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"Did you get lost on your way back?" Cash grumbles as I hand over the keys.
"We need to talk." I shove my hands in my pockets.
"I know," Cash glances nervously over his shoulder. "Can we do it while I drive to the police station?"
"Yeah."
Cash fiddles with the rearview mirror as I buckle my seatbelt. "What did you want to talk about?"
I swallow the fear rising in my chest. "Blondie."
"What about her?" Cash rubs his eyes before backing out of the driveway.
I'm in love with her. I'm going to keep seeing her even though you're back. I understand if you want to punch me in the face.
"You know," Cash continues before I work up the nerve to tell him the truth, "she's not the same girl I left when I went to Europe."
"I guess that's my fault," I say as I scratch the back of my neck.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Cash corrects. "I meant that she's different. She's the Ingrid I remember before we started dating. The one who didn't change to make my parents happy. She's... herself again."
Oh.
"I don't know what happened while I was gone," Cash taps his fingers on the steering wheel as he drives, "but she's better without me, isn't she?"
"I think she'd be better without both of us," I honestly answer.
"I don't think so," Cash smirks. "She needs you, Wild. I think she's always needed you."
I've needed her far more than she's needed me.
"I never meant to fall in love with her," I exhale.
"You love her?" Cash repeats.
I rub my temples with my fingers. "Yeah, Cash, I do."
"Does she love you?"
"I think so," I close my eyes and breathe through my nose. Any minute now, he's going to punch me. I peek one eye open and see him deep in thought.
"I've been thinking," Cash leans back in his seat. "I was going to leave. I was going to pack all my stuff and move to Baltimore. Ingrid and I wouldn't have lasted. Not with the distance and our demanding schedules."
"Cash," I furrow my brow, "you don't have to—"
"I'm not saying I've accepted it," he warns. "I'm just saying maybe it would have happened anyway. You and Ingrid might have found each other anyway."
"You don't have to accept it," I tread lightly, "but I'm not going to stop seeing her."
"For what it's worth," Cash's shoulders slump, "I would have loved her better in Baltimore than I loved her here."
"Because your parents wouldn't have been around?"
"Yeah," Cash sighs. "But she would have been miserable either way. When I was in Europe, I sent her a ton of messages. She never replied. She ignored me, and she was fine without me. I was fine, too, Wild. I love Ingrid, but maybe we stayed together because we didn't know there might be something better for us out there.”
"You both loved each other," I try.
"You'll take care of her?" he inhales sharply.
