Page 31 of Our Chaotic Love Affair

“Cash beat us all,” Finn reported. “Because he’s insufferable and practices too much.”

“I practice an appropriate amount. I have to impress our business partners. I can’t be the asshole digging my ball out of a sand trap or landing in the water.”

“You have a putting green in your office.”

“It’s for stress relief,” I said.

Cleo laughed. I caught her eye and gestured to the empty chair beside me. She hesitated just for a second, but I noticed it. She thought about it for two seconds before she sat down.

“How was the spa?” I asked, keeping my voice low so it was just for her.

“Good. Relaxing. I drooled on myself during the massage, which was embarrassing. But otherwise good.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

She looked at me, and I saw something in her expression. Vulnerability. Sadness. The weight of something she wasn’t saying.

I didn’t push. I just reached over and put my hand on her knee. It was nothing more than a gesture of comfort. We both noticed it. The intimacy of the touch. The way it felt simultaneously natural and charged with meaning.

Her eyes met mine. I saw the sadness there. Something had happened but she wouldn’t tell me with everyone around us. Maybe she wouldn’t tell me at all unless she got buzzed again.

She casually moved her leg. “I should go rest,” she said and got to her feet. “I’ll meet you all for dinner.”

She was gone before I could respond, disappearing into the house like the hounds of hell were chasing her.

“What was that about?” Finn asked, watching her go.

“Don’t know.” I shrugged.

No one else appeared to notice. I vaguely listened to them all talk but I wasn’t really hearing them. I was concerned for Cleo. I couldn’t explain why. It was none of my business.

But I knew I was the only one that knew she was struggling with the Melody situation. Her world was getting flipped on its head and she didn’t know what to do about it.

I waited what I thought was a reasonable amount of time. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen. Long enough that my departure wouldn’t be immediately suspicious.

“I need to take care of some things. See you at dinner.”

I headed back to the house. Inside, it was quiet and cool. I climbed the stairs to the second floor, my footsteps soft on the hardwood. When I reached Cleo’s door, I paused. I could hear something on the other side. It was a sound that made my chest constrict.

She was crying.

I knocked softly. The crying stopped immediately. She was trying to hide it.

I knocked again. “Cleo, it’s me.”

Silence and then, “Come in.”

I opened the door and found her sitting on the bed, hands covering her face. Her shoulders were shaking with suppressed sobs. Seeing the woman who was usually all fire and confidence and sharp edges like this broke something in me.

I closed the door behind me and moved to sit beside her. I didn’t think too hard about it. I just pulled her into my arms. She resisted for about half a second, then collapsed against my chest. This was someone who had been holding it together for too long and finally couldn’t do it anymore.

I said nothing. I just held her, one hand running slowly up and down her back. My other one cradled her head against my shoulder. I could feel her tears soaking through my shirt, but I didn’t care.

Eventually, the sobs subsided into shaky breaths. She pulled back slightly, wiping at her face with the heels of her hands.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing is wrong with you.”