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Chapter Nine
Rayne
“This house is amazing. Thank you for inviting me, Rayne.” Chelsea walked around Bishop and Edison’s spacious backyard with her arm looped through his. “I was so bored at home, and your friends seem so nice.”
“Well. They’re not really my friends,” Rayne clarified. “Bishop is Trent’s brother, and Wood is his best friend. They were locked up together for a long time, and Edison is Bishop’s partner. I guess Wood and Trent felt bad leaving me home on a Friday night and asked if I wanted to come.”
“Your roommates seem great, babe.”
Rayne inhaled a long breath and released it as he turned them toward a huge weeping willow tree that had to be centuries old. The arching branches were so long they dragged on the ground. Chelsea parted the soft leaves like a curtain and stepped inside.
“Wow. I’ve never seen a tree this beautiful.” She pointed to a thick patch of dark green grass. “I’d lay a blanket right there and just nap and read, then nap some more. Maybe even do some yoga. I bet it has great shade during the day.”
Rayne admitted he was fascinated by the outdoor wonderland himself. It was breathtaking all lit up with lights. And just as Chelsea said, it was an amazing place to sit and meditate amongst nature. Rayne would love to have a garden this nice for himself. After taking little things for granted for so long, he could now appreciate something as simple as a backyard dinner surrounded by blooming spring flowers. “So I heard that Bishop is some kind of landscape design genius. He can draw really well and even gives Wood designs for his tattoos.”
“You don’t say,” Chelsea hummed, glancing up into the towering tree branches. “Well, I’m impressed. You see garden art all the time, in front of buildings and at parks. And we think they just grew that way,” she laughed lightly. “I like Bishop. He seems like a good guy.”
“Did I tell you that he was Mike’s son?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Yes you did… twice already.”
“Oh.” Rayne pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t stop his mind from shifting back to Bishop. Ever since he’d greeted them at the front door, Rayne had been at a loss for words. Why in the hell does he look like that?
Chelsea turned to watch him as he fidgeted with the tiger’s-eye beads on his bracelet. Her bright red hair was up in a messy bun that was made to appear tousled on purpose. She was dressed casually in a light pink jogging suit and little makeup. “Bishop is fine as hell… I mean, if I swung that way, I’d consider being his side piece. All those muscles everywhere, and he’s got that bad-boy vibe you gay guys love so much.”
Rain snorted. “Shut up. We all don’t have the same type. Besides, I don’t even know what my type is?”
“First of all, that guy is everyone’s type. So, be honest. Are you attracted to him? Is that what’s making you uncomfortable?”
“No. I’m not. Not like—”
“Is it Edison?”
“No.” Rayne groaned. “He’s handsome, too, and really sweet. But no.”
“Well, it’s something.” Chelsea made a thoughtful expression. “At breakfast yesterday, you hinted that there might be someone you’re interested in asking out, but I had to take that emergency call and leave. Who is he? Is he here?”
“No.”
“Jesus. Just tell me already.”
“Bishop looks like his dad, all right?” Rayne whispered through clenched teeth, though he doubted Wood, Trent, and Bishop could hear him from where they stood on the patio in Edison’s backyard kitchen.
“Okay.” She dragged out the last syllable.
Rayne squeezed his eyes shut, unable to believe he was about to say this out loud. “And… he might be the one I have a slight crush on.”
“Oh.” Her tone revealed her skepticism. “Are you being serious? You like Bishop’s father. How do you know him?”
“Don’t say father like he’s some gray-haired guy who eats breakfast at Denny’s every morning and has handicapped license plates.”
Chelsea’s dyed eyebrows rose almost to her hairline. “Well. Bishop looks how old… early thirties? So that must mean his fath—oops, sorry. His daddy… has gotta be at least in his mid-to-late fifties.”
Rayne sucked his teeth. No way was Mike that old… Is he? He sure didn’t look it.
“Oh my gosh. If you could see the expression on your face,” Chelsea laughed, and Rayne swatted her hand to shush her.
“He’s our landlord, okay, and yes, I found out that he’s Bishop’s dad.” Rayne was starting to pace behind the safe confines of the willow’s weeping branches. “Bishop and his dad moved out of the trailer a little before Trent and Wood moved in. Now Mike rents it to them. Or, um… us.”
