Ransom Drysdale - State of Grace ✔️

Chapter 3

"It's almost ten. I'm going to kill him."

Walt sighed, "calm down Grace, you know how he is. Have you tried calling him?"

Grace stood up from her desk on Monday morning, "of course I have." She grabbed her purse, "can you hold down the fort while I go to his apartment?"

Walt nodded, "of course."

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Ransom groaned, pulling the pillow off his head as he heard the urgent knocking from his living room. "Okay!" He grunted as he planted his feet firmly on the ground, plodding into the living room to answer the door. He rolled his eyes when he saw Grace standing in front of him, "what do you want?" He left the door open to go into the kitchen.

"What do I want?" She slammed the door behind her, entering the apartment. "It is Monday morning. You were supposed to be at the office more than two hours ago Ransom!" She crossed her arms in front of her chest as she watched him lean down into his fridge, noticing for the first time he was only wearing boxers. The last time she had seen him in so little clothes, they were both teenagers. She couldn't help but notice how much he had filled out as she felt her face turn red.

He grabbed water, standing back up, smirking at her as he leaned against the counter. "You were serious? You said you wouldn't keep my inheritance from me."

She watched the smug look on his face as he drank his water, his eyes bloodshot. "Are you hung over?"

He shrugged, "I'm always hungover."

"Argh! Hugh Ransom Drysdale!" She approached him, pushing him in the chest, "go get dressed right now! You are coming to the office with me."

He set his bottle down, "no. I'm not." He pushed past her to his bedroom, laying back in bed.

She watched him before grabbing his water bottle. She went into this room, pouring the water bottle on him in the bed.

"What the fuck Gracey!"

She squealed as he gripped her, pulling her onto the bed with him, quickly pinning her underneath him. "Let me go Ransom!"

He smirked, running his fingers through her hair, "you never complained before."

"Are you ever going to grow up?" She sighed, lowering her voice, "please get off of me Ransom."

He shook his head, bringing his hand to her cheek, running his thumb along her cheekbone, "why did you kiss me? I kissed you at the wake and you kissed me back Grace."

Grace groaned, "Ransom, please."

"I'll let you up as soon as you tell me Gracey."

She sighed, "I don't know."

He shook his head, "yes you do." He leaned down, hovering his mouth over hers, hearing her breath hitch as he did.

Grace's voice was quiet, almost a whisper, "I'm not doing this with you Ransom."

Ransom nodded, "right." He heard her whimper softly as he pressed his lips to hers and she brought her hand up to his hair. He pulled away, smiling, "I've missed those sounds."

She groaned, "will you get off me now please?" Ransom sighed, moving so she could get up. She went into his closet, pulling out slacks, a button up shirt, a belt and a tie. She tossed them on the bed next to him, "get dressed." She left his room, slamming the door behind her. She sighed, looking around his apartment. She started nosing through his desk, finding a few book manuscripts. She flipped through the one on top, seeing it mostly finished. She hesitated, but shoved it in her purse to read later.

Ransom came out of the bedroom, tucking in his shirt. He put his arms up, "better?"

Grace nodded, smiling, seeing him in shoes, with his tie hanging loosely around his neck. She approached him, buttoning the top button as she began to tie his tie for him. "Can you please stop kissing me?"

He smirked, "you seem to like it."

"Well, we aren't teenagers anymore Ransom. And I'm engaged. Our ship has sailed, you saw to that a long time ago."

Ransom groaned, fixing his collar, "that was a long time ago. Can't we start over? I'm not the same person."

She scoffed, "yes you are. You're exactly the same Ransom. I'm sorry but you've never grown up. Let's go."

He sighed, "you still never told me why you kissed me at the wake."

She shrugged, "it was only a small one. I was trying to comfort you. I knew you were upset."

He nodded, "right. Well, let's go Grace."

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Ransom stood in the doorway of Harlan's office. "You want me to have his office?"

Grace and Walt nodded, "yeah. Of course Ransom. It's what your grandfather would have wanted."

Ransom stood in his spot, "and why can't Walt do this?"

Grace sighed, "for one, your grandfather wanted you to do. And second, Walt wants to retire. So," she grabbed Ransom's hand, leading him to the seat of the desk, pushing him to sit. "Walt is going to go over the day to day with you. I'll be in my office next door."

Ransom back stood up, "wait, what are you doing?"

She scoffed, "I have my own stuff to do Ransom. I run all the publishing and editing. We publish books besides just your grandfather's now. You have any idea how many manuscripts I have sitting on my desk?"

"Okay! Fuck."

She watched him sit back at the desk before leaving his office for her own. She pulled out the manuscript she took from his apartment and added it to the already growing pile on her desk.