. “When did you die and become Mother Teresa?”
“Isn’t Mother Teresa dead?” Carla asked, frowning.
Griff’s nails dug into the hard skin on his palms. Not that he felt it, not really. He was too damn confused for all that.
Autumn bought this place as a mistake? Though he’d never asked her outright why she’d purchased the pier and come to Angel Sands, it still felt like a lie. The kind of story she should have told him while they were curled up in bed together, their voices heavy with sated desire.
So why didn’t she tell him? He could understand her being a little embarrassed about it, but they’d been naked together so many times, for god’s sake. They were way beyond being embarrassed about things they’d done.
He swallowed hard, remembering something she’d said to him after the first time they’d kissed at the top of the cliff.
I’m making bad decisions left, right, and center at the moment.
She’d been talking about buying the pier, he was certain