I wrap my arms around his neck, his body warm and solid against mine.
“If you wanted to go somewhere—anywhere—I would go, Wilder.”
He looks torn.And I can’t quite figure out why.
“You two done making out yet?” Cash interrupts and I see Wilder’s face rearrange into something a lot like disappointment.
“We weren’t making out,” I say as I turn to face Cash.
He watches me closely. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Wilder and I say at the same time.
“Did you find any crazy flavors?” I ask, changing the subject.
Cash gives us a shit-eating grin. “I did.”
Then, he holds up a glass bottle. Buffalo Wing Sauce soda. Ew.
I scrunch my nose. “That looks disgusting.”
“We’re all going to try it,” he informs us. “Now, what did you two find?”
Wilder holds up our best find. “Chocolate-Covered, Maple-Smoked Bacon.”
“That’s not gross enough,” Cash triumphantly decides.
“We also found peanut butter and jelly,” I tell him.
“I win,” he says.
Wilder and I share a look.
The thing about Cash is that he’s an only child. Well, technically, he’s not. He has a half-sister. Maybe two. Who knows.
The point is, he was spoiled. Wilder and I know it. So, we’ve always sort of just let him have his way.
And this is one of those situations where it’s just easier to agree with him.
Wait. I think they call that character growth.
Right?
We pay, then take our sodas to the car. Once we’re there, I pop open the hood and we all sit on the edge of my car, me in the middle.
Then, we take turns trying all the weird flavors.
We laugh. We talk. The sun lowers in the sky.
And for once, no one fights.
I wish this could last forever. I wish Wilder and Cash could get along no matter what happens. I wish Cash and I could figure things out. That we could peacefully co-exist as the two most important people in Wilder’s life—even if we share a rough past.
History.
It’s hard to outrun when the only two boys I’ve ever loved are sitting on either side of me.
And they’re both hiding a secret from me.
