When he got closer, he realized the rug was dozens of shades of blue, the pattern mimicking ocean waves. The leather sofa opposite the wall-mounted TV was a pleasing aqua that brought out similar shades in the rug. The three barstools at this side of the kitchen island were upholstered in the same shade. Even the blown glass light fixture overhead mirrored rich ocean blues and greens.
Abandoning his duffle bag in the living room, Grayson ventured down the hallway, which opened between the kitchen and living areas. The two doors on the right were open, allowing light to flood into the windowless hall.
The first was a guest room, sparsely decorated, but with clean birch furniture and blue-green linens. The second…
Grayson stepped into his new room. It was bathed in sunlight, cascading through a wall of windows at the far end. A king-sized bed occupied one wall, and an elegant desk, the other. The attached bathroom boasted that enormous bathtub he’d seen in the photos. It was somehow larger in person.
Grayson’s legs folded in on themselves, and he half-fell to the floor.
I did it.
Chapter 5
Grayson
When Grayson awoke the following morning, it took a solid minute to figure out where in the hell he was. The mattress was far too soft, the duvet too puffy, and the sunrise…
Right… I’m in Miami.
Grayson watched pink clouds creep beyond the horizon, coloring the sea with diluted flame. He had to get up—it was his first day of work—but the bed and sky held him fast. He gave himself five more minutes to bask in the glory of his new life before rolling out from under the covers.
He spent more time than he’d like to admit at the bathroom mirror. He’d never had the luxury of putting effort into his appearance before. The fine people of Mineral Bluff would have called him a choice selection of slurs.
Today, he styled his cornsilk hair to give the illusion of volume and donned a set of baby blue scrubs that brought out his eyes.
A tentative knock rang out from Grayson’s front door. He tossed a heat suppressant into his mouth and stuffed his feet into the brand new orthopedic shoes he’d packed in the dead of night before his family could see. The stark white probablywouldn’t last long at the birthing center, but Grayson was desperate to wear anything other than black, gray, or camo.
He was still hopping on one foot, trying to get his heel in, when he pulled the door open.
Aureli smiled. “Rough time getting out of bed? Me too.”
He wore forest green scrubs, which complimented his bronze skin. Upon closer inspection, there were even little leaves printed across the fabric.
“Nice scrubs,” Grayson said breathlessly. He shouldered his bag and let the door fall shut behind him. “Ready for our first day?”
The two men made their way down into the courtyard between the four buildings. Jenna was already waiting, in pink, spangled scrubs and matching star earrings.
“Morning,” she mumbled. “Coffee. Need.”
“That bean stop place Jaime mentioned is on the way to the center,” Aureli said, scanning his phone. “I checked last night, because same.”
“Is Jaeyong coming?” Grayson asked.
Jenna waved a limp hand toward the road. “Lunatic went in early. First day nerves.”
A door opened behind them, and Tara popped out of building C. Her short, sleek pixie cut was artfully mussed and her scrubs were butter yellow, covered in chubby bumblebees.
“Good morning, gang!” she said. There was an unnatural bounce in her step, considering it was 7:20 a.m. “We ready to go?”
“How are you so peppy?” Jenna demanded.
“Cocaine! Now, let’s go!” Tara led the way through the complex’s little parking lot, wafting something that smelled like peonies in her wake.
“Careful,” Aureli warned. “Humanity already got the Mer hooked on caffeine, the last thing we need is for them to discover hard drugs.”
Tara snorted.
“Don’t let me order anything with whipped cream,” Jenna mumbled from Grayson’s left. “Last thing I need is a sugar crash forty minutes into training.”
