The Inheritances Game (Jameson Hawthorne)

Reunion

Their night ended at three in the morning. "Ice-climbing, skywalk, speedboat, mopeds..." To Grayson's ears, Jameson sounded very satisfied with himself. "Not to mention clubbing." 

"I thought the medieval crypt was a nice touch," Xander added. 

Grayson arched a brow. "I suspect Nash could have gone without being duct-taped." The man of the hour took off his cowboy hat and leaned against the wall. "What happens in the tree house stays in the tree house," he reiterated, his quiet tone reminding Grayson that Avery, Libby, and Lina were asleep upstairs. 

A lump rose in Grayson's throat. "Congratulations," he told his brother. He meant it. Life was change. People were supposed to move forward, even if he could not. Jameson and Xander stumbled to bed, but Nash held Grayson back. 

When it was just the two of them, he placed something in Grayson's hand. The ring box. The one with their grandmother's black opal ring.

"Why don't you hold on to this? Nash said.

Grayson swallowed, the muscles in his throat tight. "Why me?" Jameson would have been the obvious choice, for obvious reasons. 

"Why not you, Gray?" Nash leaned forward, putting his gaze level with Grayson's. "Someday, with someone - why not you?"

The ring was still in its box on his nightstand when Grayson woke up hours later. Why not you? 

Grayson pushed himself out of bed and briskly tucked the box into a hidden compartment in his luggage. If Nash wanted the heirloom ring kept safe, he'd keep it safe. Protecting things that mattered was what Grayson Hawthorne did, even when he couldn't afford to let them matter too much. 

Out on the terrace, Avery was already up, helping herself to an impressive breakfast spread. "How was last night?" She handed him a cup of coffee-black, hot, and filled w almost overflowing. 

"Who told you?" Grayson asked. The mug warmed his hand. 

"Libby told me about the engagement and knowing the four of you it would be a long night." Avery murmured, 

Grayson studied her, the way he wouldn't have allowed himself to months earlier. "How long do you want to stay?"

"You have a place you want to be don't you?" Avery asked tilting her head a bit as her hair fell into her face. 

He studied her for a minute, "Phoenix, I can bring you to the house or you could go with Libby or-

"Or I could go with you." She said quietly, leaving no room for refusal she asked, "How are you Gray?" 

"I'm fine." The response was semi-truthful. I was fine but was fine really the right word for my troubling state. I couldn't stop there with her, "and for the record, if Xander shows you a 'book' he's been writing, you will destroy it, or there will be consequences."

"Consequences!" Xander jackrabbited onto the terrace, wriggled between them, and snagged a chocolate croissant. "My favorite!"

"Who among us doesn't love the taste of consequences in the morning?" Jameson ambled out, followed by Line.

"I would much rather the taste of a chocolate croissant personally. But I guess consequence is a close second." Lina said helping herself to a chocolate croissant.

Avery looked up from her phone which had been ringing nonstop. "Seems London officially knows the Hawthorne heiress is in town. There's already been meetings scheduled."

"Meetings?" Grayson picked up his phone. "What time?" A call came in before Avery could reply. When Grayson saw who was calling, he abruptly stood. "I need to take this."

Jameson's Pov

"Fascinating" I stared in the direction Grayson had gone. "Was that a hint of genuine human emotion on his face?"

Catalina gave me a look. "Worried?" she asked before taking a step closer. "Or curious?"

"About Grayson?" he replied. Both and she knew that. "Neither. It's probably his tailor calling to make fun of him for being a twenty-year-old with a tailor." She gave me a look showing she didn't believe it.

Xander grinned. "Should I creep inside and eavesdrop on that phone call?"

"Are you implying that you're even remotely capable of stealth?" Jameson retorted.

"I can be stealthy!" Xander insisted. "Clearly, you're just still bitter at the extent to which my legendary dance moves blew everyone's mind at the club last night."

"You guys went to the club?" Avery asked before reiterating her question. "You convinced Gray to go to a club?"

"They didn't just go to a club." Catalina said smiling.

"Jamie." Xander said in a scornful voice. "You broke one of our sacred rules! Out of all the rules the tree house rule!" Xander said dramatically.

"I'll have you know I was there when you guys made that rule." Catalina said, sending a playful glare at Xander.

He stepped back with his hands up, "I mean not what I say."