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“Thanks, Ren,” I say, tears stinging the back of my eyes. “It’s perfect.”
I wrap my arms around her and she squeezes me tight. The flower seeds and socks might not be a big deal to most people. I know it’s not flashy, but we’re both struggling so much and it means a lot to me that she got me anything at all. There was a year where we couldn’t afford anything and ended up drawing each other pictures of socks instead.
“Love you, Mal,” Ren whispers. I nod against her shoulder.
“Love you, too, Ren.” Without words, I know we’re thinking the same thing. There were days we didn’t think we’d make it to adulthood, but we stuck together and managed to raise ourselves.
A knock sounds at the door, and I pull away from Ren, wiping at my eyes.
“Come in!” I call. Ryker opens the door, smiling when he sees Ren and I.
“King Ryker,” Ren says, looking like she’s not sure if she should courtsey or not.
“King Ryker,” I echo, suddenly aware that I’m in my thin pajamas.
“Please, call me Ryker,” he says with a friendly smile.
Holy wow, his smile has always made me weak in the knees, but this morning there’s something different. My reaction to him is swift and intense, a sharp ache blooming in my core.What is happening to me?
In my head, I had already started calling him just Ryker, but it might take a bit before I remember to call him that out loud.
“I thought I heard voices. I hope I’m not interrupting,” he says when his eyes snag on the crumpled newspaper next to us.
“No, I was just giving Malia her gifts,” Ren says as she stands from the bed.
Ryker smiles, moving over to the edge of the bed.
“Were you born in the morning?” he asks. He seems almost tense as he waits for my answer.
“According to my birth certificate, it was closer to six in the evening. Ren is a morning person though, and couldn’t wait that long to start the celebration.”
“Ah,” he says, relaxing as he smiles down at the socks and packets of seeds.
“Flowers for your garden?” Ryker asks. I nod, smiling down at my gifts.
“They will be once we go back home.”
He stiffens at the wordhome,his brows furrowing. He schools his face over before I can comment on his sudden change in demeanor.
“We’re having a birthday dinner for you tonight to celebrate, but I thought you could also pick today's activities,” he says. I bite my lip.
What do I want to do on my birthday? My eyes slide over to Ren, and the thought hits us at the exact same time. Her eyes light up, and I grin as I look back to Ryker.
“Can we go to the Willow Kingdom? They’re supposed to have an amazing library and gardens,” I gush. Ryker frowns.
I could swear that he almost looks jealous, but that can’t be right.
“I’m sorry, but it’s been snowing up in the mountains. I’ve talked to King Romer and he’s snowed in up there. I don’t think we can make the trip yet.”
Ren and I both deflate, but Ryker stops us.
“There’s a bookstore and greenhouse just outside of town. Why don’t we go there?”
“That would be perfect,” I say. Ren grins, nodding enthusiastically.
“I’ll go get ready,” she says, practically skipping out of the room.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” Ryker says. A thought hits me.
