I didn’t blame her for her wariness.
I shared it.
And despite Cassie’s smiles as I worked around the farm and her offers of dinner with her family and the occasional gifted cookies as I repaired one of her horse jumps or helped stock hay nets, I never accepted an invitation.
Not because of the weird patter in my heart or tightening in my jeans whenever she was near, but because Della turned into a little monster whenever she saw us together.
I’d expected her to enjoy having another girl around. Instead, she took it as an offense whenever Cassie asked how she was or if she merely grinned her way.
I didn’t say anything or ask why my sweet Della Ribbon turned into a nightmare whenever Cassie was around, but something niggled inside me to reassure her in some way. To prove she hadn’t lost me. That we were still just me and her—an us.
On the third night at Cherry River, we’d pushed the two single beds together after being unable to sleep. We were too used to being within touching distance.
The bedroom was stark with its wooden walls and charcoal curtains but well insulated, protecting us much better than our tent.
We’d stayed sleeping with our beds together, hands occasionally touching, legs sometimes kicking, and I hadn’t thought anything of it until Cassie poked her head in one morning at the end of the fourth week.
I looked up from tying a bow with Della’s ribbon, securing a high ponytail she’d asked me to do. She might not like Cassie, but she copied her hairstyles often.
“Do you need something?” I turned from where Della sat on the bed to face the door, temper filling me that our sanctuary had been invaded. “I’m due to start work in ten minutes. I’m not late.”
Cassie glanced around the room, her eyes narrowing on the rumbled sheets and pushed together beds. “You guys sleep together?”
Della jumped to the floor and grabbed my hand. “We do everything together.”
“If I slept with my brother, I’d end up smothering him with a pillow.” Cassie smirked, and I couldn’t tell if she was being sweet or sarcastic when she rolled her eyes at Della. “Don’t you find he snores?”
My shoulders stiffened as Della bared her teeth. “I like it.”
“You like it even when he hogs the bed and kicks you?” Cassie’s eyes met mine, revealing her teasing. I didn’t know how I felt about her teasing Della when she’d never been tormented by anyone other than me. But I let her continue, holding tight to the tiny hand in mine, willing the ice to melt and Della to calm.
I knew what she felt because I felt it, too.
Cassie fascinated me in all the wrong ways, from her curves and skin and smell. But she also terrified me because she had a habit of popping up from nowhere or hanging around longer than comfortable.
For two kids who’d adopted the forest purely because it was away from humans, it took a lot of adjusting and acceptance. I’d always thought Della would be the more adaptable one in that respect, but it turned out, she was a master at holding grudges and staying aloof.
“He doesn’t hog the bed.” Her pretty little chin came up, blue eyes almost as dark as her ribbon with challenge. “Go away.”
Cassie giggled. “Feisty wee thing, isn’t she?” She glanced at me. “Aren’t you afraid you’re going to wake up one morning with your fingers and toes nibbled on thanks to her tiny teeth?”
Della stepped forward, dragging me with her. “I’d never bite him. But I’d bite you.”
“I’d bite you back.” Cassie leaned on the doorframe, completely unfussed. Brown hair slung over one shoulder, thick boots and tight jeans barely visible under the long puffer jacket zipped tight against the cold. “I’ve heard little girls are tasty treats.” Her eyes flashed to mine with a lick of her lips.
For some reason, my ears twitched at the way her voice lowered, and I swore an invitation echoed behind her joke.
Della looked as if she’d happily murder her. “You can’t eat me. Ren won’t let you. He loves me.” She looked up, her eyes wide and wild, her cheeks pink with worry. “You do still love me…right?”
And once again, she successfully cracked open my ribs and ripped out my heart. Cassie was no longer relevant as I dropped to one knee and clutched Della close. With my face buried in her sweet-smelling neck, I murmured, “I will always love you, Della Ribbon. Until the day I die and even past that.”
She threw her arms around me, trembling in a way that hinted she acted brave and brattish, but really, her fear was deep-seated and hurting her. I needed to spend more time with her. She should accompany me while I worked. We were so used to being in each other’s pockets that this new dynamic wasn’t acceptable.