“You don't...” I lick my lips nervously. “You don't want to live with me, do you?”
“It's not that,” he groans, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his neck.
“You can't leave Cash.”
“That's not—”
“It's fine,” I mumble, dropping my hands to my lap as the waiter appears with our drinks.
“Have we decided on food?” he asks, hand poised on top of his notepad.
I grab the menu off the table and flip it open. “I'll have the cobb salad.”
“And for you?” The waiter turns his attention to Wilder.
“Steak,” Wilder says. “Mashed potatoes and green beans for my sides.”
“I'll get that right in,” the waiter sing-songs, then takes our menus and disappears.
“Ingrid,” Wilder tries.
“Sometimes,” I say, chewing on the inside of my cheek as I hold back tears. “I wonder what we're doing here. You gave me a promise ring and you made a dinner reservation. Logically, the next step would be living together, but you're not there yet.”
Maybe not logical. But it feels right.
“I would love to live with you,” Wilder attempts to salvage this conversation. “But I can't afford to. College has been way moreexpensive than I thought it was going to be. My savings is... it's going fast. I took the summer off, but once it's over, I'm going to be working a double shift at the lumber yard.”
“That's why you wanted me to turn down Loretta's offer,” I exhale. He wanted to spend every waking minute together this summer. I should have known. “You should have told me.”
“I didn't want to tell you because I was...” he trails off. “Embarrassed.”
“I'm not everyone else,” I tell him. “I don't care if you're broke. I don't care if you have to work twice as hard as everyone else to achieve your goals. I love you because you're brave and bold and—”
“Devastatingly handsome,” he interjects as he raises a cocky eyebrow.
“Beautiful,” I conclude.
“Yeah?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“I want to live with you,” he admits. “I wouldloveto live with you. But I don't have a trust fund or a credit card without a limit like someone else we know.”
“You're not Cash.” I nod slowly. “I know that. I would never want you to be Cash.”
He gives me a sad smile. “And I would never want you to change who you are to fit into my world.”
I fiddle with the tablecloth before meeting his gaze. “I know I don't have to. I learned my lesson, Wilder. I can be loved and accepted just as I am. You love me and accept me as I am. Why would I ever want to change who I am?”
I don't miss the flash of emotion that crosses his face. “I'm glad you feel that way.”
“No more secrets, okay?”
Our fingers tangle on top of the table.
“No more secrets,” he promises, but I notice his gaze won’t meet my eyes. What is he hiding?
“How much longer before we can get out of here?” I smile, ignoring the pang that ripples through my chest.
