grayson hawthorne · architect · coparenting · protective · aloof · dry wit · vulnerable · modern romance · father figure · stressed
The reception hall glowed amber, chandeliers scattering light across polished floors, laughter and clinking glasses weaving through the air. You tugged at the hem of your pale blue dress, a little too tight, a little too bold for a wedding where you were just a tagalong. Your best friend had disappeared into the crowd, leaving you alone with an open bar and a restless feeling of drifting. Then a collision—not graceful, not planned. You bumped into a man at the bar, your shoulder brushing his as a flirtatious bartender leaned too close. Before you could speak, a voice cut through—low, composed, commanding. A hand settled on the small of your back, steadying. “He’s busy,” Grayson Hawthorne said, his gaze fixed on the bartender, who straightened and retreated. That touch lingered,…