Pieces Of Us (Angel Sands 6)

“I’m not sure yet.” She reached down to pull her phone from her purse, her brows pinching together when she saw it was her father calling. “It’s my dad. I need to take this.”

“Sure. I’ll put the boards in the truck.”

She flashed him a grateful look then swiped her finger across the screen, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. “Dad, hi.”

“Autumn.” His voice was clipped. “How is California?”

“Hot.” She looked over at Griff who was lifting the boards into the flatbed. He hadn’t put a shirt on yet, and she could see every muscle in his back rippling. “And busy. I haven’t had a moment to myself.”

“When are you putting the pier back on the market?”

He didn’t waste any time, did he? Autumn sighed, tracing circles in the sand with her pointed toes.

“I’m not putting it on the market. I’m going to do some upgrades and make it profitable first.”

“I looked at the financials. It’s going to take a long time to make that monstrosity profitable,” her dad said gruffly. “You’d make more money by selling it at a loss and reinvesting.”

She frowned. “How did you see the financials?”

“I know people, Autumn.”

She felt like a child again, being chided for telling untruths. “Well I don’t want to sell it. I have plans.”

“So Lydia tells me. Something about a charity day and weddings.” Her dad sighed. “Aren’t you bored of being in California? Don’t you want to come home where you belong?”

No, she really didn’t. The thought of it made her stomach twist. “I’ll come home when I’m ready.” She sat on the wall that separated the beach from the boardwalk, and looked out at the ocean. It was a perfect blue, dotted with heads bobbing up and down, and the white of surfboards as they caught the waves. The beach itself was just as busy, full of families and teenagers. At the water’s edge, somebody had set up a volleyball net, and there was a ferocious game taking place, the ball whizzing over the net at a fast speed.

“Lydia mentioned something about a man you’d made friends with.” Her father cleared

her throat. “Who is he?”

Thanks, sis. Autumn sighed. She knew it wasn’t Lydia’s fault. Her sister couldn’t keep a secret to save her life. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she lied. There was no way she was going to tell her father about Griff. He’d be calling a private investigator in a heartbeat, and running a full background check before the sun went down.

“You don’t?”

“No. There is no guy here. I’m just working hard on the pier, that’s all.” She glanced over at the truck. There was no sign of Griff. “Speaking of guys, why have you been talking to Josh?”

“I haven’t.”

“Yes you have. Lydia said she saw him in your office.”

Her dad chuckled. “Well we both know Lydia has her head in the clouds.”

That was it! The laugh. The one that he always did when he lied. Ugh, it was aggravating.

“Well that’s good, because I see no reason for you to be talking to my ex-husband.”

“I have a call on my other line,” her dad said abruptly. “I’ll speak to you next week. Maybe you could send through the details of the charity day to Annabelle for me. I’d like to make a donation.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

“Oh and Autumn?”

“Yes?”

“Think about what I said. You need to come home to where you belong.”

“Bye, Daddy.” She ended the call and shoved her phone back in her bag, grabbing her t-shirt and shorts to pull on over her swimsuit. When she turned around, Griff was standing right next to her, twirling his truck keys around his finger.