Chapter 30 Grady
grady
. . .
My text thread with Cleo was unnervingly silent, save for the few messages I’d sent with no response. It wasn’t until I asked her what time I should bring Charlie by on Monday morning that she sent a single text.
Cleo
9:00 a.m.
For the past two days, our interactions had been limited. I’d drop Charlie off in the morning, sometimes lingering, much to her dismay, and then I’d pick her up later. Cleo didn’t say much, and while she hadn’t entirely shut me out, she wasn’t exactly forthcoming either.
When I asked Lennox if Cleo was okay, she assured me she was. I didn’t know if I really believed it or if it was just something I was being told, so I didn’t barge through the door and beg her to talk to me.
As much as I wanted to push her for more, I didn’t.
I couldn’t. She was struggling to come to terms with everything, with us.
While I was determined to prove to her I was the man she needed, the one she deserved, I knew better than to push right now.
If I did it too much, she would shut down entirely, and I refused to let that happen.
Not when I was finally seeing her open up.
I played our kiss on repeat all weekend, lying alone in bed or in the shower as I fisted my cock.
It didn’t take long for me to come, not when I remembered the soft little moan that’d left her lips when our mouths touched, or the way she struggled to keep control of her body as I pressed against her.
I didn’t know how long it’d been for her, but it’d just been me and my hand for far longer than I cared to admit.
I hadn’t touched another woman since Liv and I got together one drunken night.
We both woke up after, feeling the mistake between us, but never admitting it out loud.
Especially not when it ended up giving us the greatest gift neither of us expected.
While I didn’t want to be too presumptuous, I knew well enough the first time I claimed Cleo’s body again, I was going to make sure she was entirely satisfied before I ever tried to get my own. If not, it was going to be over far quicker than either of us wanted.
“Daddy, Daddy! Wake up! It’s time to go to Miss Cleo’s for lessons.” Charlie came running through my door and pounced on my bed. “Come on! Get out of bed.”
“Someone’s eager,” I said, laughing. “Haven’t you ever heard of sleeping in?”
She sat back on her heels, looking at me like I had lost my mind. I mean, I had, but she didn’t know that. “Sleeping in is for old people.”
“Ouch. My god, kid. You’re going to kill someone with that honesty one day.”
“I’m not trying to kill you, Daddy,” she whined, leaning forward. Her stuffed rabbit was squashed beneath her palm. “I just want you to get up so we can go see Miss Cleo.”
I stared at my daughter, the way her little hands twitched in my sheets, and the pout on her face. Something about her words gave me pause. “Are you excited to see Miss Cleo or ride horses?”
Charlie blushed. “Can it be both?”
“It can,” I said, opening my arms. She crawled over to me and settled against my chest. “Do you like Miss Cleo?”
My daughter turned and looked up at me. “Duh, Daddy. I love her.”
“That’s a big word, you know,” I murmured. “Love isn’t something you should throw around without meaning it.”
Charlie was silent, but I could hear the gears turning in her mind. “But you love her, don’t you, Daddy?”
I realized I was at a crossroads. I could either tell my daughter the truth or I could lie. But I’d always told her how important it was to speak honestly, and what would lying do other than eventually show her I didn’t practice what I preached?
“I do,” I said, hugging her tighter. “Is that okay with you?”
She nodded, but I could feel her holding back. “If you love her, does that mean I can love her, too?”
“Oh, sweetie, of course you can. You can love anyone you want, but especially Miss Cleo.”
“D-Do you think she loves us, too? Like, both of us?”
My sweet girl was breaking my heart. I didn’t know why. She was loved, so very loved, by Liv and me. Even if we hadn’t fully explained to her what it would mean to be divorced, she was a smart kid. I knew she was picking up on the changes that were about to happen.
“How could she not? You’re the best girl around.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Miss Cleo… Well, she’s been hurt by love before, so we’ve got to help show her it’s okay.”
Charlie nodded against my chest, burrowing in so deeply before bursting from my arms. “Can we bring her breakfast, Daddy? I know she likes cinnamon rolls. Can we bring her cinnamon rolls?”
Just like that, the heavy moment was gone, with nothing but Charlie’s bright, innocent smile filling my heart with happiness. “Yeah, sweet girl. We can do that.”
By the time we made it out to the ranch, box of cinnamon rolls in tow, it was a bit later than we normally showed up. I didn’t think it’d matter, especially since we had a box of her favorite treats in tow.
I pulled up and put my vehicle into park as Charlie clambered to unbuckle herself from her booster seat.
I’d taken to driving the old truck as my daily now.
There was something comforting about the familiarity of it.
Plus, I wouldn’t lie and say I didn’t like how it’d felt when Cleo saw me rolling up in it last week.
“Hold on, baby girl. Give me a second to help you,” I laughed, getting out and walking around to open the passenger door for my daughter.
She hopped down with the white box in tow.
Part of it was crushed beneath her fingers, and I wondered if there would be anything salvageable inside.
I’d been smelling them for the past thirty minutes and would be a little heartbroken if they didn’t survive.
“Lennox!” Charlie shouted, running toward the woman standing at the entrance of the barn.
Lennox met her with a smile, opening her arms wide for Charlie to throw herself into. “What’s up, wild child? Whatcha got there?”
“Well, I asked Daddy if we could stop for cinnamon rolls, and he said yes, but we had to get enough for everyone.” She held up the box, shaking it slightly. “So, here they are!”
Lennox laughed, taking the goodies from Charlie’s hand. “That was so thoughtful, Charlie! I’ll make sure Miss Cleo gets one before the rest of these rowdy boys dig in.”
“Where is she?” Charlie asked, pulling back. “Is she okay?”
I walked up, catching the last bit of their conversation. “What’s happening?” I looked at Lennox. “Everything alright?”
She nodded and smiled, but it didn’t feel like the truth. “Yeah, she’s fine. Cleo is out sick today, so I’m going to fill in for her. That sound okay with you?”
Charlie looked back at me before shrugging her shoulders. “Guess so. You’ll make sure she gets the breakfast I brought her?”
Lennox held up her hand. “I swear. I’ll take it to her right now.”
“Can I come?” she asked.
Lennox winced. “We don’t want you getting sick, sunshine. Why don’t you stay out here with your dad while I take them to her?”
“Or I could do it,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m not really worried about getting sick.”
“That’s not necessary. I said I would do it,” she said between clenched teeth. “I’ll be right back.”
With that, she jogged toward the house and slipped inside. I watched her, waiting for any sign Cleo was watching us, but found none. A few minutes passed before Lennox came out with a forced smile. “How’s she feeling?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the house.
“Well, she’s grateful for the cinnamon rolls, I can tell you that much!” Lennox said, ruffling Charlie’s hair. “She wanted me to tell you thank you. Both of you,” she added, looking my way.
I didn’t like this at all. It felt like Lennox and Cleo were both hiding something from me, but I had no proof.
Was it all over that stupid kiss? I knew I should’ve told her to stop, to make sure she was really ready to take that step, but it felt too good.
I couldn’t help but be swept up into such a perfect and simple moment with her.
Friday night had felt like being a teenager again. There we were, up against my old truck beneath the moonlight, stealing kisses and praying for more time. Except it had all come crashing down like someone had taken a wrecking ball and destroyed whatever facade we’d built.
“You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?” I asked, stepping closer to Lennox. “If I did something—”
“Chill out, Romeo. It’s not that deep. Cleo’s just,” she sighed, scratching the back of her neck. “She’s working through some shit right now and needs some space. She’ll come around, I promise. Just not today. Probably not tomorrow either, if I’m honest.”
“Am I fucking this up before it’s even begun again?” I asked.
Lennox’s eyes softened. “You’re not. Keep doing what you’re doing. Just don’t push her too hard the next few days, okay? I’d tell you if you were overstepping.” She reached out and squeezed my hand. “I promise.”
“Alright,” I said, defeated. “Just tell her I’ll be here waiting for her.” When Lennox looked concerned about possible stalkerish tendencies, I added, “Not here, here. Just in general.”
“I was worried there for a second,” she joked. “Thought I might actually have to make use of all my threats.”
“Your threats?”
She smiled, but there was something slightly sinister about it. “Yeah, I keep telling everyone the ranch is an excellent place to dispose of a body, but so far I haven’t been able to test the theory.”
I raised my brows. “You sure my daughter’s safe in your company?”
“Oh yeah, she’s fine. You’re the one on thin ice, so you better not fuck it up.”