grayson astor

"You have quite literally one job, and you somehow failed at it?" I rubbed my temples, leaning back into the chair at my desk.

"Fuck you. I was doing you a favour. But you're so much of a dick you can't even keep an assistant for a week," my older brother, Matthew, yelled at me through the phone. He wasn't wrong, but my inability to keep an assistant also isn't my fault.

My last one cried after I called her an imbecile because she arranged two meetings at the same time. I had no choice but to fire her, same as the eight others I've had in the past two months. None of them can do anything right and I'm starting to think my brother is the problem seeing as he's the one who keeps getting me these pathetic assistants.

"Just find me someone who has good experience. I have things to do and I can't keep making my own schedule," I complained. I had one great assistant a few months ago, but she chose to run off to Spain to follow some man she found online. I begged her to stay, fearing my life might fall apart without her. I even offered her a one hundred percent raise which I've never done before and was useless because she still left me.

"It's not easy. People who are in the industry know you're not the easiest to work with," Matthew muttered under his breath. "But, you know, Bria used to be an assistant before she got into modelling. Have you thought about her?"

I scratched the back of my neck in thought. Bria isn't necessarily a tolerable person, but she certainly would last more than a week. I also know she would do this for me. But when I thought about Bria, my head also thought about Kalani. Her and I are 'figuring things out' as she likes to say, but I can't help but feel as if Bria being my assistant might bother her. I shouldn't care. Not only would Bria working for me be completely professional, but I don't owe Kalani anything. I don't do relationships and she knows that. She shouldn't expect anything from me. Yet, here I am having all this hesitance.

"Can you please keep looking? And in the mean time, also find suitable wives. I sent you the criteria a while ago." I don't know why I ever put my hunt on hold. I like to think it's because of Kalani. Perhaps her mentioning going slow made me realize I have no idea what I'm getting myself into with her. I didn't sign up for a relationship. I signed up to take responsibility for my actions which consists of coparenting and no more. Maybe I thought she could be a potential wife, but Kalani could never be just a contractual agreement. She would make it more and I can't do more. I don't have more to give.

"I should be paid for this shit," my brother complained.

Matthew is somewhat of a disappointment to my father. He's always lacked interest in Astor Incorporations and wanted to travel for fun. He graduated university with an English degree then travelled the world and found his girlfriend in the South Korea. My father was angry but Matthew didn't care. 'I'm in love' is what he said.

My personal phone buzzed in my pocket and I took it out to see Kalani was calling. "I'll see you tonight. I'm getting another call."

"Another call? Are you serious? We're supposed to discuss-"

I pressed the end call button, not interested in discussing anything else with him. So I answered Kalani's call and brought the phone to my ear. Looking at the time, she should've been at work.

"Grayson, they're everywhere," Kalani quickly jumped into the conversation. She used to be upset with me for doing so. But skipping formalities often makes conversations go by faster.

"What is?" I scrolled through my emails on my laptop. I'm expecting an important one about the land I viewed in Shanghai. The owner has several offers and I'm waiting to hear back on whether mine was accepted. If not, it means another trip to Shanghai which I would like to avoid.

"There are reporters outside my work. What's happening?" She whisper yelled and I felt the chills run along my spine. I almost dropped the phone on the ground. "Gray?"

"I'm...um, I'm here," I spoke.

I realized press would be interested in her. People have always asked when I planned on settling down and my answer has always been never. My life is private and I've never been spotted with a woman before. Now that's all changed with Kalani and it's to no surprise they would be interested in knowing her relations to me. Her choice of attire makes matters easier. She's never outside without a coat. But it's March and the weather is quickly warming. Eventually her bump will be obvious and questions will be asked.

"I'm going to call your driver and tell him to head to the back. Then he'll come inside and come get you. Is that okay?" I quickly came up with a plan. She seemed stressed and I felt bad for the situation she was being put in. If I could leave my office now and pick her up now, I would. But I still have two meetings I still to attend in two hours.

"Okay," she answered before apologizing for calling me in the middle of my work day. If it was any other person, I wouldn't have answered. I'm not an easy person to get ahold of. But idea of declining her call didn't make me feel good.

"Text me when you're home," I instructed.

I went the next thirty minutes too busy anticipating her text to actually get work done. I had a million things on my list I needed to get done before my first meeting.

My concern was put on hold when my father entered my office. He was the last person I expected to see and I hated seeing him at all. Our relationship isn't terrible, but we've established many times we're better at doing business together than doing father-son things.

"Father, what a surprise to see you here," I shared my annoyance through my voice. There was no need to hide my disliking of his presence.

"Thought I would pay my favourite son a visit," he walked around my office like he was looking for something before sitting down on the couch in the office. From this high up, you can oversee everything. It's one of the reasons why I chose this location. A beautiful view at night.

Him openly admitting who his favourite son is just adds onto the reasons of why he's a terrible father. You can have favourite cars, favourite, shoes, favourite restaurants, but not favourite kids.

"To what do I owe this visit?" I finally put my phone down. He had this smug, off putting look on his face. I leaned back further into my seat, fixing my eyes on him.

"Have you found your wife yet?" My father asked a question he knew the answer to. It's something that does not concern him at all, yet he continues to bring it up. "You're too busy playing house with...I don't even know what to call her," he shook his head.

Hearing him speak poorly about Kalani put this fire in my chest. It made my breaths unsteady and I didn't understand why I felt this way. He's right. I've lost sight of the initial plan and I'm not sure why that in itself doesn't bother me as much as it should. But everything was mushing together and becoming inconveniently complicated. Kalani isn't even supposed to be in my life, yet here I was feeling angry because my father isn't showing her respect by at least saying her name. What is wrong with me?

"You realize what an embarrassment you are for failing to follow simple instructions," he began his rant I knew would turn into a lecture.

"Jesus," I sighed, running my hand through my hair.

"I gave you this as a requirement because I knew you would never meet it," he laughed and all I could do was sit here and take it because my father is the one person I never learned to defend myself against. He brings out my inner childhood self who accepted my father's yelling and harsh words as something I'll have to get used to. "Are you so thick headed that no one wanted to marry you? You resorted to knocking up a random woman you found in a hotel bar? And you want to run the company? The company our family has worked decades to establish is supposed to go to a man who can't as much as find someone willing to put up with your dull-witted, moronic-"

"Grayson and I are marrying, so you can keep your arrogant, ill-mannered comments to your fucking self."

Both our heads turned to the door containing Kalani standing by it. She was wearing this long black trench coat that was tied up. Then she had these heeled boots making her look fucking sexy. It's now more than ever I'm happy that stupid boss no longer works with her because he doesn't deserve her beauty.

It might be because she just defended me against my father or because I'm suffering from straight delirium, but she has never looked more beautiful. She looked so good that I wanted to hug and kiss her and it scared me because I've never felt this way towards anyone and I have no idea what this woman is doing to me.

"You are?" My father's eyebrows went up in shock. He's never shocked or at least he's usually better at hiding it. But this time he couldn't hide it because it's the last thing he expected to hear.

He was looking at me and I was looking at Kalani who was looking at my father. She was fuming and I think if she was an aggressive person, she would've shoved him out the window. She's angry for me. No one has ever been angry for me or showed any concern to the way my father speaks to me. And when they do notice how he treats me, they are never confident enough to say anything. Even my own mother. But here Kalani was with her five foot three self, looking at a man double her size like she could take him on if she had to. And it was for me.

"We are," I confirmed for him just as Kalani turned her head to look at me. Her hair was in a sleek low bun and I loved it because it shows off her jaw and the few piercings she has on each ear.

If my daughter turns out to look like her, I don't know how I'll manage to have two beautiful women in my life. They'll both force me to make selfless decisions I'm not ready to make. Selfless decisions I don't want to make.

"You never mentioned it," my father stated and before I could answer, Kalani did it for me.

"We thought we would keep it private until I told my family. Wouldn't want anyone to leak it to the press," she smiled at him and I know it pissed him off. Anything that pisses him off is always a plus in my books and the fact that it was her smile made this even better. She's implying he has loose lips and it's the truest thing out there. He loves being the bearer of all news and should always be the last person you tell something important to.

"Well then...congrats," he spoke it in the most insincere way possible. His eye twitched and his nose was flared. Any other person wouldn't think much of it, but I know my father too well. "I'll be on my way," he exited my office with no further words. The space immediately felt larger.

Kalani walked around the desk to stand by my chair. She didn't say anything. All she did was examine my eyes like she was looking for something.

"Are you okay?" Her voice was quiet and she leaned down, placing her hand on the side of my face. People don't touch me like this and people don't touch me at all because I don't enjoy being touched. But this small gesture was filling me with warmth and I wanted to hold onto her and hide my head in her lap. I'm more than a foot taller than her and she somehow makes me feel...safe.

"Yes," I answered with the only answer my body could conjure up because her touch was wiping my brain clean. "What are you doing here? Alan was supposed to drive you home." As much as I am confused for her presence, I'm happy she's here.

I pulled the ties of her coat, pulling the bow apart to undo her coat. Underneath she wore a long, tight dress stopping just past her knees. My hands went to her belly. Touching it made me feel grounded like my decisions are somehow becoming rational. Her and this baby are making everything feel manageable.

"I know. But I asked him to stop at a greek restaurant

I like, but they messed up my order and gave me two. So I thought I would quickly stop to drop the extra off for you because I figured you would be working late," she explained and it wasn't until now I noticed she had a large paper bag in hand.

"That's kind. Thank you." Her hand was still on my face and she started stroking my cheek which drove me wild.

"Does he always speak to you like?" She removed her hand, going into the paper bag to bring out the food. I was already dreading having her warmth be away from me. Me not answering gave her the only answer she needed. "Grayson."

"I know," I shut my eyes. I don't have an excuse for how he treats me.

Growing up he always showed extra attention to Matthew because he's older and was supposed to inherent everything. I spent my childhood trying to prove myself and even now it hasn't stopped. I've always wanted to impress him and show him I'm good enough. Him giving me this requirement with the intentions of making me fail proves I'll never meet his standards and never be good enough for him. I can't wait until the day I stop caring, but it hasn't happened yet.

"I don't want to talk about that. Instead, I want to talk about how I'm supposed to tell him we're not marrying." This creates a whole other problem. Even if I do find another woman, he won't let me get over how I told him it was going to be Kalani.

"Why?" She finished putting my food on the desk.

"What do you mean why, Lani?" I looked at her confused. Her even offering to do this for me makes me feel like the real her has been abducted or something. The real Kalani would know better than to allow herself to be tied into my life in this way.

"You said it's for paper. Contractual agreement. I can do that. You're already having a baby with me, it would be killing two birds with one stone," she shrugged as she looked at me. She looked like she truly believed her words. This amazing woman wants to enter into a marriage with me because she wants to help me. What could I have done to deserve her?

"What do you get out of this?" I'm used to people doing things for their own benefit and I wouldn't expect otherwise from her.

"Is it so hard to believe I just want to help you out?" She insisted. It's very hard to believe. But it's also Kalani and she's proven to me she's driven and passionate and independent and well-spoken. She hasn't taken advantage of my money. I shouldn't be surprised by this. "And the look on your father's face was priceless. That's what I get out of this."

"Are you sure?" I asked because even if it's a contractual agreement, I can be difficult. I'm not an easy person to work with and I don't have many things to offer.

"Yes."

I looked at the time on my phone and my meeting was set to start in ten minutes. "What are you doing for the rest of the day?" I asked her because she left work earlier than she usually would.

"I was planning on doing some shopping and planning for my baby shower instead of going straight home," she informed me and it caught me off guard because I hadn't even known she was interested in all the festivities that may come with pregnancy. "I want a gender neutral shower. I don't like the idea of pink everywhere. I was thinking browns and nudes. There's this this new flower shop I need to take a look at to see if I can get flowers from there."

"Baby shower?" I questioned. I wasn't quite sure what a baby shower entailed but it seemed like a lot of work for absolutely no reason.

"Don't sound so surprised. I am fully invested in this baby. I even have a registry," she continued to surprise me. She had this elaborate, well thought out idea I hadn't even known she was interested in.

"Do you now? What's on it? I'll go buy everything you need right now," I offered and she let out this adorable wheezing laugh. If the entire point of a shower is to get free gifts, it seems stupid because I have no problem buying the necessities for the baby. Money is no object.

"That would defeat the whole point of the baby shower. But I'll reassess that offer after."

"Right," I stood to get out of my seat. "I have a meeting. Stay here. We should talk," I told her and she nodded with a smile.