This statement brought Ford up short. It took a minute for the full weight of it to sink in. He hadn't been hurt that Cash hadn't told him about the girl, because he obviously didn't care much about her. He hadn't even bothered to use her name when he'd brought her up. Whatever he was referencing now, though, was much more serious than the girl and his upcoming wedding. Someone he was trying to protect; someone he cared enough about to put himself through a chore of a marriage for; someone he was willing to wall off his future for. Someone important, and it had taken a conversation like this to bring them up. Ford and Cash had been spending time together consistently for over a year; Ford would have thought they talked about everything. Ford would have said they trusted each other. Cash had never even hinted at this.

Ford stared at Cash for a moment, feeling his perception of their friendship crumbling. "Well," he eventually said, almost reluctantly. "I hope they're worth it."

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