Kitty motions her thumb toward us and says, “Those two are some real weirdos.”
Chapter Fourteen
RENLEY
“Look at me,” Aunt Kitty says from where she’s trying out a kayak. She’s wearing a bright red life vest, paddle in hand, and pretending to push through the water, while Rupert takes pictures of her the entire time.
Still unsure why I brought her.
Then again, imagine if I didn’t. If it was just me and Theo, I’m pretty sure I’d have parked the car on the side of the road and asked him to get out. Leotards? Guinea pigs? Favorite Taylor Swift song?
Who is this man?
And why did I agree to go on walks with him every day?
I was trying to set the precedent that when we’re around each other, we don’t have to talk, but my God, I’m not sure that helped. I think it might have made things worse.
“Should I get it?” Aunt Kitty asks.
“No,” I say, shaking my head and turning away to see Theo approaching with a pair of shoes in hand, along with some shorts, T-shirts, and socks.
He smiles at me, his arms full, looking ridiculous in his loafers and shorts. But damn it, he does have a nice smile, even though it pains me to admit that.
“Got everything I need.”
“That was quick.”
“I’m not complicated.”
“Are you sure?” I ask. “You seem pretty high maintenance.”
“How am I high maintenance?”
“For one, you brought a friend with you here.”
“Well, pardon my decision to use caution. If you were in my shoes, would you not have brought a friend with you as an extra precaution?” He lifts a brow.
“No,” I say, even though that’s a bold-faced lie. I probably would have brought two people, a can of pepper spray, and a machete, just to set a precedent.
“You’re such a liar,” he says with a laugh.
“Believe what you want to believe.”
“I will.” He takes a step closer, and I catch a whiff of his cologne, that same cologne that I was smelling in the car ride all the way here. Notes of what I can only describe as cedar and citrus. Smells annoyingly good.
“How else am I high maintenance?”
“Do I need to mention the tassel again?”
“Might not hurt.”
I shake my head and take a step back because I don’t like being that close to him. “So you have no problem talking here, but in the car, you bring up topics that would make a certified conversationalist have a mental breakdown.”
“I don’t think someone who can remain silent for a solid thirty-five minutes has any right to talk about conversation skills.”
“If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I shrug.
“Bullshit. You were being silent on purpose, admit it.”
