I frown.
“But,” he continues. “When I figure it out, I promise you’ll be the first person I tell.”
I nod. “I’ve been selfish like Isla,” I admit. “I want to live with you because I want to be alone with you, but I also want to get away from my family. That’s not fair to you, and I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Wilder reassures me. “It’s not selfish to want things, Ingrid. It’s not even selfish to verbalize them or ask the person you love to make your life easier. I want to do that for you, but I also want to be smart about it. I want a long life with you, Blondie. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure we live a comfortable one.”
I smile. “But is that what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Does this long, comfortable life include you chasing your dreams?”
He shrugs. “If there’s a way to go to NYU, we’ll figure it out. I’m not going to stress out about it. And I don’t want you to either.”
“Okay,” I say to him.
“I know you think I’m giving up something for you, but I’m not.”
I’m not sure I believe him, but I let it go.
We’re so close to our last bucket list item.
I want to enjoy it before we head home to… whatever is waiting for us.
“Come on,” I say to him. “Let’s go swim in the Pacific Ocean.”
“Your chariot awaits, Blondie,” he jests as he opens the car door.
I slide into the backseat as Cash twists to face me.
“GPS says we’re thirty-nine minutes away,” he tells me. “We’re almost there.”
We are.
The Pacific Ocean doesn’t look anything like I thought it would. It’s bright and sunny—albeit a little hazy—and there’s even a sailboat floating off shore.
We made it.
We actually made it here.
In one piece.
“Have you ever seen anything so… vast?” Cash asks us as he stands in awe beside Wilder.
“Never,” Wilder returns.
“Or anything so refreshing?” he adds.
“Nope,” Wilder answers.
“Race you!” Cash hollers, then he takes off running, his feet kicking up sand.
Wilder and I watch him go.
“You think he realizes his cell phone is in his pocket?” I say.
Wilder chuckles. “I don’t think so.”
