Cash exits the bathroom and looks at me.
“What are you doing?” he whisper-yells, his damp blond hair caked to his forehead.
“Nothing,” I lie as I cross my arms over my chest and head back to my duffel bag. Not good enough, Ingrid. Think of a better lie!
“Just trying to find an outlet to plug in my phone,” I decide on.
Cash shrugs. “Well, you don’t have to be weird about it.”
I snap my fingers. “Right.”
“You want to check out the pool?” Cash suggests.
I swallow hard as I glance over at Wilder. He’s passed out. I don’t even think an earthquake would wake him.
“Um… yeah. Sure.”
I grab my phone and slide it into my back pocket as Cash grabs a hotel room key card off the desk.
When we reach the door, I look back at Wilder.
“He’ll be fine,” Cash whispers. “He needs to rest.”
I nod. “Yeah, you’re right.”
The small hotel pool is filled with people as we climb down a set of concrete stairs.
The muggy Texas heat clings to my skin as the late summer sun dips lower on the horizon.
Cash opens the black-iron fence gate and I slip through it, ignoring the pang of awkwardness that flashes between us.
Five years ago, I couldn’t imagine a life without Cash being the center of it. I lived and breathed Cash Allred like everything depended on it. And sometimes, I think he needed me more than he liked me.
He liked that I thought the sun rose and set every time he showed up.
I probably would have liked that, too.
And now?
Now, I wonder how much longer Cash will stick around. At some point, he’s either going to get tired of Wilder and I’s relationship taking center stage—or he’ll suck it up.
Which is why him meeting Britta is such a big deal.
Cash has spent his whole life sharing people.
His dad. His mom. Even Wilder.
Having something of his own might be good for him.
“Is here good?” Cash asks as he points to two empty chairs.
“Yeah,” I reply, clearing my throat.
Cash and I haven’t been alone together since we were searching Fanny Allred’s home office for proof that she framed Jason and got him fired.
We’ve never even talked about it.
We should, right?
