“His name’s Avery. He’s Gracie’s kindergarten teacher.”
“Oh! Well, I know Gracie approves! She loves Mr. Smith.”
“Gracie doesn’t know,” I said. “Nobody knows. It’s—it’s a secret. It’s not serious.”
“Those two things really don’t match up,” she said. “Which one is it?”
“It’s a secret,” I said, “and maybe more serious than I thought. It kinda started because I was curious, you know, about…” My face heated up. “About guys. So it was a no-strings kind of a thing. He’s not looking for anything serious, and neither was I, I figured.”
Cassidy hummed. “But now?”
“I like him,” I said, and my chest ached. “I really like him, Cass.”
“So what’s the problem exactly?”
“He doesn’t want to date anyone.”
“But you do?”
“I…” My eyes stung. “I don’t know. I’ve been going round and round in my head for days, and nothing’s getting clearer. I just keep landing on the idea that maybe he’d be more open to it if… if I wasn’tme.”
Her tone sharpened. “What the hell do you mean, Wilder?”
“I’m me,” I said. “I’m a single dad who barely finished high school, and I’ve got like thirty bucks in my wallet until next payday and next to nothing in savings. What am I bringing to the table here?”
“You,” Cassidy said. “You’re bringingyou. You’re a good guy, Wilder. You’re honest, and kind, and you look after the people who rely on you. And if that’s not good enough for him, then he’s an asshole.”
I winced. “He’s not an asshole.”
“Good,” Cassidy said. “Then maybe you should talk to him?”
I hated that she made sense, so I hummed and said, “And that’s it? That’s your advice?”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice softening. “You and I have been through a lot, and the only thing that stopped us from hating each other and hurting each other was that wetalked. Even when we were scared, or when we were angry, or when we thought our lives were over. And if we were brave enough to talk things through when we were seventeen, then you can do it now. Wilder, you’ve already done the scariest thing in the world. Having a talk with Avery will be a piece of cake after some of the conversations we’ve had.”
“I guess that’s true.” I laughed despite myself. “Thanks. Love you.”
“Love you too,” she said warmly.
When we ended the call, I ate my sandwiches and decided that I was definitely going to go see Avery tonight.
And we were going to talk.
“Hey, kid, got a minute?”
I was heading for my truck after finishing up for the day when Uncle Steve fell in step beside me.
“Sure,” I said, a knot forming in my stomach. Steve had been acting weird the last week or so, and I’d caught him watching me once or twice when I’d been rubbing at the tight spot in the small of my back. It wasn’t serious—aching muscles were part of the job, and Uncle Steve knew that more than anyone—but I wouldn’t lie, I was worried he was letting me go since the business was struggling. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if he did. I had next to nothing in savings. I made a little extra with the stripping, and if I asked Bobby, he’d probably find me a job somewhere—maybe at his nonexistent bakery—but things were still tight enough that I couldn’t afford to miss a paycheck while I found something else.
My gut churned as we walked across the parking lot. Whenwe reached my truck, Steve leaned against it and shoved his hands in his pockets. “So, you know business has been slow, and my back’s been actin’ up, so I’ve been doing some thinking.”
Shit. That didn’t sound good.
“You’re a good kid, Wilder,” he said. “And a good worker.” He let out a long, tired breath.
My gut twisted. “What’s going on?”
Another long breath. “It’s this shit with Morris. With the way things are going, I figure the business has got about another twelve months, maybe.” He stared at the ground for a moment, then looked up and met my gaze. “He called me a few days ago. Wants to buy me out.”
