“I had fun with you too, kiddo.”
“Uncle Rem, kiddo isn’t really a good nickname for me anymore,” she says matter-of-factly. “Just Lex or Lexi is best.”
“Oh, that’s right, you’re basically a full-fledged woman now who wears Chanel and has a boyfriend named Connor.” I eye my sister pointedly. “How could I forget?”
But Lex is already done with the small talk in the foyer. Her overnight bag in her hand, she runs up the stairs without another word.
“I take it she told you about the boyfriend?”
“Yep,” I answer and tilt my head to the side. “Which means you have some explaining to do.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why is she allowed to have a boyfriend?”
Winnie bursts into laughter. “Oh, c’mon, Rem. I’m not going to ban Lexi from having a boyfriend. You’re being overprotective.”
“I’m realistic.”
“You realize all they do is say they’re boyfriend and girlfriend and send each other text messages about astrophysical engineering, right? It’s harmless.”
“What the fuck? They’re texting each other?”
Winnie laughs. “Man. Men are so hilarious.” Without anything more, she smiles as she pulls Izzy out of her baby carrier, not even bothering to ask for permission. I unstrap it from my chest and lay it down in case she needs it.
“I’m serious, Win. This is too much.”
“Oh, I know you’re serious. But you’re also nuts.”
“I’m not nuts—”
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” she questions, cutting me off at the knees. “Pretty sure you have a big trip to get ready for…”
I sigh and point one index finger toward her. “This conversation isn’t over.”
“Oh, I realize that.” She grins and kisses the top of Izzy’s head. “But if you don’t mind, I’m going to spend some time with Lex and this little sweetie right here before Grandma gets back and becomes a baby hog. So, you can go ahead and move your ass out the door.”
“You’re kicking me out?”
“It’s for your own good, Rem. Time is a-ticking, and even though Wes set up the private flight for you, pilots like to leave on time.”
I hate when my smartass baby sister is right, but…she’s right. I still have to get Maria and myself packed before she gets home from her last showing. Truthfully, we’ll only have about an hour to get to the airport once her workday is done.
“Go enjoy yourself,” she adds over her shoulder. “Enjoy tropical bliss with Maria. You both deserve it. I know from experience that the Bahamas are gorgeous this time of year. Perfect for photos by the beach and telling the woman you love that you love her and want to mar—”
“Oh shit, look at the time. I better get going, sis.”
“Uh-huh. Of course you do.” She just sticks her tongue out at me and turns to take Izzy into my mom’s living room. “Love you, big bro! Have fun!”
Is it just me, or is there a lot of pressure surrounding Maria’s and my relationship these days?
Pressure rushes to fill holes, dude. Maybe this is a sign telling you to use Maria to fill yours.
After I dropped the girls off at my mom’s, I grabbed a fresh bouquet of flowers at the market up the corner from Maria’s place before heading there to get us packed. Lord knows if I’d let Maria pack her own suitcase, she’d end up bringing half her damn closet, and I know for a fact she’s not going to need a lot of clothes.
Besides the guest of honor getting home, we’re all set to be Bahamas-bound.
I hear Maria’s key jiggle in the lock and hurriedly grab the bouquet of flowers from the coffee table and stand up to greet her. But when the door opens, her phone is pressed to her ear as she juggles her purse and leather briefcase. “Claudia, I know you hate contacting mortgage brokers,” she says through a sigh and heads into the kitchen, completely oblivious to my presence in the living room. “But that’s the next step in this process and kind of, if you’ll excuse my language, your fucking job.”
She paces the hardwood floor, and I already know why. Claudia is the worst assistant on the planet. She’s disorganized, forgetful, and is shit at reading people. Truthfully, I’m wondering why Maria isn’t having Tonya deal with whatever it is she’s trying to get Claudia to do.
“Yes, it is Saturday,” Maria answers and puts the phone on speaker while she grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. “But all it’s going to take is some phone calls, Claudia. I’m not asking you to go to the mortgage broker’s house for cocktails.”