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“What if I hate it?” I ask “What if I become one of those cliché actors? The ones who drop out of school and wait tables to pay their rent and never get callbacks?”

“Then you come back here”

“And do what?” Visions ofproductions of Oklahoma! and Shakespeare in Love come to mind

“Work the ranch with me,” he says

I wrinklethe ranch It’s all he’s ever done and all he ever wants to do One of these days, he’s going to take over his daddy’s land and never look back And he should He’s da chores without socattle, he’s sharpeninginto town for parts—almost alith me in tow

I’ve loved being his little sidekick, but I’m no Renata Buchanan

“You’ve got jokes,” I say

“Then get a job at your daddy’s bank”

“Double no” I would never—and could never—work for my father, and for a myriad of reasons

“Point is, you’ve got options It’s not everything or nothing It’s not success or failure” He slides one hand behind his head, staring up at the ceiling A long, slow breath sends a rise to his chest, and when he lets it go, he turns back to me “But I mean it If you don’t like it there, if it’s not what you thought it would be, if you change your mind about whatever it is you want in this life, co for you We’ll pick back up where we left off”

I tip-toe ht tricep “I would never expect you to wait for me”

“Where else ao?”

“No I mean … I don’t expect you to wait for me romantically If you meet someone else, I’ll under—”

He silenceskiss, but a kiss nevertheless “There’ll never be someone else Only you”

“You don’t have to say that” I slink a shoulder toto make me feel better, but I just want to have a real conversation”

“All of our conversations are real”

“You knohat I mean …”

Wyatt squints in the dark He’s never been one to bullshit or sugarcoat He doesn’t ht shooter and only speaks when he has soy it takes to form the words that leave his perfect lips But while I know all of this, I can’t help but assu to