Behind those icy blue eyes

Chapter 53 Tables turned

Grayson.

1 week earlier .

Grayson awoke to sunlight streaming in from his bedroom windows. Groaning, he rolled over to find a warm, snuggly dog lying beside him. Tiramisu Pennini Hawthorne. Interesting name for the labradoodle, but Xander had insisted. What Xander had not counted on was that the dog preferred Grayson out of everyone else. Including Nash: the person who had rescued her.

Stroking her soft ears, he allowed himself to lay there a few extra moments before getting up for the day. 

"I know girl." He said softly as Tiramisu whined in protest as he got up. "I don't want to get up either."

As he pulled the 30,000-dollar jacket over his broad shoulders, he couldn't help but be reminded that it was a Saturday. For most people Saturdays was the day that you finished work for the week, and you relaxed or did something fun. 

For Grayson and his brothers? Well, for most of his life Saturday was the day they played the old man's annual game. Competitions, fights, victories, and losses surely did occur. 

Part him longed for those days, even though he had failed many times. His grandfather's games were the one time it showed him and his brothers their strengths, and how talented they really were. For once, the old man actually tried to bring out the best in them.

It was 7:30 A.M. yet Grayson felt like he could have used another 12 hours of sleep. He and his brothers all suffered from insomnia. But especially him and Jameson. 

Combing back his thick, straight, pale blonde hair he stared at himself in the mirror. His sharp jawline was even more so then usual, giving him a gaunt look. Icy blue eyes were dull, lacking the intenseness they possessed.

His stomach growled in hunger as he finished getting ready for the day. Reaching the massive dinning room within minutes he noticed no one was around except Nan.

"Good morning Nan." 

His old, cranky yet adoring great grandmother looked up. "What are you doing up so early?" she barked. "It's Saturday." That was as close as good morning from Nan as you were going to get.

"Couldn't sleep." he replied as he helped himself to some buttered toast, strawberries, and eggs. Along with a cup of hot black coffee. He sat down across from Nan.

"You look done in boy." Her voice softened ever so slightly. "Are you sleeping alright?"

"I'm fine." He was used to saying I'm fine as a mechanism for closing of his emotions it was now automatic. He didn't have to think twice.

But Nan saw through him like she always did. She didn't argue with him because even Nan knew that was a waste of time. All she said was "Make sure to eat all your breakfast. You need to keep your strength." She gave a very unusual smile to him.

He gave a tight lipped smile back.

For the rest of breakfast neither said anything else. Nan absorbed herself in the newspaper and Grayson in his thoughts.

It was 8:30 by the time he finished breakfast. Xander had joined them by this point. But everyone else was still absent.

Quietly excusing himself he retreated back to his room. He found himself in his office. Piles of paperwork stared back at him, glaringly reminding him of the work he had. 

"Don't look at me like that." He said. "I'll get to you later. Today is my day off." Was he talking to a non-talking object? Yes, yes he was. Did he feel like an idiot for that? Yup. But no one was here to see him.

He crashed in the overstuffed armchair near the fireplace. Reading a book at 9 A.M was not the most productive thing Grayson Hawthorne should have been doing. But for once he didn't care. 

It was almost 11 when his eyes drifted over to the mantlepiece clock. "Wow!" he thought. "I guess I was into my book." Grayson loved anything mystery and especially by his favorite author James Patterson. Every new book he owned was personally signed by the famous author. He also got them delivered before the release date.

Stretching, he walked over to the desk. The pile seemed to have grown bigger in the last 2 hours even though Grayson knew it hadn't.

"Alright, you win." He sighed as he grabbed the first folder on the huge pile. "1 hour. That's it."

But as fate usually had it, the first folder he choose just happened to be the one that had information he needed that he didn't have at home. No, it was at his other office at the Hawthorne Foundation. 

Part of him contemplated waiting till Monday and working on something else. But as looked out the window he realized how beautiful outside was. A perfect day for a quick drive. Slipping his gray suit jacket on, he grabbed his keys for his shiny black work car.

"No one will notice I'm gone." he thought. "I'll be back in no time."

Oh, how wrong was he then! 

Fate had other ideas.

GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it. I finally published a chapter!!! It's been so long and I can't apologize enough. My life is incredibly busy and no one really seemed interested in this story. But I've gotten some positive feedback in the last month so I decided to try and work on it again.

Thank you so so much for all the love, comments, likes, and support this story has gotten. It means the world to me.