Nikhail pulled River closer. “What do you mean?”
River snuggled up against him and sighed, drawing her sleeve over the manacle on her wrist. “Waterborns have to be the picture of perfection.” Resentment dripped from River’s words. “Strong, beautiful, resilient. Everyone should look at us and think,‘Gods, I want to be them.’At least, that’s what my mother always said.”
Nikhail thought he already detested Tertia Waterborn, but it turned out there was still room for his hatred to grow. Who knew?
“Fuck perfection,” he growled.
And fuck Tertia, too. How dare she make her daughter feel like she had to attain such impossible standards?
River stiffened. “What?”
“Fuck. It,” he said, enunciating each syllable. “You shouldn’t have to worry about what anyone else thinks of you, River. No one’s opinion matters but yours. Especially not your mother’s.”
“I like the sound of that,” she admitted softly.
“Yeah?” He brushed his lips across hers. “Me, too.”
Their gazes locked, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The park, the sounds of traffic, even the pounding of his own heart. There was nothing here but the two of them.
A long moment that felt like an eternity and a blink of an eye passed before Nikhail blew out a long breath. He tucked a lock of hair behind River’s ear.
“To answer your original question, I discovered The Shack when I first moved to Golden City for training. It looks the same today as it did all those years ago.”
The base wasn’t far from here. He’d been out for a late-night stroll after a long day when the aroma of fried food had caught his nose. Led by his stomach, he’d followed it here, where he’d quickly discovered that while the food smelled great, it tasted even better.
The Shack was perfectly named. Calling it a restaurant would be a stretch, since it was built in an alley between two buildings. More of a permanent food stall than anything else, it was a fixture of the neighborhood.
The owners, Sarai and Samantha, were the only two people Nikhail had ever seen behind the counter. It wasn’t surprising, since the space was incredibly tight. The wives were constantly bumping hips and touching shoulders as they moved in the small space, although based on the laughter that often passed between them, it didn’t seem to bother them.
Over the years, Nikhail had sampled every dish on The Shack’s menu. Each had been a symphony of flavor in his mouth. The Shack was a hidden gem and one of the neighborhood’s best-kept secrets. Although, maybe the secret wasn’tthatwell-kept, since every time he visited, the line snaked out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.
River polished off her burger and crumpled the wrapper. “Well, I’m glad you found it. This food isdelicious.” She snuggled against him. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Nikhail’s chest warmed at her proximity. “You’re welcome. I wouldn’t want to share this moment with anyone else.”
She beamed, and the joy on her face could warm him on the coldest winter nights. “It was a great first date.”
“I’m glad you think so, but this isn’t the end of our date.”
She lifted her head. “It’s not?”
“Nope.” Standing, he collected their waste and tossed it into the nearby bin. Lacing his fingers through River’s, he helped her up. “I have more planned.”
The smile that lit up her face was as bright as the arches that gave Golden City its name. “Well, in that case, what’s next?”
“I’m so glad you asked.” Nikhail led River down the street. “There’s a building nearby I thought you might be interested in.”
“Oh? What is it?”
He chuckled. “Patience, River. You’ll find out soon enough.”
She let out a rather adorable huff.
They crossed the street, and Nikhail kept River tucked against his side. “Are you warm enough?”
The air was nippy, but the sun was shining brightly, and it had burned most of the bitter winter cold away. Still, if she wasn’t warm, he would alter his plans accordingly. He would do everything in his power to ensure this date went as smoothly as possible.
River’s fingers tightened around his, her hip bumping his. “Yes, thank you.”