tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

005. INTERVIEWS

"I've had a chance to read the will in full." I looked at Alisa. Since when was that a version of hello?

"I brought a copy for you. I suggest we retire to your rooms and go over the details."

"You can't be serious," I told Alisa. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Our rooms?" I said. I looked to the side of us. The doormen were wearing tuxedos. There were six chandeliers in the lobby. Nearby, a woman was playing a piano, and women in spiffy ballgowns lined the floors.

"We can't afford rooms here."

Alisa smiled at me pityingly. "Oh, honey," she said. "You own this hotel."

I... what? I could not possibly own this hotel.

Sensing my shock, she waved her arm at me, telling me to follow her. "Come, Leah, let's take a walk." She didn't really give me a choice.

"So, Leah. Tobias Hawthorne had put only one condition on your inheritance, which is to live in Hawthorne House for one year, commencing no more than three days from now." Alisa had made that point at least twice already, but I couldn't get my brain to accept it.

"And, now that you are technically world famous, it's best you do an interview. I think it'll be good for you to do an interview. It may calm the press down a bit," and she paused momentarily to look me straight in the eyes.

"I have to do an interview? With a Hawthorne?" I groaned. This was going to be a hell of a long day.

"Yes. With one brother.  Everyone in the world right now, Leah, thinks your a spoiled brat who got lucky. So, we need to change that. Perhaps showing that you're fitting in well with the family will do you some good."

I raised an eyebrow. "Xander?"

She smiled momentarily, and I watched her carefully. Seeing her perfectly plump lips, clean face, shining hair, it was then realized how pretty she actually was. If she wasn't slumming down on work, and perhaps enjoying more of a lively life, she'd definitely have a boyfriend by now.

"You have a thing for him?" she said, arching an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes.

"God, no. He's just been..." I paused, unsure how to put it in a way that didn't seem obliviously rude, "the nicest to me out of all of them," I said. She smiled understandingly.

"That sounds like Xander."

"So, can I?" I asked intently. The smile dropped from her lips.

"I'm afraid, not. Xander is still in school and does not have good training on interviews. I'm sure you heard...he practically blew himself up yesterday. And if he were to talk, you wouldn't get a chance to speak. Xander just babbles on, and on, and on."

I snorted at her.

"Okay...Jameson? He's good."

She shook her head yet again.

"No, Leah. Me and Oren have already decided that you are doing this with Grayson. In fact, it would be perfect. Yes. He's mature, poised, smart, and most of all, the world bows down to him, unlike the other three. Grayson it is," she said with a smile.

A fake smile crossed my lips.

"Okay..." I said, groaning inside and out. I couldn't work with that asshole for another 5 minutes before wanting to rip his throat out.

"You have a thing for any one of them?" Alisa said with another smile.

"Ugh, Alisa—" I said.

She raised a finger and I paused.