kalani depradine

Hiding my head in the pillow, I groaned from the sunlight shining through the curtains into my bedroom. I needed at least two more hours of sleep, but after a quick glance of my alarm clock, I knew it was time for me to get up. That and the smell of breakfast coming from my kitchen because who was in my apartment? The options were slim and it didn't take me long to figure out who it is. Grayson is the only one who has a routine of entering my apartment without announcing himself.

I dragged my body out of my bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. My small shirt was half way up my stomach and my pyjama shorts were slanted. Holding the toothbrush in my mouth, I pulled my shirt over my round stomach and fixed my shorts before brushing my teeth and cleaning my face.

There was the slightest bit of excitement in me when I walked to the kitchen where Grayson was on the phone. He paced around the kitchen and I looked at the food set on my island. A stack of pancakes and a plate with bacon and breakfast sausage and sunny side up eggs. Taking a piece of bacon, I opened the fridge to pour myself a glass of orange juice. He leaned on the island and watched me move around the kitchen.

"Yeah. I'm well aware. Get my assistant to...fuck. I don't have an assistant. Okay, call my brother and get him to push my meetings back. Yes, like I just stated, I'm aware. Now do I have to repeat myself? Perfect. Thank you." His conversation on the phone ended and he finally said good morning to me.

"What are you doing here?" I crossed my arms as I looked at him. He was in his suit and despite it being the weekend, Grayson knows no schedule.

"My little sister wanted me to drop off that as a baby shower gift," he gestured towards the gift bag on the coffee table in my living room.

"Oh. That's sweet," I was hesitant to say because I'm not sure if I'm supposed to like his sister. His family is complicated and being blood apparently doesn't mean we like them. "Do we..."

"Yes. We like her. For now. She just moved into my guesthouse because her and her boyfriend broke up. As long as she's not there for long, I feel we'll be fine," he sighed, his hands going through his hair.

"You still haven't found an assistant you like?" I questioned as I went in the cabinet to get vitamin pills. "I don't want to hear 'because they're all terrible.'" It's so like Grayson to blame his lack of on someone else.

"Well then," Grayson answered with a chuckle. I did feel bad he didn't have an assistant because I know his schedule can get pretty busy. If I wasn't busy myself, I would probably offer to help him, but he also dug himself into this hole.

"Is it too hopeful for me to believe you cooked this yourself?" I gestured at all the food on the table. The last time I checked, he didn't even do his own grocery shopping. It would be crazy to assume he's capable of making chocolate chip pancakes. Grayson cooked for me once and it was not terrible. It was pasta so there really was no way to mess it up. The sauce came straight from a glass bottle and all he needed to do was add some veggies and seasoning.

I smiled as I sat on the barstool at the island. "I got my chef to come and make you breakfast," he answered the obvious question at hand. As soon as the food hit my mouth, my mouth watered. This was hands down the best pancake I have ever had in my life. "What's on the schedule for today, Miss. Depradine?"

It was almost eleven in the morning so it truly felt like my day was half way gone. "I have yoga at two thirty. After that I'm all clear. What are you doing, Mr. Astor?"

"Well, my schedule today is whatever you want it to be. I can escort you to your yoga," he offered and I couldn't believe he was willing to miss a day of work for something as minimal as yoga. Especially when he doesn't have an assistant. "I can pick you up after and we can go out after for a late lunch/early dinner. I'll have my assistant make a reserva-for fucks sake. I'll get my brother to make reservations."

"Okay. I'll go change," I finished my food then put my plate in the sink.

Grayson drove me to my yoga class on the other side of the city. After informing him it would be an hour and a half, he kissed my cheek before letting me leave. Grayson was being extremely kind and affectionate today and I wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Holding onto my yoga matt, I walked into the yoga studio. After setting my bag in a cubby, I grabbed my yoga matt to spread on the ground. This class felt different. I had no stress to release because my headspace was in a genuinely good place. I was happy and uplifted and surrounded by other who also felt the same.

The only thing not feeling good was knowing all this knew happiness was here because of Grayson. I told myself I didn't need him and I could do this all on my own. But things are just so much simpler and easier when he's around and I don't want him to leave.

How much I care for him is starting to scare me. I care for him so much that I'm willing to toss away my life to enter into a loveless marriage with him. I know he says he'll try, but it will be a huge one eighty for him and it won't be easy. I know he wouldn't give me anything more than the bare minimum.

"Your baby shower was beautiful. You put the rest of ours to shame," one of the girls approached me when the class came to an end. She was the one who put the idea of a baby shower in my mind. And after attending hers, I realized I wanted the same thing.

"Stop. Yours was the blueprint," I laughed with her as I grabbed my bag and went outside to wait for Grayson.

"Kalani?" I heard Toby call my name as he exited a music shop. I smiled, going over to hug him. "How are you? I thought you were gonna send over some baby stuff."

"I know. But I figured it out," I told him. I would've gone into details about how Grayson would now be receiving everything, but that would just cause unnecessary tension.

He slowly nodded, understanding without words that this was about Grayson. "I feel like I never see you anymore. I really miss you," he expressed and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Things have been weird between us. We never talked about how our breakup affected our friendship and I wish we did because the conversation is long overdue.

"Yeah. I know. I miss you too. Things have just been so crazy. I just had my baby shower a few days ago," I informed him. Prior to my pregnancy, Toby knew every detail about the things happening in my life. Now we've been so distant.

"That's great. I'm really happy for you. Are you and that guy like...dating?" Toby awkwardly asked and I wasn't sure how to answer that.

"We're...I'm marrying him," I forced the words from my lips and saw his jaw physically drop. I went from being single to becoming someone's wife and a mother. Everything was happening super fast and it was scaring me. "Like I said, life has been crazy."

"You're marrying him? Is this some sort of shot gun wedding?" He immediately assumed we were only getting married because I'm pregnant. But I know Grayson well enough to know he would never marry someone strictly because they're carrying his child.

"No. It's not that. It's hard to explain." How do I explain I'm marrying him so he can claim this stupid CEO position he's been working his entire life towards? I would sound like a damsel in distress.

Toby remained silent with his eyes going behind me. Grayson has this looming presence basically alerting everyone when he walks near them. I didn't even have to look to know he was standing right behind me.

"I'll text you, okay?" I squeezed Toby's hand with a smile. The corners of his lips lifted the slightest bit before Grayson's hand went on my waist to pull me away.

"How was yoga?" He refrained from asking me about my conversation with Toby which I was happy about. I'm so tired of the drama.

"Relaxing," I answered when he opened my door for me to get into the car. When he got inside, he spent the next ten minutes being on his phone instead of driving. "Is everything okay?" I finally spoke up.

"Yes. It's just work," he put his phone away and began driving. Even though he wasn't bringing anything up, he seemed oddly distracted and I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but wanted to let him bring it up himself.

I thought we would be going straight to the restaurant but he chose to go home first which I didn't mind. When we got there, there was a woman standing in the kitchen, yelling on the phone. She had wavy dark hair with blonde highlights and her eyes were this ice blue and not the hazel greenish colour like Grayson's. It didn't take me long to realize this is his little sister, Paige. She's younger than him but still older than me by two years.

"You know what, fuck you!" She slammed her phone down on the island counter with a groan. Her hands went into her hair as her eyes shut. "You're home. I thought you were going to dinner."

"I have a quick call I have to make. It'll take ten minutes," Grayson informed me and I nodded before he left the kitchen. I sat at an island barstool, all while having her eyes on my stomach. I had on biker shorts covering a majority of my stomach, a sports bra and a zip up hoodie.

"So, you're the one carrying around Grayson's devil offspring?" Paige smirked at me but I couldn't bring myself to smile. Regardless of Grayson and his actions, I didn't like how my baby was being referred to as a devil offspring. "Wait, I'm sorry. Are you super uptight like Grayson? I mean, you must be if you're together. But I hoped he would be with someone normal."

I gulped. "I mean, I consider myself pretty normal." But I guess she's right that only a certain type of individual would be able to handle Grayson.

"Sorry. I'm not used to meeting people who are dating Grayson. I didn't mean to be a bitch. Let's start over. I'm Paige," she quickly started radiated a new type of energy I appreciated.

"Kalani," I gave a small smile. I wanted to further indulge in a conversation, but started experiencing movements in my stomach not seeming to go away. "I'm sorry. I'll be right back," I apologized as I got off the stool. I've only ever been to his garage and main floor, but I walked up his stairs hoping I could find his bedroom. I felt laying down might be something I needed.

There were a million rooms in the home and finding his would take too much time. So I entered a random bedroom and sat on my knees by the edge of the bed. I stretched my arms onto the bed, attempting to stretch my back as best I could.

Lower back pain is something I've been having a lot recently which is expected because I'm in my third trimester. But it's the most frustrating thing.

"Lani," I heard Grayson's voice at the door but my eyes were shut and couldn't see him. "What's happening? Please tell me you're not having the baby right now." It would be way too early for the baby to come now.

"She's just very active today."

"You can feel her moving inside of you?" Grayson spoke in pure shock like this is the scariest thing he's ever heard. I attempted at a laugh but it ended up only being exasperated air. Some days it's just her kicking and other days it feels like she's completely rearranging herself and pressing herself against my spine.

"I don't think I can go to dinner anymore, Gray," I admitted as I took in deep breaths.

"Don't worry about the dinner, sweetheart," he came to kneel behind me. His hands went on my back, massaging me with this magic touch. He used his knuckles and they somehow found a way to relieve my pain. "How's that feel?"

"Better," I opened my eyes to sit up straight. I turned to look at him as he moved hair from my face.

"We'll order takeout and we can watch a movie. Does that sound okay?" He suggested and it surprised me because it seemed like an idea Grayson could never come up with on his own. He's not someone who is normally interested in normal stuff like staying in to watch Netflix. "I just hired a new assistant today while you were at yoga. Her first task can be buying you skittles and delivering them here." I'm happy he's aware of my skittles obsession.

"Can we watch Think Like A Man?" I asked and watched the smile appear on his face. It's my comfort movie, but I'm aware of how much he hates romance movies. I don't think he enjoys any happy movies.

"For you, fine."