Page 87 of Our Chaotic Love Affair

Because I wasn’t.

I got up, showered, and put on a fresh suit. Tried to build back the armor I’d let slip last night over too much wine. I didn’t have an option. I was putting on my cufflinks when I heard Cleo’s laughter.

Why did that sound make me want to pull off my suit and be the guy I was last night?

I heard her talking and realized she was on the phone. I stepped out of my room as she came down the hall, phone pressed to her ear, still in pajamas, hair a mess around her face. She looked soft and rumpled and so beautiful it hurt to look at her.

“Mel, I’m telling you, the Colosseum was insane,” she was saying. “We went underground and—” She spotted me and her smile got bigger. “Hold on, Cash is here. Want to say hi to your future brother-in-law?”

I did not want to say hi. I wanted to wallow.

There was a knock at the door. Cleo and I exchanged a look. She shrugged. I went to answer it and saw room service with coffee and pastries. Then I remembered I’d arranged for it yesterday. I let them in, tipped the guy, and busied myself with pouring coffee while Cleo kept talking to Melody.

“Yeah, I’m sending you pictures now,” she said, tapping at her phone. “This one’s from the fountain we found. And this is—oh, this is us at dinner last night. Cash looks so good in this one. Very European billionaire chic.”

I handed her a coffee. She mouthed thank you and took it. Then I watched her face change.

“Wait, what?” She stopped pacing. “Melody, what are you talking about?”

I knew. I already knew. Meldoy was telling her about what my father had told me last night. I waited to see what her reaction would be. Was she going to freak out or laugh it off? It was hard to say with Cleo.

“Hold on.” Cleo pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at me. “Melody says the engagement is in the media?”

I nodded.

Her eyes went wide. “What? How?”

“Photos from the fundraiser,” I said quietly. “Social media. It happens.”

“It happens?” Her voice pitched up. “Cash, this was supposed to stay in Rome. We were supposed to come home and be normal.” She stopped. I could see her processing. “Melody, I have to call you back.”

She hung up. For a moment we just stood there in the suite staring at each other. I’d had my mild freakout last night. Now it was her turn. I would give her time while I indulged in one of the pastries.

“We’re all over the internet,” she said as if she was in disbelief.

“I know.”

“People think we’re actually engaged.”

“Yes, we were pretty convincing.”

“Cash.” She set her coffee down with shaking hands. “What are we going to do?”

I wanted to pull her close and tell her it would be fine. My instinct was to tell her I’d fix this. She didn’t need to worry. But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t get past the CEO mode that had kicked in the second my father called last night. I knew how to handle a crisis. I could manage fallout. It was ingrained in the fabric of my being to protect the Bancroft name above everything else.

I could manage the problem and still give her a fun trip.

“You’re going on your shopping trip today,” I said. “Like we planned.”

“Shopping? Cash, I don’t think you understand what’s happening back home.”

“I’m meeting with Rossi. Closing the deal. I agreed to give you a shopping spree. I don’t go back on my word.”

“This isn’t about the deal anymore!” She was pacing now, agitated. “This is about us being caught in a lie. What happens when we get home? What happens when we have to explain to people that we’re not actually engaged? Melody is going to—God, Austin is going to lose his mind. Your whole family is going to have some questions.”

“I’ll handle it.”

She stopped. Looked at me. “How?”