Page 88 of Our Chaotic Love Affair

“When we get stateside, I’ll manage the press. We’ll do a slow transition out of the engagement. Make it look natural. No scandal, no drama. You won’t have to lift a finger.”

“I won’t have to—” She laughed, sounding nothing like her usual self. “Cash, this affects me too. This is my life you’re talking about managing.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? Because right now you sound like you’re presenting a business plan, not talking to someone who just got dragged into a very public lie.”

She was right. I knew she was right. But I didn’t know how else to be. It was a problem to be solved. A crisis to be managed.

“Cleo, this is going to be fine. I’ll handle it. Eat. Unless you want something else.”

“I need to shower.” She grabbed her coffee and headed for her room. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“Cleo.”

She paused in the doorway, not looking back.

“It’s going to be fine,” I said.

“Is it?” She did turn then. She didn’t look like herself. There was fear. Maybe regret and sadness. “Because from where I’m standing, Cash, nothing about this feels fine.”

She closed the door. I had dragged her into my mess. I’d be fine. I would recover from a minor scandal. Cleo would forever be known as the girl that was engaged to Cash Bancroft but didn’t close the deal. They’d blame her. Find fault with her.

I had a meeting with Rossi in three hours. Cleo had a shopping trip planned. Tomorrow we’d fly home. And somehow, between now and then, I needed to figure out how to fix this.

I needed to protect her from the fallout while keeping my family’s name intact.

And while doing all that, I had to figure out how to want her less.

CHAPTER 30

CLEO

Iwas alone in Rome and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I was used to doing stuff on my own, but over the last couple of days, Cash had spoiled me. He’d been my travel companion, pseudo-boyfriend, and buddy.

Technically, he was still spoiling me. I did have his credit card with total access. But still. I missed Lurch.

Cash had left for his meeting with Rossi an hour ago, all pressed suit and tight jaw. He’d been in CEO mode. All business. No smiles. No jokes. Nothing. It felt like he was a thousand miles away even when he was standing right in front of me. He’d told me to enjoy my shopping trip. Had handed me a black card without ceremony. And that was that.

No kiss goodbye. No lingering look. Nothing.

It was exactly what I’d asked for yesterday. But it still sucked. I knew why. Obviously. People back home thought we were engaged. When we were in Rome roleplaying, it wasn’t a big deal. No one was going to know or say anything. Back home it was a different story. People in his circle were going to look at me and laugh. Not laugh, like haha and point fingers, but laugh at him for choosing someone like me. I didn’t fit the mold.

I wasn’t going to feel bad about it. Their opinions didn’t matter. But it was just a little intense to think I would be linked with him. I pushed that thought back down. I wasn’t going to get worked up about what might happen. What people might say or think.

I was in Rome with a black card and I was going to use it. I wasn’t going to feel even a little guilty about spending his money. It was part of our arrangement. And now that I knew people were going to be paying attention, I wanted to look the part of a Bancroft fiancée. Maybe not the exact type, but something close.

And that meant I needed clothes.

I walked down Via del Corso trying to shake off the weird hollow feeling in my chest. The morning had been so strange. Cash had been different. Not the man who’d danced with me in the courtyard, not the one who’d laughed until his sides hurt over my hamster story. He’d been the Cash from the Hamptons. Rigid. Controlled. Untouchable.

I didn’t like it. But I also didn’t get to have an opinion about it, did I? I’d drawn the line. He was respecting it. This was what I wanted.

Right?

I stopped in front of a boutique with the most gorgeous window display I’d seen all day. The mannequins wore flowing dresses in jewel tones. Emerald, sapphire, amethyst. Real silk, from the look of it. The kind of clothes that cost more than my rent. But they spoke to me. They were begging me to buy them.

And I could absolutely afford them right now, courtesy of Cash’s credit card.