Page 17 of Blame It on the Bikini (Ocean Shores #4)

Chapter Nine

Lexie spent most of Sunday going through her photos. They were the best photographs she’d ever taken—leaving her proud but also annoyed it had taken her so long to push herself.

As she looked back at her life since leaving her father's law firm, she saw how one day of busywork had led to the next, how she'd gotten caught up in helping her aunt, then in all the side jobs to bring in money.

She'd been memorializing the most important moments of other people's lives, but she hadn't been living her own life.

But yesterday, that had changed. Going into that cave had freed her from all the restrictions she'd placed on herself, and she was never going to be the same woman she was.

And she had Grayson to thank for giving her the impetus to change things up, to have a thrilling adventure, to push herself in a way she never had before.

It was an experience she would never forget.

Nor would she forget the kisses they'd shared.

Because she had a feeling that wasn't going to happen again.

Grayson hadn't talked to her since they'd gotten back yesterday morning, and she'd seen him slip up to his apartment last night without coming over to say hello, which meant he hadn't wanted to talk to her, which was a little disappointing.

While she might normally respect his desire for space, she couldn't let him have too much space, because she still had to stop him from selling.

She had to keep trying to bring him into the group, even if he didn't really want to.

She might need some help to do that. And as she walked out of her apartment around four, she found just the people she was looking for.

Emmalyn and Hunter were sitting at the pool as Olivia and Henry swam nearby. She sat down on the lounger next to Emmalyn. "Are you two babysitting?"

"Yes," Emmalyn replied. "Paige and Bree are getting their nails done. They needed some no-kid time, and neither one of them can join us for girls' night at Maverick's tonight, so I thought this would be fun for them."

"That's nice of you." Emmalyn was one of the kindest women she'd ever met.

"Are you coming tonight?" Emmalyn asked.

"Definitely," she said. "I could use some girl time."

"Isn't it always girls' time?" Hunter drawled. "You two were out here with Kaia last night until almost eleven."

"Did you miss me?" Emmalyn asked Hunter with a sexy smile.

"I always miss you," he said with a laugh. "You know that."

As they exchanged a warm look of love, Lexie cleared her throat. "I need a favor, Hunter."

He gave her a wary look, but there was a softness to his gaze that had grown in the months since he'd met Emmalyn, since he'd left the military and joined a local search and rescue team. He wasn't nearly as intimidating as he'd once been.

"What do you need?" he asked.

"I'd love for you to bring Grayson down to the bar tonight."

"Isn't it women only?"

"Just for the first hour or so while we catch up, but you guys always show up later, so let's just admit that was going to happen."

"I barely know the guy," Hunter protested. "I've said like two sentences to him."

"Exactly. He needs to get to know you. Liam is working a shift tonight while Tyler is out of town.

So, Liam and Brad will be at the bar whenever you come, and Madison and Gabe are supposed to show up around eight thirty after they get through dinner service.

Let's show Grayson how fun we are in a neutral non-Ocean Shores location. "

"I don't see the point," Hunter said.

"The better Grayson knows us, the more personally invested he'll be in our lives, and how they'll change if he sells the building. It's like naming the lobster in the tank before you cook it. Once you've named it, it's much harder to kill."

"So, we're lobsters now?" Hunter said with a laugh.

"For this scenario, yes. That's exactly what we are."

"Maybe you can use Frank, Hunter," Emmalyn said. "He and Grayson have been working on the car today. Why don't you go out to the parking lot and ask them if they want to have a drink with you tonight."

"Great idea," she said to Emmalyn.

"I think so," Emmalyn agreed, with a smile.

Hunter rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll talk to them, and you two can watch the kids until Bree and Paige get back."

"Deal," she said as Hunter got up, threw on his T-shirt, and walked out to the parking lot.

"I can watch the kids," Emmalyn said, "if you have other things to do."

"I have some emails to answer, but I can sit for a bit."

"Did you finish developing your photos? I want to see the prints. The digital ones you showed us last night looked amazing. I told Hunter we should check out the caves one day. He said he's game."

That wasn't surprising. Hunter had flown helicopters into war zones.

He had a high tolerance for risk. "Just make sure you watch the tides carefully when you go.

I thought we had way more time than we did.

If Grayson hadn't kept his eyes on his watch, we might have had a more harrowing escape. The water came in very fast."

Emmalyn shivered. "Maybe I don't want to go."

"You just have to be careful and smart about it. I got distracted taking my photos. If I'd just been exploring, I wouldn't have stayed inside nearly as long." She paused. "Did I tell you I found a locket in the cave?"

"No, that's exciting. I wonder how long it was there."

"More than thirty years," she said. "It turns out it belonged to Josie. She lost it a long time ago and had no idea it had fallen off when she was exploring the caves."

"That's amazing," Emmalyn said with wonder in her eyes. "And you brought it back to her. There's something about the symmetry of that…" Her voice trailed off. "It feels a little magical. What else did she say about the locket?"

"Not much. But she had a sad and secretive smile on her face. There's definitely a story there."

"I bet it's a good one."

"Maybe someday Josie will tell us," she said.

"She probably will. Have you talked to Grayson since your adventure to the caves?"

"No. That's why I need Hunter to get him down to the bar, so the rest of you can charm him."

"Do you really think we can change his mind?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But until the decision is made, I won't stop trying."

"Then I'll make sure Hunter does his part, and if tonight doesn't work out, we'll try something else tomorrow and the next day. I love this place, too. It's where I found myself and the love of my life."

"Both are equally important," she said, her gaze drifting toward the entrance. "Maybe it's a good thing Hunter hasn't come back yet. Hopefully, he's talking to Frank and Grayson."

"I'm sure he is, and he also knows a thing or two about engines, so I have a feeling he might have jumped in to help," Emmalyn said. "But I'm fine here, so do what you need to, and I'll meet you at six to walk to Maverick's."

"Perfect."

As she returned to her apartment, she really hoped Hunter could convince Grayson to join them at the bar, solely because they needed to keep putting pressure on him, and not because she hadn't talked to him since yesterday morning and couldn't stop thinking about him.

At least, that was her story, and she was sticking to it.

By eight that night, Lexie was getting restless.

While she was enjoying her time with her friends, there was no sign of Hunter or Grayson, and she was beginning to think they might not show up.

Drumming her fingers on the table while Emmalyn was relating a funny story from her kindergarten class, she glanced around the bar, wondering if Grayson would even enjoy Maverick's.

It probably wasn't his kind of bar. He was a sophisticated man, and Maverick's was anything but sophisticated.

Old surfboards hung from the wooden-beamed ceiling, and black-and-white photos of legendary surfers covered the walls.

The weathered floors had been worn smooth by years of sandy feet and dancing, and the salty sea air mingled with the scent of beer and grilled burgers wafting from the kitchen.

Maverick's wasn't fancy, but it had soul—a perfect reflection of their coastal community.

"Hello?" Kaia's sharp voice pierced through her reverie, and she started, realizing that Kaia, Ava, Serena, and Emmalyn were looking at her with curiosity and a little concern. "Where did you go, Lexie?" Kaia asked.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about something else."

"Or someone else?" Kaia asked with a knowing gleam in her eyes.

"He'll be here," Emmalyn said. "Hunter told me he agreed to come."

"Who's he? Who's coming?" Ava asked in confusion.

"Grayson," she replied. "I asked Hunter to bring him down so he could get to know the guys and hang out at the bar with Brad and Liam."

"Are you sure you want him here to talk to the guys?" Kaia asked, her gaze pointed.

She shook her head. "Stop trying to make something out of nothing, Kaia.

" While she hadn't told anyone about kissing Grayson, they did know he'd gone to the caves with her, and there had been more than a few suggestions and teasing questions about just how far she was willing to go to save the apartment building.

"Okay, I'll stop teasing you," Kaia said. "I know you're doing this for all of us, so we are grateful."

"I offered to go over the report I had you send him months ago," Ava put in. "He was very polite and completely uninterested."

"I don't think numbers will sway him," she said. "But since I've gotten to know him a little, I feel like there's more to him than just the ruthless businessman who is only thinking about the bottom line." She let out a sigh. "Or maybe that's just what I want to think because time is running out."

"We still have a few weeks," Emmalyn said, giving her a sympathetic look. "Do you want me to text Hunter?"