“Why?” Archibald takes his card back.
Yeah,why? Why has Cash been staying with Wilder when he could have been living in the Allred Mansionalone?
“I'm not taking any more handouts from you,” Cash states flatly. “You can also stop texting me about the truck. I'm not driving it.”
Wilder lets out a frustrated breath and mumbles, “What the fuck?”
“Here's your receipt.” Cash refuses to meet his dad's stare as he pushes the paper into his open palm.
“I'll see you around, son.” Archibald sighs heavily. He doesn't bother saying goodbye toWilder and me before pushing open the door of Vance's Handyman Shop and leaving.
“Explain yourself,” Wilder snaps, glaring at Cash.
Cash crosses his arms over his chest. “Explain what?”
“You've had your house to yourself all year and you've been... you've been...”
“Cock blocking you?” Cash gives him a shit-eating grin. “How's it feel, bestie?”
I grab Wilder's arm before he has a chance to deck Cash with a punch.
“There are people around,” I say quietly to Wilder.
“I. Don't. Care.”
That’s blatantly obvious.
And here I thought Isla was my biggest problem this morning.
Chapter Five
The Collateral Damage
Wilder
Cash stands in front of us, his narrowing eyes daring me to punch him.
I don't even recognize my best friend anymore. The guy who offered Mom and me a safe place to stay when Dad left. The guy who defended our friendship every time someone commented on it. Every time Fanny turned her nose up at me. Every time his rich country club friends made fun of me.
He defended me.
Cash has always used his words to deal a blow. Me? I've always thrown around punches.
We're nothing alike, but that's why we're such good friends. He's rigid and uptight. I'm laid-back. We balance each other out.
We used to, anyway.
You've had your house to yourself all year and you've been... you've been...
Cock blocking you. How's it feel, bestie?
I want to slam his spoiled, giant ass head against the counter. But there's something about the way he says it that gives me pause.
Bestie?
That's not a term in his vernacular. If it was, he'd have said it at least once in the past. He's never said it. Not ever.
I know Cash. I've known him for the past fifteen years. We've shared everything.
