Page 474 of The Winslow Brothers

I think on it for half a second and send another quick text.

Me: Lexi’s too.

Winnie: There’s a reason you’re my favorite brother most days.

My smile is still engaged and I’m shaking my head slightly when Maria comes back into the living room with a big diaper bag and a baby carrier, a little bout of curiosity pinching the skin between her eyebrows together. She’s pulled her hair back into a low ponytail and changed into a pair of jeans and a loose-fitting sweater.

“You seem awfully amused.”

Knowing I can tell the truth without spoiling the surprise, I rock my phone back and forth in the air and remark, “My sister.”

Maria plops down onto the couch beside Izzy and me. “How is Winnie doing? I bet she’s busy these days since football season is in full swing.”

“She’s actually here this weekend because the Mavs have a home game. And she’s good. Still a smartass who can always connive exactly what she wants out of her big brother, but good.”

Maria reaches out to run a soft finger over Izzy’s cheek. “Sounds like not too much has changed since the last time I saw her.”

“Yeah.” I laugh. “She might be an adult now, but she’s still the same old Winnie. I’ll have to get the two of you together sometime. I know Win would love to see you.”

Truth be told, I’m sure it was taking everything inside my sister not to pry with more questions regarding Maria and the baby. Of course, those will certainly come the next time I see her.

Maria’s smile is soft but genuine. “The feeling is very much mutual. I’d love to see her again.”

I reach out and grab the baby carrier from her hand, and once I’m certain Izzy is lying safely on her back between two couch pillows, I stand up to start strapping it on.

“Uh…?” Maria’s eyes are wide and white. “What are you doing?”

I chuckle, nodding down at my torso as I clip the buckle at the side. “Putting on the carrier.”

“You’regoing to carry her?”

“Yeah. Why not? Give your back a rest.”

I finish doing up the straps and then open the front wide to ready it. I bend down to scoop Izzy up, and once again, Maria’s eyes take on a saucerlike quality as I load the baby into the carrier and fold it up to secure it.

After checking to make sure Izzy’s head is supported properly, I assure myself that she’s getting enough air in the space in front of my chest and give all the straps one last tighten.

“You ready to get our walk on, Ri?”

“Let’s do it.” Maria stands then too, swinging the diaper bag backpack over her shoulder before I can stop her.

“Hey, no,” I say, reaching for it immediately. “Give me that too.”

“But you’re already carrying Izzy.”

“So?” I retort with a shrug. “You carry them together all the time, don’t you?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“But nothing. One in the front, one in the back. It’ll balance me out.”

“Remy…”

I raise my eyebrows as I wait for her to lick her lips a couple of times.

“I…thank you…” She pauses again, but eventually continues. “Thank you so much for rushing over here today and for everything you’ve done for me so far. Like, seriously, I feel human again, and that’s because of you. But you don’t have to doall this for us. It’s Saturday. I’m sure you have things to do and places to be—”

“You’re right, Ri. I don’thaveto do it. Iwantto do it. And right now, the things I have to do and the places I have to be are taking a walk in the park and carrying all of your shit like the pack mule God intended when He made these big, huge muscles of mine.”

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