Page 35 of Austen, Edited

Chapter 21

After dinner on Wednesday, Greyson went up to his room, hoping to finish out the updates he needed for the Love, Austen app. He’d been able to figure out the ordering issue for his dad’s company, and updating stuff the past few days hadn’t taken too long. But it felt like it had been a while since he’d seen Abby.

How goes it?

He waited several minutes, but she didn’t answer, which was strange. Since the dinner cruise, she’d responded quickly every time he’d texted. But then again, she was in full swing for school, and with all the papers she had to write, he needed to cut her some slack.

A knock sounded on his bedroom door, and his mom popped her head in. He’d thought about getting a place of his own over the last week, and her coming up after they’d already discussed a ton of things at dinner confirmed it was time.

“Greyson, dear, I brought you a little something.” From her mischievous expression, he knew it was something he wasn’t going to like.

Turning fully in his chair, he looked down at her hands, trying to see what it was she’d brought. She held a small bag and extended it out to him before taking a seat on the end of his bed.

Greyson glanced over at her, but her smile only widened. He pulled out the tissue paper and reached inside, pulling out a small velvet box. His heart thumped in his chest as he realized what it was—his grandmother’s ring.

“I wanted to give that to you now. I know there have been some bumps in your relationship with Hannah, but I think she’s the perfect girl for you.”

He bit his bottom lip, knowing he had to cut off the thoughts that threatened to turn into words. He loved his mom, but with all of her needling about Hannah the past little while, he was over it.

Shaking his head slowly, he fixed his eyes on her. “No, Mom. She’s not the perfect girl. She was hoping Lance would die when he was sick so I could take over the company. I have never wanted to take over the family company. I’m proud to be helping and working with Dad and Lance now, but I’m not cut out to be a CEO.” He dropped the ring box back into the bag without opening it. “This belongs to Lance, not me.”

Her lips pinched together, and she looked like she was going to turn on the waterworks. “Lance is a relative hermit outside of work, and you’re just so close to marriage. Keep it for a few days while you think about things.”

Greyson kept the bag dangling at the end of his fingers for several more seconds before he gave in and set it back on his desk. “I’m not marrying Hannah, Mom. I found out soon enough that I avoided a life I would’ve come to hate. So, please, don’t keep pushing it.”

His mother tipped her chin up. “Just know that with the position of our family in the community, there are certain standards we hold to. I know Abby is a good friend, but anything more than that and she will have a hard time fitting into our world.”

Greyson reeled back as if she’d slapped him. “Abby has been the best friend I’ve ever had, andiforwhenI develop feelings for her, or for any girl, no matter where they come from, I hope you’ll support me in that.” He paused, taking shallow breaths to compensate for his outburst. With a quick motion, he twisted his chair back in front of his computer. “I need to get some work done now, Mom.”

Placing his headphones over his ears, he heard her say, “I just want you to be happy.”

He bit the inside of his cheek and waited until she’d clicked the door shut again. “Then just let me be.”

---