Page 50 of Hearts Like Hers

“Looking forward to it. What can I bring?”

Yourawesomely thick dark hair. Your kind heart. The lips I’d go to battle for.“Just you.”

“I can do that.”

Autumn headed off across the courtyard,keenly aware of her heated face.

“Hey, Autumn?” Kate called from behind her.

“Yep?”

“That kiss. Out of line or not, it wasreally…memorable.”

She sighed dreamily in her head. “That itwas, Kate.”

Chapter Ten

What the hell was she supposed to wear to a picnicon the beach?

Kate stared in frustration at the neatlyfolded clothes in the dresser of her rental. It wasn’t even so much that shedidn’t know what to wear that had her off-kilter, it was how much she cared.Fashion had never been on her radar, and what clothes she put on her body wasgenerally an afterthought at most.

But here she sat, caring very much about herbeach outfit and what Autumn would think of it. How annoying was that and whowas she, exactly? She grumbled her way through the stupid selection of cutoffshorts and a white sleeveless top. Casual and beachy, she decided, glancingover her shoulder at the mirror. Right? Weren’t cutoffs beachy? Did Googleknow?

She took a seat and waited for six thirty,watching the seconds crawl by and wondering about the shift in hervulnerability. When she’d first met Autumn, they’d clicked instantly.Everything was easy in the most refreshing sense. But as time went on, shenoticed herself looking forward to each moment they got to spend together moreand more. She resisted the urge to pop into Pajamas five times a day just tosay hi, and now she was stressing about heroutfit,of all things. There was only one answer.

The stakes had been raised.

Autumn was beginning to matter to Kate, andwith that shift came things like wearing the right damn outfit for sitting inthe sand and eating food. She sighed, wondering if she should cancel tonightbefore she got herself in any deeper or just steer into the skid at this point,knowing she was virtually powerless.

A few minutes later, when she stoodface-to-face with Autumn in a blue and white sundress that fell just above theknee, she understood that the choice had been made for her. Kate smiled. “Let’sgo to the beach.”

The early evening held tight to the warmth ofthe afternoon, sheltering them with a comfortable seventy-six degrees and acool breeze off the Pacific. Autumn drove them down the beach to a spot sheknew. The stretch of sand was quiet. Seagulls called overhead, and the softsounds of the waves rolling in made for a serene soundtrack.

“It’s nice out here,” Kate said, shieldingher eyes from the sun and looking down the beach. “Where is everybody?”

“About a mile that way,” Autumn told her,pointing. “That’s where all the action is. Only locals hang out here, and mosthave headed home after a day of surfing or are grabbing something to eat beforeheading back for the last few moments of daylight. Speaking of eating…” Autumnheld the wicker picnic basket in the air.

“Let me do that,” Kate said, taking thebasket. She then fluffed the blanket she’d carried over from Autumn’s car untilthey had a large square spot to sit. With the breeze gently rustling her hair,Autumn took a seat on the blanket and began unpacking their dinner. “Roastedchicken, smoked zucchini, new potatoes, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.The strawberries are fresh from this cute little town up the coast. I’ll haveto take you there one day.”

“You made all this?” Kate asked in surprise.

“Not even close,” Autumn said. “I worked allday. But I know all the best take-out spots. It’s my superpower.”

“Equally impressive,” Kate said, acceptingthe plate Autumn assembled for her.

“I hope I get to make dinner for you myselfsomeday, though. It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me.”

“I haven’t done anything,” Kate said, movingthe very attractive food around on her plate.

“You have, but I know you well enough that Iexpected you to say as much. You’re a downplayer. If you won Wimbledon, you’dsay it was an easy year.”

Kate chuckled. “Trust me, if I won Wimbledon,it was an easy year. I’ve never picked up a racquet.”

“See? Are you arrogant about anything? Isthere one thing you know you’re good at and will admit to freely?”

Kate inclined her head and met Autumn’s gaze.“I have impressive taste in women.”

Autumn opened her mouth and closed it, notsure what to say. “You’re smooth.”

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