Page 73 of Penalty Shots

"Oh, Thank God!" Ryker says.

"What?"

"She's in one piece."

I shoot him a look. "Seriously? Ye of little faith."

"Tell me, Stella girl. Did Uncle Keelan be a bad uncle and throw a party without us knowing?"

"Again," I say now to my sister. "Little faith. Also, a thank you would be nice. Not that I need it, but you know… manners."

"Thank you," Izzy says sarcastically.

"It was my absolute pleasure, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat," I say with a bow. "Now, what did you bring back for me?"

I stick my finger into one of the totes and pull it open.

"Uh-uh," Ryker says, pulling it away from me. "That one's for Ri."

"Where is she? Did you finally manage to run her out of the country?" Izzy asks, sniffing her daughter’s hair and rocking her back and forth as Ryker approaches and plants a soft kiss on her head.

"So about that…"

Izzy stops rocking Stella. "Oh, God. What happened? I knew I should've called her to check up on her."

"She called out from work."

Ryker and Izzy both look at me like I just said she flew to the moon on a casual Tuesday afternoon.

"She called out?" Ryker says.

"From… work?" Izzy scrunches her face. Then, without a moment’s hesitation she gives Ryker the baby and fishes her phone out from her tote.

"She's fine," I tell her.

"No… Rina never, never misses work."

"Not even when her grandma passed. Or when she had the flu," Ryker feels the need to add.

"I know, I know. But guys…" Izzy is already dialing her number. "I've got it handled."

"Oh, yeah? Well, where is she?"

"She flew out to see her parents."

Izzy drops the hand holding her phone. "In Puerto Rico? Where we just were!"

I nod.

"But why? What happened?" Then she gasps. "Is it because Redmond's dating that teeny bop pop star?"

"No—wait, he's what?"

"Yeah, it's all over social. The four of you were seen at that swanky place you like to go to with the deconstructed deviled egg?"

"God, I love those weird little eggs," I say wistfully.

Izzy snaps her fingers. "And then you and Rina left together, and Redmond and what's-her-face left together."

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