The Redo (Winslow Brothers #4) (84)

I lean into the rail to think, and the door cracks open behind me. I’m expecting it to be my mom or my sister, so when Maria calls out to me, I’m surprised.

“If you want me to go back inside, I will. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

I jump and turn, standing up straight to face her. Her expression is one I can’t stand—cautious and unsure of her place out here.

I have to fix it straightaway.

“Please, no. Stay. I’m fine. I promise.”

She steps forward then, coming to stand next to me and mimicking my position with her ass at the rail. It takes several moments of silence before either one of us says anything, but when she does, I’m reminded swiftly while I always enjoyed Maria’s company so much.

“So…how about the hotel that rhymes with shmar-myle?” she asks with a secret smile. “You give them a bad Yelp review or something?”

I burst out laughing with a shake of my head, pulling her into my side and then swaying her back and forth like we’re just a couple of teenagers again.

Finally, I finish my laugh with a groan. “I like Howard, really, but his stupid word game always seems to be trouble.”

She raises her eyebrows, and I roll my eyes before I continue. “Honestly, it’s really not about what everyone thinks it is at all. It’s not the Carlyle. And it’s not the wedding or Charlotte or any of that shit. I’m more than over it. The only reason I usually even react is to bust Ty’s balls, but today just caught me off guard and felt a little different. Maybe it’s going back in time, spending all this time with you, but the past feels a hell of a lot fresher than normal, you know?”

She nods then, her face awash in understanding. “I get it. Boy, do I get it. Seeing Winnie today all grown up… God, Rem, she’s really something. And it just makes me think of her and Isabella as kids—going everywhere with us, doing everything we did. Winnie’s life is so vibrant, and I just wish…”

She doesn’t even have to finish for me to know exactly what she’s going to say. “I know.”

The fact of the matter is, Isabella got fucked and so did Maria. They don’t get the futures that Winnie and I still have a shot at. They don’t get a future together at all.

A single tear falls down Maria’s cheek, and she hurries to wipe it away while I pull her into a hug. “God, Ria,” I whisper into her hair, hugging her tighter into my embrace. “I’m so sorry.”

“So am I,” she murmurs back, and I find myself hugging her a little tighter. Everything just feels better with her in my arms.

A feminine throat clears at the door, and both of our heads come up as Maria pulls out of my arms. I’m fairly certain I’m shooting laser beams in Winnie’s direction because her eyes are light, and the corner of her mouth is lifted into a mild but contrite smirk.

“So sorry to interrupt, but Izzy is a little fussy and I wanted to make sure it’d be okay if I gave her a bottle. I already found them in her diaper bag, so you don’t have to move a muscle.”

Maria jumps forward to go in, but I stop her with a gentle hand to the elbow. She looks back at me with drawn eyebrows, but I don’t look at her—not yet. Instead, I focus on my sister.

“Actually, Win, I thought I might ask you a favor. Do you think you’d be interested in keeping Izzy tonight?”

Maria’s head whips back toward me, but again, I keep my eyes on my sister, whose face has turned downright Cat Who Ate the Cream at this point.

“A whole night with that sweet baby?” She’s over the damn moon. “Are you kidding? Both Lex and I would flipping love that! Plus, I’m sure I can convince my boss to give me the morning off to give you time to pick her up,” she says with a wink.

Ah, the convenience of having your husband be your boss.

“I have all the baby stuff I need, too, so you don’t need to worry. While Daisy was looking for a nanny, I kept the twins twice a week.”

When Maria looks at me with uncertainty in her eyes, I lean down and whisper into her ear, “Just trust me, okay? There’s a reason for this. And if anyone can take good care of our girl, it’s Winnie.”

Maria leans back to search my gaze. She’s still a little uncertain, I can see it in every fucking line of her perfect body, but she doesn’t peep a word of protest. Instead, she nods and then proceeds to rush past Winnie and into the house, no doubt to squeeze the life out of poor little Izzy for another thirty minutes or so.

I know it might seem like a big ask, having Maria go a whole night without Izzy, but it’s important. Necessary. This much, I know for sure.

Winnie raises her eyebrows and waggles them after the door shuts behind Maria. “Well, well, well.”

I shake my head, smiling slightly. “Shut up.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I will shut up. For now. For now, I’ll go in there and wrestle that baby from Maria’s arms so you can do…whatever it is…that you’re planning.”

“This isn’t about putting the moves on her, Win. This is about Isabella.”

Winnie’s eyes shutter then, remembering her vibrant childhood friend and the tragic news I shared with her not too long ago. Her whisper is solemn. “Oh hell, I didn’t even think. Did we… God, I hope we didn’t make her feel—”