Page 36 of Blame It on the Bikini (Ocean Shores #4)

His father smiled. "That is a good description. I don't want you to get me wrong. I did love your mother. We had a lot in common. We had shared goals. And we wanted the same things."

"But you didn’t have the magic with her that you felt with Josie." He paused. "Did you give Josie a locket?"

"I did. How did you know that?"

"Because Lexie and I found it in the cave, and Josie said she'd lost it a long time ago. You were there with her, weren't you? Did you and Josie scratch your initials into a heart on the wall of that cave, too?"

His father's gaze widened as he gave a nod. "Yes. We were in the cave and scratched our initials into the rocks. I can't believe they're still there."

"They are."

"Amazing." He let out a sigh. "When we got out of the cave, we stood on the rocks and watched the tide come in, and it felt like the water was erasing everything that had happened between us. Our time was up, literally and metaphorically. We kissed goodbye and I never saw her again."

"Did Mom know about Josie?"

"No. She never asked about my four weeks in Oceanside. Once I got back, she just pretended it had never happened, and so did I."

"How could you get married, knowing you cared about someone else?"

"Because Josie was right; she couldn't give me what I needed, and I knew that your mother and I were better suited."

"Were you?" he queried. "You've been separated for the last two decades, maybe not officially, but still…"

"Even if your mother and I weren't the perfect couple, I wouldn't have liked Josie's lifestyle. She wouldn't have been the right person for me, either, because I wanted a much bigger life than she did."

"That's true. I can't see you living at Ocean Shores."

"It would not have suited me, but it suited her, and I cared about her."

That actually made sense. "So you left the woman who filled you with passion for a woman whose ambitions matched your own. But you weren't all that happy with her, either. Why didn't you and Mom get divorced? Why stay together all these years?

"I've never wanted to marry anyone else, and your mother has never wanted a divorce. We live our lives in a way that you don't understand, but it works for us."

"I don't understand it. I wouldn't want to be married to someone I didn't passionately love. But if it works for you and Mom, I guess I have no right to judge."

"I know we didn't provide the best example for a happy marriage. And I probably haven't provided the best example for running a large company, because I've been selfish, single-minded, and ruthlessly ambitious for most of my life."

"Which is why I can't understand why you wanted me to get to know the people I'm going to evict."

"Because I see you turning out like me, and I don't want that for you, Grayson.

I can't tell you what to do. You have to live your own life, but I thought if I forced you to spend time in a place that had given me perspective, it might do the same for you.

" He paused. "You mentioned having had a few adventures while you were in Oceanside.

Was there a woman involved in those trips? "

"Yes. Josie's niece, Lexie. She used to be a lawyer, but she gave that up to become a photographer.

She's not as free-spirited as her aunt, but she has a creative passion that's inspiring.

She looks at the world differently than I do.

She's not about making money or having an important career.

She's about telling a story, putting a light on something that no one has ever noticed before. "

"Sounds like you care about her."

"I do, which is shocking because she has been the most vocal opponent of a possible building sale.

She and Josie are the center of that community.

And Lexie is a fighter. She is fiercely loyal to her friends, and she is stubborn as hell.

" He took a breath. "She will hate me forever if I sell the building.

She loves it so much. They all do. Everyone who lives there.

They welcomed me in even though I'm the enemy.

Part of that was to try to charm me, but for the most part, they were genuine in their interactions with me. "

"Which will make your decision more difficult."

"That's for sure."

"So, what's it going to be, Grayson?"

He gave his father a long look. "That property is worth millions to us. It could generate the most profit of anything we do this year."

"And if we don't sell, you'll make a lot of people very happy, one, in particular."

"Yes."

"It's not just about deciding whether or not you want to make this deal; it's about deciding who you want to be, what kind of life you want to lead. Go back to Ocean Shores, Grayson. Figure out what you really want. And then you'll know what to do."

By Wednesday afternoon, Lexie was convinced that Grayson wasn't coming back to Ocean Shores.

His car hadn't been seen in the lot, and his lights had been off since Saturday.

He'd texted her on Monday to tell her that he was in LA, dealing with business and meeting with his father, and that he'd be in touch soon.

That brief text had gotten her through Monday and Tuesday, but with no further word from him since then, her emotions had taken a dive, ranging from depression and sadness to irritation and anger.

She'd known that getting involved with him could lead her to this place, but she'd done it anyway.

She'd flown past all the red flags, every barrier he'd thrown up, because she'd liked him so much.

While it had started out as a fight for the building and for their community, it had turned into so much more.

But if it was over, it was over. And maybe it would be easier because her instincts were also telling her that he was drawing up the paperwork to sell the building and just didn't want to tell her that.

Josie still hadn't lost faith, which was the only thing that kept her going.

That and the contract she'd signed with New Frontiers magazine for a five-day trip to Morocco.

One day of travel each way, and three days to complete her assignment.

She'd be meeting up with a freelance writer while she was there and coordinating photos with him.

And she could hardly believe that she would be leaving next Monday.

Her life might not be moving forward with Grayson, but it was moving forward, and she owed him something for that. His challenging attitude had been the kick-in-the-butt she'd needed to get moving on her dreams.

As she made her way through the empty courtyard to her apartment after finishing another shoot, she wondered how many more weeks she'd be making this walk. Hopefully, there would be a grace period of several months before she had to move.

She'd barely set down her things when a knock came at her door.

She opened it, expecting to see her aunt, but it was Grayson, looking as handsome as ever, and her heart plummeted to her stomach.

Not knowing what he was thinking had been terrible, but judging by his guarded expression, she wasn't sure getting answers from him would be any better.

"I thought you'd gone," she said.

"I told you I had to take care of some things in Los Angeles."

"That's what you said Monday morning. That was a long time ago."

"I know. Can I come in?"

She hesitated, then stepped back, waving him into her apartment. She shut the door behind him, not offering him a seat or a drink or anything. "Whatever you have to say, just say it. Because your silence has been driving me crazy, and I have to know what you're planning to do."

"I'm sorry. It hasn't been an easy decision. I needed to go back to LA, to my life, to remind myself of what my reality was."

"Right. Your stay at Ocean Shores was just an obligation," she said shortly.

"That's certainly the way I looked at it when I first got here, but it turned into a lot more than that.

Getting to know Josie and the other tenants, and especially you, changed me in a way I never would have imagined.

And it wasn't just that I started to think about this building differently, I began to think about myself differently, too. "

Her heart was pounding against her chest. "Okay. But can you just tell me if you're selling or not? I can't stand the suspense another minute.

He gave her a long look, then said, "I'm not selling."

She couldn't hold back the tense breath she'd been holding. "You're serious? You're not selling? I didn't hear you wrong?"

"I'm not selling the building."

"I can't believe it. I was so sure you were going to make a different decision. What changed your mind?"

"You," he said, giving her a pointed look.

"Really?"

"How could I sell the thing you love the most?"

Her heart filled with emotion, and her eyes began to water. "Thank you. I know it probably wasn't the smartest business decision."

"It wasn't, but not all decisions should be about money. They should also be about people. And I like what you and Josie have built here. It's unique and special, and we could use more community and connection in the world, not less. I don't want to be the one to tear it down."

"I'm so glad, Grayson. I really thought this would go the other way."

"Like I said, it wasn't an easy decision because I've been focused on my career, my work, and nothing else since I graduated from college. Everything I have done has been to further those goals."

"I understand. Did you tell your father?"

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

A faint smile crossed his lips. "He was happy about it. But we didn't talk long because he had that 'I told you so' look in his eyes, and I didn't feel like hearing more about that."

She smiled back at him. "He said I told you so?"

"Basically. He sent me here to find myself, and he had a feeling that when I did that, I wouldn't want to sell. I hate to say he was right."

"But he was." She paused. "What happened with your other deal?"