“I know I hurt your feelings,” I begin.
“Whoa!” Wilder holds a hand up as we take a few steps closer to the register. “You didn'thurtmy feelings.”
“Oh, boy,” I groan.Here we go.
“My pride took a hit. My feelings are fine,” he scoffs.
He's lying. I know he is.
“Are you sure about that?” I roll my eyes.
“Blondie,” Wilder lets out a playful chuckle, “don't make me laugh.”
Ugh. We're back to Blondie.
“Can you please try being serious?” I leave the begging out of my tone. “This is serious.”
“I am being serious,” he replies.
“No,” I say as I step in front of him and place my hand on his chest. “BemyWilder. The one who spent all last summer marking bucket list items off with me.”
“I am,” he reiterates quietly.
My heart stings. Cash left me last summer to traipse around Europe after setting himself free from me. This summer, Wilder's traipsing the United States and I can't help but wonder if he'll set himself free from me, too.
“Okay.” I give in easily before turning and facing the menu.
To my surprise, Wilder snakes his arms over my shoulders and pulls my back against his front. Then, his lips find my ear and he whispers, “I love you.”
It's enough to melt the worry away. Enough to give me hope that tomorrow things might be better for us.
Oh, what am I saying? As long as we're cross-country road-tripping with Cash, things are going to be tense, uncomfortable, and weird.
Wilder's phone vibrates and he keeps one arm hooked around my shoulders. He fishes his cell phone out of his pocket. I try not to look at his screen, but I make out the name Elowyn and curiosity pricks my chest.
As soon as the message window appears with his half-sister's name, Wilder quickly shuts it out.
“You're not going to see what she said?” I ask him.
His fingers splay across my chest. “No.”
“Why not?”
Wilder shoves his phone back into his pocket before wrapping his arm back around me, holding me tight. “Because I'm here with you.”
That doesn't really sound like a good excuse to ignore his sister.
“What if it's an emergency, Wilder?”
He tenses, and I wonder what I've said now that's set him off.
“Then, she can find someone else to help her. I'm not even in the same state right now,” Wilder snaps.
I chew on the inside of my cheek, wishing I knew what to say anymore.
“I'm sorry,” he blows out a tired breath, holding me tighter. “This road trip hasn't been what I expected.”
Yeah, it hasn’t been what I expected either.
