Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“I understand why you guys did what you did, trust me. People usually elope because of family drama, so—”
“That was exponentially more than just family drama, Rayne,” Bishop said when he came into the living room. He had on a pair of black ball shorts and no shirt, looking like a carbon copy of his father. It was a mindfuck for sure, but Rayne didn’t stare; besides, he was prouder to have the original version.
“I get it. But Bishop,”—Rayne lowered his voice, treading carefully not to overstep his bounds—“your wedding meant so much to your father. Did you ever stop and consider what eloping would do to him?”
Bishop gaped. “Do to him? It was that stranger that showed up claiming to be my mother that made me do that.”
Rayne nodded. “And somehow, Mike was punished for it.”
“I didn’t punish anyone. It’s our life; it’s supposed to be our day. When I proposed to Edison, all we ever wanted was a small, quiet ceremony and maybe a backyard dinner with family and close friends, that’s it. None of that shit we walked into yesterday. My dad should’ve known what I would do.”
“Trust me. He didn’t.” Rayne sat in Edison’s eat-in kitchen. It smelled as if they’d had pancakes and bacon for breakfast as well. “I’ve never seen him like that last night, and I don’t ever want to again.”
“You might as well get used to it.”
“Excuse me?” Rayne tried to keep the irritation out of his voice.
“If you’re going to be with Mike, Rayne, you should probably get used to his mood swings, which usually range from pissed-off to furious—there’s not usually much joking and laughing in between.”
I’m working on that. “Oh, he feels a lot more than that, Bishop, but no, he’s not a man that shows his true emotions.”
“But you see them, don’t you? He trusts you with them,” Edison said with a slight crease in the center of his forehead.
“Yes, but last night… he didn’t.” Rayne glanced back and forth between the newlyweds. “It was harder than I imagined breaking through that hurt, and by the time I did, the damage was already done.”
“Oh no.” Edison touched Bishop’s bicep. “What did we do? You know I’d never intentionally hurt your dad.”
Bishop hugged Edison to his chest. “Stop it. We did nothing to nobody. Marrying you wasn’t wrong.”
“But maybe the way we went about it—”
“No.” Bishop turned a defensive glare in Rayne’s direction. “I wasn’t about to referee Mike and that woman’s decades-long feud on our goddamn day.”
Rayne stood, feeling himself get upset that Bishop wasn’t understanding him. He’d hurt the man he loved. Maybe he should try a different approach. “Like I already said, I know why you did it. But now I’m here telling you that your decision affected someone you care about. It hurt him, Bishop. And I need you to go and tell him you’re sorry.”
“You what?” Bishop inched forward.
Rayne took his own step, feeling emboldened. When it came to Mike, he was becoming fearless. “I said, you need to go and apologize.”
“Bishop, maybe we should go over there and explain.” Edison spun the gold band around on his finger as if it was already a nervous habit. “At least check on him.”
“Mike’s a big boy. He’ll be fine in a couple days.” Bishop went into the living room and dropped his large body down on the couch and propped his bare feet up on the oak coffee table. Rayne’s head got hotter as he watched Bishop nonchalantly flip through the cable channels as if he hadn’t heard a word Rayne said. “He’s just angry… which is nothing new.”
Okay, that’s it. Rayne stormed across the carpet and snatched the remote out of Bishop’s hand, turned off the television, and threw the remote beside him. Edison’s eyes were wide as Bishop’s narrowed into slits.
“Rayne. With all due respect, this is an issue between me and my dad. I think it’d be best if you stay out of it.”
“You don’t seem to get what I’m saying, so let me tell you like this.” Rayne glared down at Bishop, his finger pointed directly at his chest. “I know you’re grown and free to live your life however you choose, but when your decisions affect the man I love, well, then I’m gonna be all up in your business.”
Bishop scrubbed his hand across his forehead as if he was frustrated. “I can’t talk to him when he’s mad anyway. I’ll give him some time to cool off.”
“He’s not angry, Bishop. This is different.” Rayne could feel the heat creeping up his neck and onto his cheeks.
“Rayne, we’re so sorry,” Edison said, and Rayne appreciated the apology, but that wasn’t what he was there for.
“I’m not asking for a sorry,” Rayne corrected.
“Then what are you asking?” Bishop stood, making Rayne have to adjust his scowl and look up.