Chapter Seventeen
ALEX
By the look on River’s face, I can tell she’s nervous. Before we walk into the kitchen, I stop and hold her sweet face in my hands.
“You have nothing to worry about.” I try to offer her some sort of comfort even though I’ve been pushing my own nerves below the surface. “Trust me, okay?”
She nods. “I trust you.”
I grab her hand and lead her down the hallway toward the kitchen. Mama pulls sugar cookies from the oven and sets the hot baking sheet on top of the stove. She wipes her hands on a dish towel and turns around with a smile on her face that immediately fades when she sees River standing next to me.
Fuck. I know what that look means.
“Hey, Mama.” I walk up to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek, then turning to River.
“This is River. River, this is my mam
