The Boy and His Ribbon (The Ribbon Duet, #1)(63)

Untangling my arms from behind my back, I lay flat and gave it up as a peace offering.

She continued to straddle my chest, snatching the horse and rider, the long ribbon sticking out between her fingers. “You can’t give it to me then take it away. That’s not how gift giving works.”

Propping my head up with my hands, I tried to tame the clenching in my belly and did my best to accept that she liked it. Liked it enough to attack me to take it back, anyway. “It’s not very good—”

“Zip it.” She grabbed my lips between tight fingers, forcing my mouth closed. “I love it. It’s better than all the shopping trips and all the ribbons.” She squished my lips harder. “If you say one more bad thing about it, I’ll…I’ll—” She pouted, looking over my head toward the forests and fields. “I’ll leave you here for something to eat.”

I shook my head, dislodging her hold. “And here I thought you loved me.”

“Not when you’re being a moron.”

“Hey, I just gave you a birthday present.”

“And then took it away again.” She scowled. “Not cool, dude. Not cool.”

“Dude?” I chuckled. “Where the hell did that come from?”

Her personality had evolved leaps and bounds ever since she started hanging out with Liam and whatever kids she’d befriended at school. I’d even heard her curse the other day and told her off for such language.

I was fairly sure she hadn’t picked that up from me seeing as I was super careful with how and what I said around her.

“Some girl in class.”

“A girl you like?”

“I guess.” She shrugged. “Stop changing the subject. Don’t touch my gift.”

“Okay, okay. I won’t take it again.”

“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.