Derek sighed. “Look, if you tell anyone about this, I’ll lie and say you’re crazy, but you’re a good guy and you seemed happy with Eden. Try to make things work, even if it means I lose the G-Wagon.”

Willow’s throat closed. “You mean it?”

“Like… Do I think you should have picked a fight with the guy offering to make your girlfriend’s career? No. I think that was stupid, very on-brand behaviour for you.”

Willow scowled. “Who told you about that?”

“Mara. Obviously.”

“Figures. And don’t give me shit about Francis, you’d have done exactly the same thing.”

“No, I wouldn’t. Mara and I ran into her ex a while back and I let her deal with him.”

“Fuck off!”

“Yup. Nearly killed me, but we’re getting married and he’s bald, so who gives a shit?”

Willow stared out at the empty fields. “Fucking typical. You know, this advice could have come any time yesterday, Hardo.”

“Yeah, sorry. So, Eden touring with fuckhead?”

“Yup.”

“And you don’t trust her?”

“I don’t trust him.”

Derek scoffed. “That’s the same thing. Has she given you any reason not to trust her?”

“Aside from being too beautiful for me?”

“That’s true of every woman you’ve ever dated.”

“It’s truer about Eden.”

“Probably.” Derek frowned. “So, what do you want?”

“That’s what I’m ditching breakfast to try and figure out.”

“Alright, get out of here.” Derek paused. “Whatever you decide, let it be something you came up with. Don’t try to make anyone else happy.”

He turned and walked away and Willow continued across the field. He walked until the hangar looked like a toy farmhouse. Until sweat poured from his forehead and underarms, and he felt totally alone. He stared out at the blue sky, the ocean of green grass and imagined a future without Eden. It fell together soon enough. He’d join the Rams, make friends, and host barbecues for his new teammates. He’d stop listening to Eden’s music, turn it off when it came on Spotify, turn away when he saw her face on a screen or a poster. She’d get huge without him, become mega-famous and he’d learn to laugh when people said, ‘hey didn’t you date that DJ?’

He’d see other women and nothing would stick but eventually, he’d meet someone else. But he’d always think about Eden and wonder.

He took out his phone and clicked the link Eden sent him. It opened to a song called ‘Apple Smoothie Bowl.’ Grinning, he hit play. It was lighter than her usual stuff. Sweet, with a bouncing string section. Maybe he was projecting, but it sounded like him. Him on his best days. As he listened, Willow closed his eyes and imagined a different future. One that meant changing everything. Taking the biggest risk of his insulated, lucky life.