Merry Misunderstandings

The gloves are off

Vivienne POV

Vivienne had gone to bed with a smile on her face that night, something she couldn’t remember doing in years. Sure, the convention hadn’t turned out as planned—though she’d spotted a few wallpaper patterns and flooring ideas she liked. But Grayson had, oddly enough, made up for it.

He hadn’t had to go out of his way, yet he did. That detour to the Mark Twain House felt like more than a kind gesture—it felt intentional, like he’d seen her sadness and wanted to fix it. And he had.

She felt lighter than she had in a long time. Maybe even happy.

The thought startled her. Happy? Was that what this was? For months—no, years—she’d been stuck in a fog. Even back with Hayden, things had felt… gray.

Her old job, their sleek condo, the dinner parties where everyone smiled but no one really laughed—it had all seemed so picture-perfect. But looking back now, she realized she hadn’t been living. She’d been existing.

Now, here she was, standing on shaky ground with her family business teetering on the edge, sleeping with her supposed rival, and yet…

She smiled to herself. For the first time, she felt alive.

And Grayson—God, Grayson. She turned on her side, staring at the empty spot next to her on the bed. When had he become more than the smug playboy who lived to get under her skin?

There was something different about him now. Something softer, quieter. It wasn’t just the way he’d taken care of her at the convention or surprised her with the detour. It was the way he’d listened when she rambled about Twain, the way he’d watched her with that little smirk as if he liked seeing her happy.

Could it mean something? Could they be something more than just... this?

She felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for them to be more than just physical.

The next morning, Vivienne woke up humming a tune she couldn’t quite place. The sunlight streaming through her window seemed warmer somehow, brighter.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she found Grayson already there, sipping coffee and scrolling through his phone.

“Morning,” she said, her voice lighter than she’d expected.

He glanced up at her, and for a moment, his eyes softened. But just as quickly, the shutters came down.

“Morning,” he replied coolly, setting his mug down and walking past her without another word.

Vivienne blinked, her smile faltering.

What just happened?

Vivienne decided to shake off Grayson’s weird behavior and check on the progress Marcus Hayes had made with the construction.

“Wow, this looks great!” Vivienne said, walking around her side of the B&B. The rooms were better than she’d expected. She’d envisioned a different theme for each room—a ‘garden retreat’ for nature lovers, a ‘rustic cabin’ for the outdoorsy types, and even a ‘writer’s retreat’ for anyone craving inspiration. She’d wanted something for every kind of traveler, and now her vision was finally coming together.

“I told you I’d do an amazing job,” Marcus said, flashing her a charming smile.

“It does look amazing,” Vivienne agreed, her grin widening as she took it all in. It was perfect—better than she could have hoped.

“We’ll start removing the wallpaper in the restaurant today,” Marcus added.

Vivienne nodded, still marveling at the transformation. Marcus had proven to be an excellent choice, and even Grayson, to her surprise, had supported hiring him over the high-priced contractor he’d initially wanted.

“Why don’t you come with me so we can finalize the plans for the restaurant?” Marcus suggested.

As they walked toward the restaurant, casually chatting about ideas, a loud, grating noise broke through their conversation. Vivienne’s steps faltered at the unmistakable sound of a drill. She glanced at Marcus, confused, before pushing open the restaurant doors.

Inside, Declan Reid—Grayson’s contractor—was overseeing his crew as they tore through the walls with reckless energy. Dust filled the air as pieces of drywall crumbled to the floor.

“Um—hello!” Vivienne called out, raising her voice to compete with the noise. When no one turned, she tried again, louder. “HELLO!”

Declan finally turned, his smirk widening as his gaze raked over her. His eyes lingered far too long, a deliberate attempt to unsettle her.

“Well, well,” he drawled, sauntering closer, “if it isn’t Miss Wood. What can I do for you, sweetheart?”

Vivienne’s jaw tightened. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, just doing the real work. You know, the kind that requires more than picking out curtains and pretty paint colors.” He let out a low chuckle, and his crew joined in like a pack of hyenas.

“I wasn’t informed you’d be starting—” Vivienne began, but Declan cut her off with a mockingly sympathetic look.

“Of course not. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with the big decisions. It’s all a bit much for someone like you, isn’t it? Why don’t you step aside before you break a nail? We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

The laughter from his crew stung like a slap. Vivienne’s cheeks burned, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. She glanced back at Marcus, who stood rigid, his glare fixed on Declan. The tension between the two men was palpable.

It didn’t take long for Vivienne to connect the dots. Declan shouldn’t have been here—Marcus had been promised the restaurant work. There was only one person who could have made this happen.

Grayson.

With long deliberate strides, Vivienne made her way towards the office. She didn’t know what was going on with Grayson, but this d**k behavior needed to stop. How could a person be kind and even—charming one moment, and a utter and complete asshole the next. Something was going on, and she was going to find out what it was.

With long, deliberate strides, Vivienne made her way toward the office. Grayson’s behavior had gone from irritating to outright infuriating. How could someone be kind—even charming—one moment, and a complete, unrepentant asshole the next? Something was going on with him, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

The office door was ajar, and her irritation only grew when she heard Grayson’s laugh, low and unmistakable even through the walls.

She crept closer, peeking through the narrow gap in the door. Grayson sat across from Mayor Wellington, his easy smile and relaxed posture a sharp contrast to the man who had sent his contractor to bulldoze over her carefully planned renovations. Her stomach churned as she strained to hear the conversation.

“Well, Grayson, I love what you’ve done with your side of the business,” Mayor Wellington was saying with an approving nod. “I think collaborating on an event to draw in more clientele could benefit the town and your B&B. A Halloween festival might be just the thing Cedar Hollow needs. Should we involve the Woods?”

Vivienne’s stomach clenched at the mention of her family.

“Oh, let’s not disturb old man William,” Grayson chuckled, dismissing her family with casual indifference. “They’ve never really shown much interest in the town’s events before.”

Old man William? That asshole.

Vivienne couldn’t stay quiet any longer.

Pushing the door fully open, she stepped into the room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. Both men turned to her, the mayor’s eyes lighting up with recognition.

“Mayor Wellington,” Vivienne said with a tight smile, extending her hand. “Lovely to see you. I’m not sure if you remember me, but—”

“Oh, the rumors are true!” the mayor interrupted with a wide grin. “Vivienne’s back.”

Vivienne forced her smile to stay in place, though her jaw clenched. “Though you shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” she replied evenly, shooting a sharp glance at Grayson, who was lounging in his chair like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“We were just discussing the Halloween festival,” the mayor said. “It’s a great way to give local businesses a boost before the holiday season.”

Vivienne stiffened. She could already see how this was going to play out. Grayson would claim credit for the idea, push her to the sidelines, and frame his side of the B&B as the star of the event.

“I’d like to be involved, Mayor,” she said, her tone firm as she stepped closer. “The B&B isn’t just Grayson’s. I have an equal stake, and I’d like to have a say in the planning.”

Grayson leaned back in his chair, folding his arms as his smirk deepened. “Of course,” he said smoothly, his tone laced with mock politeness. “Feel free to pitch in—if your side is ready, that is. No offense, but the town is counting on this event to bring in real business. My side’s already good to go.”

Vivienne swallowed the sharp retort that bubbled up. Grayson had an infuriating way of twisting things, of making her feel like she was always two steps behind. But not this time.

She squared her shoulders, her gaze locking with his. “Don’t worry, Grayson,” she said, her voice cool but steady. “I’ll make sure my side is more than ready. In fact, I’m certain it’ll outshine yours.”

The mayor chuckled awkwardly, clearly sensing the tension. “Well, it’s always good to have a little healthy competition,” he said, glancing between them. “I’ll leave you two to work out the details.”

Vivienne held her composure until the mayor had left the room. Then she turned to Grayson, her fists clenched at her sides.

“First, you send your contractor to bulldoze over my plans. Now, you’re trying to cut my family out of a town event? What’s your endgame, Grayson?”

Grayson stood, his expression cooling into something unreadable. “This isn’t a game, Vivienne. It’s business. Maybe you should start treating it that way.”

She opened her mouth to fire back, but the words caught in her throat. Without another word, she spun on her heel and walked out, her heart pounding.

As the door clicked shut behind her, one thing was certain: the gloves were officially off.