The Griffin's Mate (Hideaway Cove 1)

“Lainie.”

“Hi, again.” Lainie blushed. She held up his business card and flicked it with her fingers. “I probably should have read this last night, huh? Harrison Galway, of Mackaby’s Workshop. It’s named after your old boss, right? That’s why I didn’t recognize the name. I was up at the storage unit just now, and your friend Arlo looked at me as though I’d grown two heads when I said I was looking forward to meeting you.” She groaned and blushed.

Harrison ran his hand through his hair, grinning. He could just imagine Arlo’s reaction. “Damn. I wish I had that sort of excuse,” he said wistfully. She raised one eyebrow, and he explained: “I should have recognized your surname.”

The corner of Lainie’s mouth twitched down. “Oh. Of course.” She played with her purse for a moment, not meeting his eye. “Well, awkward as this is… shall we head up there now? Your car, or mine?”

“We’ll take mine. If you don’t mind?” He waited for her to shake her head. “My gear’s in the back already, in case there’s anything you want me to get onto right away.”

“Oh.” Lainie frowned. “Yes. I hadn’t thought—no, that makes sense.” She shook her head, her mouth tight.

Inside him, Harrison’s griffin became alert. Something was wrong here.

Whatever it is, does it have something to do with her only planning to stay here overnight? For a job that might take days?

He walked her to his truck, and opened the door for her. She stepped up with a smile, brushing past him too close for it to be an accident. Warmth blossomed inside Harrison. That hadn’t changed, at least.

Determination stiffened his spine. She was his mate, and if she was unhappy, it was his duty to help her. Whatever was troubling her, he would do whatever she needed to help make it right.

“Okay,” he said, getting in the driver’s side and starting the engine. “So, you’ve already been to see Arlo about the stuff in the storage unit? He’s the one who—uh, who took down the info when you called last week.”

Harrison winced. Until he had determined whether or not Lainie knew about shifters, he couldn’t go around saying things like He’s the guy who was in dog form last night. Remember, my German Shepherd-Pom cross?

He shook his head. “He said you wanted an evaluation of the house?”

“Yeah… something along those lines.” She pulled a keyring out of her pocket and started to play with it.

Most of the keys on it looked modern, except for two. One was a large house key, but it was the smaller one she paid the most attention to. It was a silver key half the length of her pinky finger, decorated with a complicated filigree. The sort of thing you’d imagine fitting the lock of a jewelry box. She turned it over and over.

“I was hoping to find something in the storage unit, but…oh, it doesn’t matter. So, the house. I don’t know what state it’s in these days, but Arlo said you’re certified to do a safety check, and see how much work needs to be done on it?”

“I can do that, sure. Not a problem.”

Lainie tucked her hair back behind her ears. Harrison watched the road as he drove through town, but he couldn’t help sneaking glances at her. Her eyes flickered across to him, as well. When their eyes met, she blushed.

“Did you sleep well?” Harrison teased.

That made her smile. “Like a log,” she said, relaxing into her seat. “For some reason, I was all worn out.”

“Well. You had a long drive earlier in the day, after all.”

Lainie snorted, and Harrison grinned. He swung off onto the road up Lighthouse Hill, keeping his mate in the corner of his eye.

Her smile faded. Damn it. Whatever’s wrong, her grandparents’ house is right at the middle of it, isn’t it?

The whole truck lurched as he hit a pothole. “Sorry about that! This road isn’t used much anymore.”

“I guess there wouldn’t be any need for people to use it since my Gran went into the home,” Lainie said. She sighed. “That was, what, eight years ago? Time flies.”

Harrison couldn’t miss the hint of bitterness in her voice. “That’d be why I haven’t seen you in town before now. I only moved here around then.”

Lainie shook her head. “You wouldn’t have seen me before then, either. Like I said, I wasn’t close with this side of the family.” She sighed. “And now I’m the only one left, and I get to deal with the rest of the leftovers. Hooray.”

Harrison’s heart sank. If Lainie had never been close to the Eaves, then she might not even know about shifters.

Then again, if she’d inherited her grandparents’ house… well, real estate was a very real connection to a place. Maybe she would end up spending more time in Hideaway after all.

They rounded the final bend, and the old Eaves house came into view.