Chapter 27 Grady #2
Cleo bit down on her lip, gaze trailing from my eyes to my boots and back up.
My style hadn’t changed much, but I did learn how to dress it up a bit.
Gone were the days of throwing on a wrinkled T-shirt and jeans and walking out the door.
Now, they were hung up and starched. I wore rings and a watch.
Even put on a spritz of cologne before walking out the door.
Okay, maybe I put on two because I knew I’d likely run into someone I knew here, but still.
“You want honesty?” she asked, raising her brows.
“Don’t I always?” Even if it fucking kills me.
“On some level, you look the same. I can recognize the same boy I used to know, but I can see how much has changed. Like, you’re turning into an actual adult? It’s weird,” she laughed.
I could tell she was still holding back, but for her to admit what she had was huge. Cleo usually kept her thoughts and emotions close to her chest. The fact she was willingly giving them away like that was reassuring.
“I could say the same about you, you know. You look amazing, Cleo.” She blushed under my praise. Some part of me got a twisted sense of satisfaction about still being able to elicit that kind of reaction. “Beautiful,” I added, because fuck it. Why not?
“You too,” she said, before smacking her forehead. “I mean, handsome. You look handsome.”
“You can say I look beautiful,” I chuckled. “Handsome is overrated these days, anyway.”
“Is it? I wouldn’t know.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Are you still doing the music thing?” Her words faltered ever so slightly over the last two words.
Not because she wasn’t interested, but I think because it was obviously a sore spot—the big ass elephant between us. It was what drove us apart.
And it hurt me, too. I never asked my mom about what Cleo was doing, she just told me. I had no choice in the matter. Did she not do that with Cleo, or was this just a polite conversation?
I nodded. “Yeah, I am. In Nashville, actually. I didn’t stay in Austin for long…” I trailed off, sucking in a deep breath. “Mom tells me you’re teaching now. Elementary, right?”
Cleo’s eyes flashed in surprise. “Yup. This is my second year full-time. I had some substitute teaching experience before I accepted the position. I wanted to get my master’s at UT, but I think it was hard for Mom and Dad when I was gone, so I’m doing it online.
You know how it is. Being the eldest daughter isn’t easy. ”
“Yeah, no. I often tell myself the same thing,” I said, and she laughed.
“Okay, smartass.”
I placed my hand over my chest. “Cleo Hayes, was that a curse word dropping from your pretty lips?”
She pushed on my shoulder, letting her fingers softly trail down my arm before dropping altogether.
That was twice now she’d touched me, but the first time she hadn’t immediately pulled away.
Goosebumps erupted along my skin, and my dick, who had been lying low like a good boy, suddenly decided now was the time to wake up.
Clearly, I was doing great.
“I’ve grown up a little bit,” she said, shimmying her shoulders and straightening up. “I’m not the same little girl you used to know.”
God, wasn’t that the truth? It didn’t take the word ass slipping out to tell me that much.
She was standing before me in a knee-length dress and boots, her skin sun-kissed and freckled from summers outdoors.
Her hair was lighter than I remembered, probably for the same reason.
But she didn’t look timid like she had when I took her out on our first date.
There were nerves, obviously, but she stood her ground.
“I can see that,” I murmured. My shirt rose up as I lifted my hand to run through my hair, and her eyes drifted to the ink peeking out from under the fabric.
“What’s that?” she asked, pointing toward the exposed skin.
Quickly, I dropped my arm and pulled down the shirt. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just something I got a few years ago.”
“Can I see?” she asked, stepping forward. Her eyes stayed glued to the secret on my skin.
“Sure, let me just take my shirt off in public,” I joked, trying to distract her with humor.
It didn’t work.
Cleo, persistent as always, lifted her gaze and batted those blue eyes like she used to. “Come on, just lift it up a little. It’s not that big.” When I just stared at her, she rolled her eyes. “You show me yours and I’ll show you mine. Sound fair?”
“Wait, what?” I asked, blinking in surprise. “You have a tattoo?”
The smile she gave me was coy. Slightly shy. “I do. You’ll have to settle for a picture, though, because mine isn’t as… accessible as yours.”
What. The. Fuck.
“Are we talking about a foot and ankle situation, or…” I couldn’t help but drag my eyes along her skin, looking for any hint of ink and cataloguing all the parts of her that were covered.
Again, Cleo blushed. “Definitely or.”
And there went my dick, rising from half-mast to fully stiff.
Honestly, how was I supposed to make it back to my mom and dad like this?
Talk about freaking awkward. This was horrible.
All I could do was wonder where it was, what it looked like, and how she would shiver if I ran my tongue along the inked lines.
Christ. Get it together, Grady. You can’t be out here lusting after your ex-girlfriend like this. Especially when you haven’t seen or talked to her in over four years.
No matter what I told myself, it didn’t work.
It’d been too damn long since I had a woman in my bed.
After the breakup, I’d drowned myself in anything that could numb the pain, even if only for a moment or two.
It wasn’t until Liv told me that shit was going to get me a one-way ticket to a fatherhood that I straightened my shit out.
I still had company from time to time, but I was much more careful with my choices and made sure no matter what… I never had a one-night stand while on tour.
“Okay, fuck it,” I said, taking a breath and lifting the hem of my shirt to reveal the artwork along my ribs. It was of two birds, one perched alone in a cage while the other took flight. Flowers bloomed along the vines coiled around the bars while the trapped bird sang its mournful lament.
It was the story of us. While most people would likely think of me as the one running away, I was, in fact, the one trapped because a life without her love was no life at all.
Cleo reached out the lines, and I held my breath, scared I would spook her if I moved at all. When she finished, she looked up at me through thick lashes. I expected her to pull away, but she didn’t. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” I said, a little hoarse, letting my shirt fall. “So, a deal’s a deal. Let’s see yours now.”
She straightened up, fidgeting with her the drink in her hands. “Can I see you again?”
“Is it a requirement of the deal? Don’t you have a picture?” Not that I was opposed to the idea of seeing her again. In fact, I wanted to. And then I wanted to trace her own tattoo, just as she had mine. I wanted her to feel the torture of having me trace her skin and not be able to act on it.
Cleo smiled, but it was a nervous smile. “No, it’s just I really think I want to see you again. It’s been so long,” she looked down, biting her lip, “and this has been really nice.”
“Just nice?”
“More than nice,” she murmured. “So, say yes. Say I can see you again, and—”
Just then, a tall man in jeans and a polo came up and draped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her to his side. He looked about our age, maybe a year or two older, with dark brown hair tucked beneath a Black Springs Ranch ball cap. “Thought I lost you.”
“No, sorry. I got caught up talking to an old friend,” she said, stumbling over the last word.
“Thomas, this is Grady. Grady, meet Thomas.” I could see how much he wanted her by the way he looked me up and down, like I was his competition, and he needed to squash me.
“Thomas is visiting this weekend from Austin.”
“Grady, huh?” he said, sticking out his other hand for a shake. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Was this her new boyfriend? Jesus, what a douche. What the hell did she see in him? “Thomas, was it?” I asked, squeezing his hand. “Funny. I can’t say the same about you. How are you liking Ashwood?”
Thomas snapped his mouth shut, grinding his molars together before finally speaking. “It’s been great. I love small towns like this. Reminds me of home back in Montana. And Cleo’s parents have been so accommodating. Ruby and Doug have been great hosts.”
Not only did he have his arm around her, but he was also staying at her place? At the ranch?
“That’s great,” I replied.
Silence stretched before Cleo pried herself from under his grip. “Is your phone number still the same?” she asked.
I nodded once, keeping my gaze locked on hers.
Even though no words were spoken, no promises uttered, I still felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.
And it was my own fault. I had no one to blame but myself, because I was delusional enough to think maybe her wanting to meet up meant we would eventually get back together.
It had been a shit week on top of this, so I knew I was being irrational, but my mom had fucking cancer, and Cleo had a fucking boyfriend.
I had what? A music career. Sure, it was great and all, but nothing was promised.
Not even the big contract with Hartstrings.
There were always better artists out there.
Even if I met every parameter Liv’s uncle wanted to see, there was always better talent out there.
Someone could come in and blow them away, more than I ever could, and then where would I be?
“Well, I probably better get new drinks. I’m sure Mom is wondering where I’ve been.” I pointed behind me to the concession stand. “It was good seeing you,” I mumbled.