It was the same when we were alone.
He started cooking dinner nearly every night, which wasgreat. I didn’t know he was such a good cook, but every single meal was incredibly healthy. They were filled with lean meats, protein, and vegetables. It was great, but honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever seen Bishop willingly eat a vegetable besides family dinners. Even then, it was mainly a potato and the occasional broccoli floret.
I mean, he had the nerve to side-eye me when I brought a bottle of wine with me a few nights ago and asked if I should be drinking that. My only response was to pour a glass and keep eye contact as I took a sip.
It didn’t matter how many times I’d asked him what was wrong or told him he was being weird, he wouldn’t say a damn word. Not even as he and Lincoln had headed into town this morning on what the latter described as, and I quote, a “secret mission.”
“Still pouting about your grumpy cowboy over there?” Josie asked, stepping in front of me to block my view.
“Maybe. Though, you make a better door than a window,” I grumbled.
“Thought so,” she said, kicking my boot. “Scoot over.”
I opened my arm, letting my sister slide beneath the blanket wrapped around my shoulders. Dad decided to do family dinner differently tonight by building a bonfire and roasting hotdogs over the open flame. We’d found these chicken sausages that were approved by his doctor, so he didn’t have to feel too left out. But it was chilly this evening, and we were all bundled up tight and huddled around the fire.
“Is he still being weird?” she asked, burrowing into my side.
“Yup,” I said. “And he won’t tell me why. It’s like saying that we love one another changed everything. Now he’s eating chicken and salad instead of steak and potatoes. It’s freaking weird. And that’s the first beer he’s had all week!”
“Do you think it’s the age thing? Maybe he’s trying to make sure he can keep up with you.”
I turned toward her, rolling my eyes as she fought to keep a straight face. She’d been teasing me about our age gap every chance she got. Usually, I wouldn’t even mind the ribbing, but with him acting so weird, it wasn’t very appreciative.
“Alright, I kid!” she said, elbowing me in the ribs.
I wrapped my portion of the blanket tighter around me. “Well, I don’t find it funny.”
“Yes, you do. Maybe not right now, but you’ll laugh at my puns again once all this blows over.”
“What if it doesn’t blow over, though? What if something got into his head, and he’s changed his mind? He seemed so eager to tell our big secret. Even made sure I knew he didn’t want to hide anymore, but now he’s back to being weird about it. The other day, I asked him when he wanted to do it, and he just mumbled something about him not being ready and then went back to looking at his phone.”
“Alright… That’s concerning.”
“Thank you!” I said a little too loud. Bishop’s head jerked my way, eyes blazing a trail over my skin like he was trying to see if I was okay. I focused my attention on him, silently begging him to come over and sit with me, but he didn’t move. “See what I’m talking about? What’s the point of even being in a relationship if we’re not going to act like it?”
Josie pursed her lips. “Bishop isn’t used to this, though, Len. He’s not the flashy, in-your-face kind of guy.”
“That doesn’t give him any right not to tell me what’s happening.”
“Touché,” she said in total surrender. “But if you’ll let me play devil’s advocate for a second?—”
“You always do,” I muttered.
Josie didn’t miss a beat. “I’ve been in his shoes before. He probably thinks whatever he’s doing is best for you guys. I’m sure he doesn’t mean anything by it.”
“How are we supposed to work if Bishop won’t talk to me?”
She nudged my shoulder. “You do what you do best. You be your infuriatingly pushy self. Sometimes, it has its perks.”
“I don’t want to scare him off. If I push him too hard, he’ll walk away.”
“He won’t,” she said quickly. “If he was going to, he would’ve already done it. You might not see it, but that man has been pining over you for years.”
I scoffed, watching Callie nudge Bishop’s boot with her nose. “He has not. It’s a new thing for him.”
“Please tell me you don’t actually believe that.” Josie laughed, patting my hand when she saw my quivering lip. “Oh, babe. No, no, no. Don’t cry. Don’t do that to me right now.”
God, I felt so emotional. I wasn’t much of a crier, but I couldn’t help myself. For the first time in my life, I had felt secure in the love of another and dared to dream of my future. It felt like it was all slipping from my fingers, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
