Grayson spent the rest of the day swimming his worries away until it was time for the charity event.
He pulled himself out of the pool, water trickling down his chiselled body. Once bright from the sun's touch, his hair was changing – a quiet shift to a captivating dirty blond. Grayson sat down on a sunbed, and relished this quiet moment.
There was a weight pressed against his chest, making each breath an effort. Only once had it felt lighter – in the wine cellar at Hawthorne Mansion. After what happened on Hawthorne Island, he needed a distraction.
Grayson often went to the wine cellar to bottle up his pain. The cellar was his sanctuary, where he could let go, if only for a while.
Unexpectedly, Avery came down the stairs to check on him, defying his attempts to push her away. The thought of it brought his presence back to her comforting words, etched into his memory as he held her.
He had confessed then, an admission that left him sitting there, while Avery stood by his side, his hands on his head.
"For weeks, I heard her whispers," Grayson looked up at Avery. "Tell me again I'm not broken."
Avery, without hesitation, reached out to touch his face. "You loved and lost her," she started.
"I failed her. Her ghost will linger till I'm gone," Grayson's eyes shut. "I was supposed to be stronger. For you."
"You don't need to be anything for me, Grayson." Avery waited until his eyes met hers. "You, as you are, are enough."
"It'll never be enough," Grayson whispered.
Grayson hadn't opened up to anyone like that before, not even to Jameson. The weight that had burdened him then seemed to lift a little, yet, after exposing his vulnerability to Avery, he couldn't face her, not yet, so he left for Harvard.
But meeting Alison only complicated things further, he wanted both her and Avery.
With a deep sigh, Grayson rubbed his eyes, lost in thought. Instead of reliving the past, he focused on the future.
Avery's birthday was coming up, the same day Emily passed away. He knew he would have to pretend everything was normal between them, as if everything they had gone through never happened. It hurt Grayson deeply to do so, but so did waiting for Avery. He knew she might not choose him, and choose Jameson. But it was hard to give up when he wanted her - needed her.
As dusk settled in, casting a warm glow, Grayson left the sunbed and headed for the elevator doors, preparing himself for the charity event. The elevator chimed softly as he went down, his mind still tangled in emotions he couldn't sort out. Avoiding his feelings wasn't a solution; he knew he had to confront them eventually. Whether he went to Avery's birthday or not, his internal battle would continue.
Yet even with a million thoughts occupying him, Alison never left his mind. The elevator doors opened, and Grayson was looking forward to see Alison. She was trouble, and at this moment, that was exactly what he needed.