The Harper Family: Double Trouble (Wattpad Version)

Space

Ryden

After talking to Nate, I did what he suggested and gave Daría space. I let her come to me and helped her with her self-defense moves. And I stop threatening to hide her snow globe.

It was rough because I wanted to check on her constantly. I worried about her and wanted to make sure she was okay. I drove my cousins up the wall because of it.

We sat in the bakery and talked while we drank coffee and scarfed donuts.

"Will you settle down?" Odin asked me.

"It's hard to settle down when I have to ease back," I said.

"Yeah, but Daría will come to you on her terms, not yours," Kyler said.

"What if Daria decides she doesn't need me?" I asked.

"Is that what worries you? Daría won't need you?" Jordin asked.

"It's nice to be needed." I shrugged.

"Look, Rachel said it takes a lot for Daría to get close to people. But when she does, she will do anything for them," Kyler said.

"But I have never felt this way about anyone before. She doesn't make me feel like a loser because I have scars," I said.

My cousins knitted their brows in concern. My biggest insecurity was the scars I had from the skin grafts. I spent months in the hospital with the doctors cleaning and treating my burns. Then I endured painful skin grafts to cover the exposed areas. I would scream from the pain after the anesthetic wore off.

"Ryden, we understand how much you struggled after what happened. That's why no one drew attention to it," Odin said.

"I'm afraid Daría will walk away from me and not look back." I lay my head on the table and sighed.

"Or you can relax," a voice said.

I lifted my head and saw my cousins pointing behind me. I craned my head to find Daría standing behind me with Sofie, Mercedes, and Rachel. "I guess you heard that."

"The whole place heard you moan." Daria smirked.

I raised my brow.

Daría pushed my arms away, sat in my lap, and grabbed a donut.

"What are you doing?"

"Eating a donut." Daría leaned against my chest and bit into a donut. Then she put the donut to my lips.

I took a bite and chewed as the girls moved chairs to the table.

"I thought you had a girl's day?" Odin asked Sofie.

"We were until Daría started whining about Ryden giving her space." Sofie grabbed a donut.

"I wasn't whining." Daría rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, you were. I don't understand why Ryden doesn't want to hang out with me. Do you think he doesn't like me anymore? What's Ryden doing now?" Mercedes mocked.

The others snickered.

"Well, excuse me for having someone up my ass twenty-four-seven," Daría huffed.

I moved my hand underneath Daria's top and placed it on her stomach before rubbing circles on her skin with my thumb. Daría instantly relaxed on my lap. It was a move I started to do with her. When she settled, so did I.

"I'm guessing you got over your hang-up with Ryden's hovering," Rachel said.

"I realized I enjoy human contact with the right people. I'm a work in progress," Daría said.