Ransom Drysdale - State of Grace ✔️

Chapter 6

Grace sat down as she watched Tyler sit next to her, "thanks for suggesting we go out. It has been a long week dealing with Ransom." Tyler only nodded as he turned to the waitress that approached them, ordering wine. Grace leaned towards him, running her thumb along a red spot on his neck, "what is that?"

He turned back to her, running a napkin on his neck, "must be jelly from a donut I had earlier."

She nodded, "on your neck?"

He shrugged, "I must have had some on my hand. It isn't a big deal Grace."

She scoffed, "right." She leaned back in her seat as the waitress appeared with wine. She saw Tyler watching her, "so why did you want to come out tonight?"

He shook his head, "we haven't had much time alone."

Grace sighed, "that's because you're always out of town Tyler. I'm always here."

He scoffed, "you're always here with Ransom."

She laughed, "the last two weeks is the most I've interacted with him in the last almost ten years. So don't give me that. I'm working on trying to get the business situated while also trying to work with Ransom and deal with you being out of town all the time."

He rolled his eyes, "I'm sure you work Ransom real good."

"What are you even talking about?!"

He sighed, "oh come on. Let's not pretend you're not sleeping with Ransom."

She laughed, "you can't be serious. I haven't slept with Ransom since I was 19, home on spring break. I'm not the one to disappear out of town all the time, coming in here with lipstick on my neck."

"It isn't lipstick! I told you already. If you don't believe me, then that's on you. You're obviously only feeling guilty because of whatever's going on between you and Ransom. It's obvious from our introduction earlier he thinks he has some sort of ownership over you."

She sighed, shaking her head, "that's just who Ransom is. He's an asshole. Now what is even going on here? Look at me." She waited until he looked at her before continuing, "have you ever cheated on me when you were out of town?"

Tyler leaned towards her, placing his hand on her cheek, "of course I haven't. I wouldn't do that. Not after all this time together."

She nodded, "okay. Well for the record, I haven't slept with Ransom since I was 19."

Tyler smiled and nodded, "okay."

Grace watched him go back to looking at the menu, avoiding her gaze.

****************************************************************************

Grace sat at her desk on Monday morning just after 10, doing work when her office door swung open and Ransom stood in front of her. He slammed the manuscript on her desk.

"Nope. I can't do this Grace. I'm sorry."

She stood up from the desk, just barely grabbing his arm before he could leave her office. She shut the door in front of her, making him turn to look at her. She groaned, "you're fucking hungover. It's Monday Ransom!" She sighed as he looked at the ground, "what do you mean that you can't do it?"

He shook his head, nudging her away from the door, "I mean, I can't do this. The writer isn't who I am." He motioned to himself, "this is who I am. The fuck up. Just leave me alone Gracey."

"What?!" She watched him ignore her, leaving as quickly as he appeared, slamming the door behind him. She sighed, sitting at her desk, flipping through the manuscript that he didn't bother fixing.

*****************************************************************************

Grace sat at the bar, drinking when she heard someone come up behind her.

"Grace!"

She turned to see Ransom's cousin Meg with some of her friends from college, "oh. Hey Meg."

Meg smiled, "are you okay? You look awful."

Grace sighed, "yeah, well. Ransom."

Meg nodded, "right." She searched in her purse, pulling out something and handing it to Grace discreetly, "this might help."

Grace smiled, "yes! Thanks Meg. You're the best."

Meg laughed and nodded, "just don't do it in here."

Grace nodded, rolling her eyes before finishing the rest of her drink. She went outside, leaning against the side of the building, lighting up the joint Meg gave her. She pulled out her phone seeing it was getting later and should probably get home, but didn't want to. She pulled up Ransom's number, calling to hear it go straight to voicemail.

'You have a lot of nerve, throwing your manuscript back at me. You're throwing this entire opportunity in my face. In Harlan's face. He would be ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of you.'

She sighed, putting the phone back in her pocket before finishing the joint. She went back into the bar, sitting in a booth alone as she ordered another drink.

Meg saw Grace drinking again, sitting across from her, "I thought you went home?"

Grace shrugged, "I don't want to go home. Maybe I'll go back to the office." She sighed, "the only life I have now is work anyways. Thanks Meg."

Meg shrugged, not sure what she was thanking her for as she stood up and watched Grace stumble out of the bar. She called Ransom, leaving him a voicemail.

'Grace is drunk. And high. And going to the office. I don't know what you did, but you need to fix it.'

**********************************************************************

Ransom sat alone in the dark in Harlan's old office when he heard a ruckus at the front of the office. He opened the door to see Grace obviously drunk, going into her office and slamming the door. He groaned, following her to see her crying with her head on the desk. He sighed, turning on the light, making her look up at him.

"You! What are you doing here?!"

Ransom shook his head, grabbing her by the elbow, "come on. I'm taking you home."

She pulled her arm back, falling back into the chair, "no! I don't want to go home."

He grabbed her again, making her stand up, "fine. But you aren't staying here."

She felt him grip her waist, holding her close to him as he led her out of the office building to his car. She climbed into the passenger seat, grabbing his hand before he could walk away, "I love you Ransom, why don't you love you?"

Ransom paused for a moment before making her let go of his hand, shutting the door. He climbed into the driver's seat, "because I'm not worth it. Let's go."