I was stunned. Last night, if anyone had asked me how I’d respond to someone saying these things, I would have said with immediate ferocity. But in reality, I sat there and just gaped at her, my eyes filling with tears.

A mother with a toddler on her hip marched up. “Listen, you old hag. No one wants your opinion, or your disgusting vitriol, so why don’t you do us all a favor and drop dead already,” the mama bear growled, and the old woman sniffed, giving us both a disdainful glare and striding away.

But the damage had been done. I was already standing, pulling the bottle from a grumbling Huey’s mouth and putting him back in the stroller. I threw everything else in the cargo area underneath.

All the while, the mother with the squirming toddler watched me with sad eyes. “Don’t listen to her. You’re doing a great job, and she’s obviously nuts.”

Fuck, I was going to cry. I’d thought I was over this crying shit. “Thank you. I’m sorry, I have to go.”

The woman nodded, watching as I all but sprinted back to the car. I unlocked it quickly and slid Huey into his seat. I hopped into the driver's side, then promptly burst into tears.

It was just my luck that at the moment my phone rang. Instead of answering it, I cried more. Then it rang again. And again.

Finally, I answered. “Hello?”

“Are you okay?” River’s voice was breathless down the phone. “What's wrong?”

I sniffed, sitting up straight and scrubbing my forearm across my eyes. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Don’t move. I’m coming.”

“River—” But I was talking to dead air.

Chapter Fifteen

RIVER

When Nova didn’t answer her phone, something in my chest constricted and didn’t let go until I heard her voice. When I realized she was crying, a new sensation filled my chest and it was something I could immediately recognize: protectiveness.

“Don’t move. I’m coming.”

I hung up before she could protest. I lifted my chin at Rigby, and he excused himself from the sponsors he’d been schmoozing to walk over to me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something’s up with Nova. I’m going to get her. Can you cover for me with the GM?”

Rigby frowned. “Fuck that. I’m coming with you.”

I slapped him on the shoulder. “Stay—I’ve got this. And one of us being missing is way less conspicuous to Coach than us both being gone.”

He stroked a hand down his face. “Fine. But message me straight away and let me know she’s okay.”