Page 562 of The Winslow Brothers

“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.”

“But I have yoga at four,” Claudia whines, and it sounds like she’s chewing gum between words. “And then I’m supposed to do champagne dinner with the girls.”

Maria lets her head fall back on a quiet groan.

“Can’t it wait until Monday?”

“The goal of you reaching out to them today is so that, on Monday, they start the week focused on our client.”

“So, like, I don’t need to actually talk to anyone?”

Maria sighs. “No, that’s not the goal. The goal is to talk to Hank, our client’s mortgage broker, and find out what in the hell is going on with the underwriters.”

“Who are the underwriters again?” she questions. “They sound scary.”

“The people who approve the loan, Claudia.”

“Oh.” More gum chewing.

More sighing from Maria.

I just stand in the kitchen holding the bouquet of white lilies in my hands, trying to figure out when I need to step into this conversation and discreetly remind Claudia of the plan I discussed with her weeks ago.

The plan that included me surprising Maria with a tropical getaway for just the two of us that includes zero work.

I guess it’s a good thing that I also managed to rope Tonya into the big surprise. Surely she’ll be able to keep Claudia on task between her yoga and boozy dinners.

“So, I just, like, need to call them, right?”

“Yep,” Maria responds, popping the p in frustration. “You call Hank and remind him that we’re waiting on the underwriters to approve the final conditions the Langleys sent over on Thursday.”

“Ohhhhh-kay. Whatever you say, boss.”

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