Page 26 of A Country Kind Of Love

The rainfall intensifies. A solitary tear rolls down her cheek. Peyton wipes it away avoiding all eye contact with Cleo.

How embarrassing.You’rebeing soft.

Cleo instinctively reaches her arm around Peyton. She shuffles in closer welcoming the intimacy.

“Is my dancing that bad?” Cleo chuckles.

“No.” Peyton sniffles.

“We don’t have to talk about it, but if you want to, I’m all ears,” Cleo says. She brushes away the wet hair that covers Peyton’s left eye.

“I just miss her.”

“Your mom?”

Peyton nods. “Yeah.”

“Everyone probably told you it’d get easier, didn’t they?”

Peytonnods again.

“It doesn’t. Well, we learn to control the grief better, but the memories get you right where it hurts.”

Cleo understands. She’s lost someone too. Peyton sits up and turns towards her, eyebrow raised and eyessympathetic.

“My twin sister.”Cleo sighs.

“Oh god. I’m so sorry.”

She holds up her hand. “It’s okay, honestly. I just want you to know that I get it.” She smiles softly.

Peyton sinks back into her arms and spends the next ten minutes enjoying Cleo’s company. Eventually, the static like sound stops, the noise lessens to a clink, the sun returns, and the traces of rain start to evaporate, but the clouds in the distance promise round two.

“We should get back.” Peyton grimaces.

?

The wind roars; it’s power slams the door shut behind them. Luckily, Jesse isn’t home. A last-minute gig with his band puts him in his truck on the way to Memphis. Deep thunder rumbles in the distance. The rain starts again. It lashes hard against the windows. Peyton loves the sound of rain. She always has, but the crash of thunder still makes her whole body vibrate with fear. She heads to the bathroom and returns withtwo towels.

“Thank you.” Cleo rubs the towel through her hair, along the back of her neck, and down the lengthof her arms.

How is that so sexy?

Peyton shakes her head.

Then Cleo removesher T-shirt.

Peyton’s eyes grow wide.

That’sjust unfair.

“You okay?”Cleo laughs.

“Huh? Oh yeah, sorry. Daydreaming.” She shrugs. More like staring at the extremely attractive, half naked, guitar playing, dripping wet woman in herliving room.

“About me?”Cleo smirks.

“Maybe.” Peyton covers her face with the towel to wipe away the raindrops falling from her hairline, but also to hide her cheeks that will glow like hot lava if she tries to be any moreflirtatious.