The Boy and His Ribbon (The Ribbon Duet 1)

“You better not.”

I licked my lips from where her touch had been, tasting raspberries and sugar. “Now that we’ve got that sorted and you’ve attacked me on my birthday, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

She rolled off me, flopping onto her back and holding her horse aloft with the sun sparkling on its glossy flanks. “Dunno. Something.”

“Something isn’t helpful.”

“Something with you.”

“Did you want Liam and Cassie to come?”

Her blue eyes locked on mine with fierce certainty. “No. Just us.”

“In that case…” Climbing upright, I helped her stand. “Let’s go home for the day.”

Her face brightened as she spun to face the dense treeline on the edge of the Wilson’s property. “Truly?”

“Truly.”

Slipping her hand in mine, we stepped into tree-shadows just as she yelped, “Oh no! I forgot to get you a present. It’s your birthday, too!”

I shook my head. “Just spending the day with you is enough.”

“But Cassie said that sweet sixteen means you get lots of stuff.”

I stilled. “What sort of stuff?”

“Dunno. Stuff.”

“This ‘dunno’ business is getting old real fast, Della.”

She clutched my hand harder as she rubbed the toe of her sandal into the grass. “She wanted me to tell you something, but I don’t wanna.”

I crouched down, pulling her closer. “Tell me what?”

Her face scrunched up as if she’d taken a bite of sour lime. “She asked where we were going on your day off.”

“Okay…”

“I told her it’s our birthday.”

“And…”

“And she wished me happy birthday and promised she’d teach me how to jump on Domino tomorrow as my present.”

“That’s nice of her.”

“No, it isn’t. ‘Cause I know what she gets each time she lets me—” She sighed as if she carried the weight of a thousand problems. “I mean…I guess so.”

I stiffened. There was no way she could know the standing arrangement between Cassie and me, trading horse rides for kisses.

Pushing that stupid thought aside, I murmured, “Tell me what’s eating you, Little Ribbon.”

“Nothing.” She sniffed, staring at the dirt.

“It’s something.”

I hated her being so glum but I also couldn’t help if I didn’t know what her problem was.

I reached out to touch her golden head but she jerked away at the last second, stabbing me as surely and as perfectly as only she could do. Della was the only one who could make sunshine live in my chest then suffocate it with perpetual night, depending on she tolerated me.

I hated when she was mad because nothing felt right. My heart didn’t beat right. My body didn’t behave right. She made me sick and the only medicine was to earn her smiles and hugs again.

“What’s wrong?” My patience thinned, batting away the ache at letting her down in some way. Even though I wanted to demand she spit it out, I forced myself not to push her. She had a habit of shutting down these days over things I didn’t understand. She’d give me the cold shoulder if she caught me laughing with Cassie and hadn’t been a part of the conversation. She’d glower if Cassie was there, handing me tools and giggling in her school uniform when Della leaped off the bus.

She’d always been an open book, so the silent treatment confused me.

It hurt too, but I didn’t feel I had the right to be in pain when she was obviously hurting because of something she refused to discuss.

Dealing with a growing girl was exhausting.

“Della…it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.” I brought her tiny hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Let’s just go for a walk—”

“She said she’s going to give you a special birthday treat tonight because sixteen is a big deal and sixteen-year-old boys deserve special treats.” Tears glassed her beautiful eyes as she yanked her hand from mine. “I don’t want her to give you anything. You’re mine. And I forgot to give you something, and now you’re going to get all the things from her and forget all about me!” With an agonizing gasp, she tore off into the trees.

What the—

“Della!” I chased after her, following the crash and crunch of twigs, trying to catch up as she ducked under low branches and weaved around Della-sized bushes. “Come back here.”

She didn’t stop. She didn’t slow.

“Della Ribbon, you get your butt back here this instant!” I leapt over bracken, grateful for years of hard labour and a body good at endurance. She was a speedy little thing, and I had no intention of letting her get away with shutting down this time. “Della!”

Goddammit.

Something crashed to a stop in front of me, sending me skidding on the brakes as I almost ran into her.

She looked up beneath a curtain of blonde curls, her eyes tight and lips thin but tears no longer glittered. I almost wished there were tears because the calm collectedness in her stare terrified me.