Amelia didn’t pull away or try to move out of Grigg’s hold. She continued to sway with the music, and he swayed with her.

  Teens bumped into them multiple times, laughing, dancing, not caring who they touched. Grigg tightened his hold on Amelia, and she leaned back until she was securely in his arms.

  Her scent was soft and sweet, reminding him of strawberries. The music, the dim lighting, and the feel of her in his arms was an ambrosia.

  “Put me on your list,” he whispered in her ear.

  He didn’t think she’d heard him, because she didn’t respond. She merely kept dancing, and he kept swaying with her. When the final song was over and the band started an encore, he said, “Do you want to beat the crowds out of here?”

  She turned then, her body still pressed against his. “They always do two encores.”

  “So you want to stay?”

  She nodded.

  “All right.” This wasn’t so bad, he told himself as she turned and leaned against him again.

  He slipped his arms around her waist, and she didn’t seem to mind. She was right. There was a second encore, and no one left the stadium. Not even after the band left and the regular lights came on. Everyone was still calling out for a third encore.

  “This is crazy,” Grigg said.

  “Let’s go,” she said suddenly, drawing away from him. The absence of her body against his felt like someone had doused him with cold water. She snatched his hand and drew him out of their section. The stadium aisles were starting to fill up, and the going was slow.

  The crowd was still chanting for the band to return, and Grigg had to admire their fortitude. The stairway had become so crowded that it was impossible to go up or down.

  “Here,” Grigg said, “I’ll go in front of you and pave the way.”

  He barely heard Amelia’s reply, but it seemed to be in the affirmative. So he pushed his way through the crowd, bringing Amelia with him. They’d finally reached the main level of the stadium when the crowd erupted into a deafening roar. Grigg snapped his head around. The band had returned for a third encore.

  Amelia grasped his arm. “They’re back!”

  They stopped where they were and watched. Everything was in place—the music, the lights, the special effects—and Grigg had no doubt this had been planned. And the fans were eating it up.

  Amelia kept her grasp on his arm, and when others jostled against them, he wrapped his arm about her shoulder so they wouldn’t get separated. She slipped both arms about his waist, and Grigg didn’t mind at all, even if it was just to hold on.

  Amelia was walking on hot coals, not just because her feet ached but because her pulse wouldn’t stop racing. And it wasn’t because of the amazing concert she and Grigg had just watched.

  They’d touched a lot tonight: they’d held hands and leaned into each other, and his arms had been around her waist during the last part of the concert. She’d felt both exhilarated and nervous, yet she hadn’t pulled away from him.

  Now they walked toward the parking lot where both of them had left their cars. Amelia folded her arms against the chill of the night, and Grigg walked with his hands in his pockets. The silence between them was like a breathing thing after the loud noise of the concert. All night he’d been dropping hints about being on her list. He’d gone so far as to ask to be put on her list, and she’d pretended not to hear him. But she knew she wasn’t fooling him. He knew she’d heard.

  “Where are you parked?” Grigg asked.

  “Third row,” she said. “You don’t need to walk me there. Tons of people are around, you know.”

  He cast her a sideways glance that said she must be kidding.

  So they kept walking. She didn’t need to point out her car once they reached the third row, since the bright-red color gleamed beneath the parking lot lights.

  With every step that brought her closer to her car, she felt like time was slipping through her fingers, time in which she needed to explain herself to Grigg. In more than one subtle way, he’d let her know he was interested. In her.

  She still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. His dating stories had never led her to believe she was his type anyway. He always went out with women who were outdoorsy or hipster-ish. And if she and Grigg dated, then . . . well, it would change everything.

  When they reached her car, she pulled out her key fob, then turned to face him at last. “Look, Grigg, I don’t know exactly how to say this, but—”

  He stepped close to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. His dark eyes bore into hers, more serious than she’d ever seen them. “Then don’t say it, Mills,” he said in a quiet voice. “Until you know what you really want to say, don’t say anything.”

  She bit the edge of her lip. “That’s not fair.”

  He scanned her face, and it was like she felt the heat of his gaze all the way to her stomach. Who was this man, and what had he done with her easygoing business partner?

  “I think it’s absolutely fair,” he said. “I might be preventing you from making a huge mistake.”

  She wanted to ask him what he meant, exactly, but his thumb brushed the top of her shoulder. Against her bare skin, his fingers were simply warm, but below her skin, she was heating up. Her pulse was acting like she’d sprinted to the car instead of leisurely strolling.

  “Grigg, I think—” This time she cut herself off. His fingers were totally distracting her. She should move his hand. Or tell him to do it. But she did neither.

  “What do you think, babe?”

  Her breath caught. “I think you shouldn’t be calling me babe. I’m your business partner.”

  He blinked as if he’d been in some sort of fog. “You’re right. I’ll stop calling you babe if you add me to your list.”

  She stared at him. Had he really said that? Grigg Edison? Slowly, she released her breath.

  “You don’t have to answer now,” he said, that hand still on her shoulder, making her legs feel like water. “Think about it. Take your time.”

  “Grigg . . .” Her voice trailed off, because in his eyes she saw desire. And she was pretty sure he saw the same thing in her eyes. And it was true, she realized. Right now, right here, she desired Grigg Edison. Tomorrow morning she’d regret everything about tonight, but right now, she wanted to pull him close. Breathe him in. Find out what it was like to kiss him.

  Instead, she reached for his hand and firmly removed it from her shoulder.

  He merely nodded, then stepped away. Sliding his hands in his pockets, he said, “Good night, Amelia. Thanks for the invite.”

  Her words had all fled, and she didn’t know when they’d return.

  She said nothing as she watched him walk away. When he disappeared in a crowd of concertgoers looking for their cars, Amelia finally slid into the driver’s seat of her car. But she didn’t pull out and get into the long line of traffic exiting the parking lot. Instead, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Grigg wanted to be on her list. And she was almost positive that if she had allowed it, he would have taken things to the next level tonight. Maybe asked her out? Maybe kissed her?

  She didn’t know, but now that the topic had been opened between them, she knew they could never go back to what they were before. Which made her sad, because she knew she couldn’t date Grigg. They were co-workers, and what would happen if things went south?

  Their work environment would be more than strained. Although . . . how would it be now? Amelia blew out a breath of frustration, knowing that this would be a long weekend, waiting for Monday morning to see how everything was going to play out between them.

  She should call him right now and tell him no way. Then be done with it.

  But a small part of her didn’t want to turn him down so harshly and directly. So what did that mean? That she was interested?

  In cases like this, she’d usually call a friend and get advice, but Grigg was her friend.

  It wasn’t like she could call her mom—a woman who’d been married multiple times—besides, they rarely talked.

  She couldn’t call Sofia, her oldest half sister, because they’d never been close like that. Maybe Lauren . . . they weren’t that close either, but she was the type Grigg usually went after, so maybe she’d know his type. If that made sense.

  Good thing California time was behind Denver, so while still sitting in the parking lot, Amelia called Lauren.

  She answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, Lauren,” Amelia said.

  “Is everything okay?” Lauren asked immediately.

  Did Amelia mention that they weren’t all that close, which meant they usually only spoke for emergencies?

  “Everything’s fine,” Amelia said. “I hope it’s not too late to call you.”

  “I seem to be heading into an all-night painting binge.”

  Lauren was an artist gaining some renown, and Amelia had one of her paintings hanging in her house.

  “Well, this should only take a minute,” Amelia said. She explained about the list she’d made, and Lauren laughed.

  “You’re so organized,” Lauren said. “A list? Why am I not surprised? How many have you checked off?”

  “Two so far,” Amelia said. “But that’s beside the point. Remember my business partner, Grigg Edison? He started with the firm a couple of years ago.”

  “Yeah, you’ve mentioned him.”

  “Did I also mention that he’s single and, uh, good-looking and charming and—” She cut herself off.

  Lauren gave a soft laugh. “You didn’t mention that, but I’m assuming you’ve hit a small snag.”

  “It’s bigger than small,” Amelia said with a sigh.

  “Send me a picture.”

  “What?” Amelia asked. This was the last thing she’d expected her sister to ask.

  “In fact,” Lauren said, “send me a picture of all the guys on your list, including Grigg. I’m a visual person, and I’ll be able to give you my feedback with more accuracy.”

  “Okay, hang on a minute.” Amelia browsed Facebook and Instagram, then sent screenshots of the three men left on her list. From her photo app, she found one of Grigg from their March Madness office party a few months ago.

  “Hmm,” Lauren said. “You definitely like men with dark hair.”

  Amelia scrolled through the pictures herself. Clint was the only blond, but he was off the list and not included in what she’d sent to Lauren.

  “I guess I have a type?”

  “Dark-haired, athletic type, it seems,” Lauren mused. “All right. I’ve already voted, but I should probably let you figure it out on your own.”

  “That’s not fair,” Amelia said. “I called you for advice, and now you refuse to give it?”

  Lauren chuckled. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re kind of a stubborn person, Millie, and if I tell you what I think, you might run the other way. Then you’ll go through a bunch of heartache when you realize the mistakes you’ve made.”

  “You’re really not going to tell me?” Amelia asked. “What if you give me feedback on each of them? General insights? Nothing too persuasive.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that either,” Lauren said, “because only one of these guys has the extra something.”

  When Amelia hung up with Lauren, who’d been no help at all, Amelia decided that she’d just proceed with her list. Put Grigg out of her mind, at least for the rest of the weekend, and on Monday she’d break the news to him.

  She headed out of the nearly empty parking lot, and when she got home, she might have spent an inordinate amount of time on social media, looking up each of the men on her list. As well as a few things about Grigg.

  He biked, apparently. How did she not know that?

  And he golfed. Well, that she knew. He’d gone golfing with clients before.

  His mom’s birthday had been last week.

  Amelia sighed and turned off her phone. She’d never get to sleep going down rabbit holes.

  By Saturday afternoon, Amelia had given up on being stoic. She had to talk to Grigg. Today. As usual, she’d gone to the office for a couple of hours, so the place was quiet, and she had no excuses not to call him.

  Besides, this would all be easier over the phone. But when she finally mustered up the determination to call him, his voicemail clicked on.

  Amelia hung up without leaving a message.

  Was his phone off? Or had he sent her call to voicemail? Now she couldn’t remember if it had rung or gone straight to voicemail. Would he see the missed call on his phone? Should she text him?

  Amelia rose from her desk and paced her office. Grigg wasn’t on her list, and he was already creating havoc.

  Just then, her phone rang, and her heart skipped a couple of beats. Grigg was calling her back, and this made her inordinately glad.

  She reached for her phone only to see it was Hayden.

  Pushing back the disappointment, she answered. “Hi,” she said in a perfectly normal voice. “How’s everything going?”

  “Fine, considering the circumstances,” Hayden said. “I had a few minutes to escape the chaos, so I thought I’d check in with you.”

  Amelia perched on the edge of her desk. “I should be checking in with you,” she said.

  Hayden chuckled. “You’re sweet. And I love that you’ve been thinking of me. Did you miss me last night?”

  It took Amelia a moment to process what he was saying. Oh, yes. The concert. Where she’d been decidedly not thinking about him. Grigg had made that quite impossible. “We’ll have to go to another concert soon,” she said, avoiding answering the question directly.

  “That would be amazing.” He lowered his voice. “I’m thinking of taking you hiking when I get back on Tuesday. Maybe a picnic? We could leave around four. The hike is only about two hours up, so we could be back down the trail by sunset.”

  “Tuesday?” Amelia asked, the panic setting in. She couldn’t leave work that early. Ever. She didn’t even need to check her schedule. Also, Hayden was a bit of a germaphobe. They’d gone hiking once when they’d been dating and he had brought along hand sanitizer, plus cleansing wipes. “Maybe we should save something like a hike for the weekend, when I have more time.”

  “Right . . .” Hayden gave a rather big sigh. “What should we do on Tuesday, then?”

  This, Amelia could work with. “I’ll be finished around six thirty, so we could meet for dinner and catch up.”

  Hayden agreed, then he proceeded to tell her about the dynamics of the family members who’d started to gather for the funeral. Amelia listened, but after about ten minutes of him talking, her attention began to stray. She really did want to get a few things caught up while she was at the office. Besides, she didn’t feel like she could really relax and enjoy talking to Hayden while she was so worried over Grigg and what was, or was not, happening there.

  “You should have seen her face,” Hayden was saying. “You’d think my aunt was about to kick everyone out. Uncle Johnny sure got a laugh . . .”

  Amelia wasn’t quite sure what Hayden was talking about, so she offered a light laugh. Before the conversation took another ten minutes, she said, “Look, I’ve got some things to finish up before it gets too late.”

  “Oh, like what?”

  Well, this took her off guard. “I’m working on a financial plan, then I hope to grocery shop today. You know, put some food in my fridge.”

  “Always working, Amelia,” Hayden mused. “I’m assuming you make a pretty good income. Maybe you can use one of those apps to deliver food. Then you’ll never have to shut down your laptop.”

  Amelia stilled. Had she just been insulted?

  Then Hayden laughed. “Kidding. You’re the best. You know that? Can’t wait to see you Tuesday.”

  After hanging up with him, she pulled up Facebook on her phone and typed in Peter’s name. His most recent picture, posted a couple of hours ago, showed him cozy with another woman. And it wasn’t his sister. Hmm . . . Now she wasn’t too sure if she wanted another repeat of her phone call with Bryce.

  So she browsed onto Jack’s page. He looked the same. Shaggy, brown hair, blue eyes, a lazy grin. Trust fund guy who was rather brilliant at the same time. Maybe she’d send him a note on Messenger.

  Grigg weighed the pros and cons of calling Amelia back this weekend as he strapped his bike helmet on after a short break. Two of his buddies had already gone ahead, taking the trail that wound down the mountain side.

  When he did a quick check of his phone, he discovered a missed call from Amelia. She hadn’t left a message, and she hadn’t texted. This pretty much told him she was calling him to answer his question about being put on her list.

  So did Grigg want to be turned down today? Or wait until Monday?

  Whatever happened, he’d changed his mind. He didn’t want to be added to her list. No, he wanted her to rip it up and throw it away. Or burn it. Either would suffice. He didn’t want to be a name to be checked off.

  He needed a new strategy.

  He wouldn’t call her back, because that was what the old Grigg would do. The Grigg whom Amelia was indecisive about. He needed to show her he was serious about them. And that whatever yahoos she was planning on dating next should be given some competition.

  It wasn’t something he’d be discussing with his friends, though; he’d talked about Amelia plenty, and they’d never let him live down his crush on her. He took a final swig from his water bottle, then hopped onto his mountain bike. Heading down the trail, he appreciated the early fall day and the chance to enjoy the outdoors. It always seemed to clear his head and center his thoughts.

  Which, of course, circled back to Amelia.

  “Hey slowpoke,” Jay called out as Grigg rounded the final bend of the trail that bottomed into the parking lot. “We were about to leave you a note to find your own way back. What were you doing up there?”

  Grigg scoffed. He’d been ten minutes behind Jay and Spencer, max.

  “Sorry for the inconvenience,” he chimed. He made quick work of breaking down his bike and loading it into the back of the SUV he’d driven. Then he settled into the driver’s seat and turned the AC on full blast.

 

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