Page 8 of Intolerable Bishop

Ren pushed away from the island and joined me at the door. With a quick flick of the lock, it released, and she pulled it open. Obliging, I stepped outside and waited for the bitching to start, but instead, she wandered over to the patio chairs we cleaned earlier and sat down.

I moved to sit down beside her and looked up at the stars. It was a gorgeous, clear night, and even though it was a little cool, it wasn’t cold. I found it refreshing.

“I’m sorry,” I said, and I felt her turn her head and look at me. “I know I’ve been bristly about coming here.”

“I know you don’t want to be here, Theo. You never tried to hide your displeasure with being ordered to spend time with me. But I guess I don’t understand why you’re being so mean to Ivy. I don’t really care about myself. If you want to bitch at me or whatever, then fine, but she’s going through a tough time, and she’s trying really hard to fit in. Could you cut her a little slack?”

My head rolled to the side, and I met Ren’s silvery eyes that took on a ghostly effect in the dark. “It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you or the guys or hell, even Ivy, although I do find her extra all the time.” Taking off my glasses, I tossed them on the patio table. “I’m not great with change. I know, shocking, right?” Ren giggled, making me smile. “I had things I planned to do this summer, and it’s not the end of the world, but….”

“You aren’t great with change,” she finished for me.

“Exactly.”

She pointed at the glasses on the table. “Do you always treat your glasses like that?”

Chuckling, I looked at her, and she blinked as her eyes roamed over my face. I knew what she was doing. She was trying to wrap her head around how similar Blake and I actually were. I bit my lip like he would. This was a favorite pastime of mine when we were younger. Messing with teachers, friends, and strangers was a blast until it became annoying being called Blake or the other way around.

“I’ll tell you a secret,” I said, leaning in like I was going to let her in on something classified. Ren’s face didn’t give anything away, but the goosebumps on her arms told me I was screwing with her senses. I crooked my finger at her, and she nibbled on her bottom lip, which I hated to admit was sexy. She got close enough that I could whisper in her ear. “You promise not to say anything,” I asked, purposely blowing a soft stream of air onto her neck to make her shiver.

“Yeah…um…I mean, yes,” she stuttered, making me smile.

“I don’t need them. I just like to wear them so that I don’t get called Blake. It gets a little awkward during sex,” I said and pulled back enough that I could watch her face flame a bright red. I winked like my brother would, and she squirmed in her seat.

“Oh,” she said, our lips inches away from one another.

Smirking, I sat back and resumed staring up at the stars. It took a lot of willpower not to chuckle as Ren composed herself. I could see the appeal and why Blake and Myles had taken to her so quickly. She cleared her throat and stood, and I wasn’t even sure why, but I reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Stay a little longer. It’s nice out here,” I said.

“Are you going to stop messing with me? And don’t even bother trying to deny it. I know what you’re doing.” That comment made me smile, and I glanced up at her. “See, I don’t even know if that’s you now or you pretending to be Blake. Bloody twins,” she grumbled.

Bursting out laughing, I leaned forward, grabbed my glasses, and held them up. “Now you know why I wear these. We actually have a ton of the same mannerisms, but I’ve worked at changing mine so people can tell us apart.”

Ren sat down as I slipped the glasses back on. “That must be tough to keep up. Seems like you both are wearing masks.”

I shrugged. “It used to be, but now this overly uptight pain in the ass that you see is really me.”

“I don’t see you that way. Competitive, sure, but I like to be pushed, and your jabs are shockingly helpful at keeping me motivated to be the best.”

“We both know that’s not going to happen. Nice try with the bonus questions,” I said, and she laughed.

“Admit it, I had you going.”

“Yeah, you did. Made me go in and ask about them. Mr. Sharpe looked at me like I’d lost my mind.” Still smiling, she leaned forward and rested her arms on her knees. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded and then waved at her eyes, blinking away tears. “Stupid tears. I wish I’d never cried. Now it feels like that’s all I do.” If I was a painter, I would paint her in this moment. The moon made everything about her glow. From the silvery strands of her hair, cascading forward to hide part of her face, to the white hoodie. Ren looked ethereal, elven even. She would slay if she ever wanted to cosplay.

“Just tell me. What’s up.”

“I just know my mum would’ve loved to meet all of you. And then I feel so stupid because it seems like all I do anymore is think, wow, Mum would be so proud, or Mum would’ve killed Axel or, or, or.” She shook her head and ran her hands through her hair. “I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever stop doing that.”

“Maybe you never should,” I said, and her pain filled eyes lifted to mine. I shrugged. “Who gives a fuck how fast or slow you heal over something tragic happening in your life. If it takes you two weeks…no judgment. If it takes you two years…same. Heal at your own pace, and if anyone hassles you over your grief, then they weren’t a friend in the first place.” She opened her mouth, and I knew something mushy was going to come out, so I held up my finger to stop her. “Don’t say something all Canadian, like thank you or sorry. Gross. Being polite. Yuck.” Ren’s eyes lit up with the teasing. “And I will be more patient with Ivy.”

Ren stood and laid her hand on my shoulder. I smirked as she didn’t say thank you and walked back into the house. I watched her go and then closed my eyes and settled into the incredibly comfortable chair.

I needed to come to terms with the fact that for the next four weeks, I was stuck here and had to make the most of it. Pulling out my phone, I shot Liam a text.

T: Hey, how’s it going?