“Package acquired,” I say under my breath, spinning around to push my hips into the counter next to Maria like I’m some kind of international spy.
“You’re an absolute weirdo,” she replies, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to seem disinterested. She’s out of luck, though, because the angle of her body and the twinkle in her perfect eyes say otherwise.
Which is probably why Jude picks that very moment to turn into a fucking child and stick a wet finger in my ear. My brothers are the best in the world—bar none—at ruining a moment.
“Dammit, Jude,” I gripe, shifting out from under the power of his wet willy and passing the baby to Maria, so I don’t have to multitask while I’m kicking his ass.
“Boys!” my mom shouts, putting a hand against my chest just as Jude skirts out the back door and sticks his tongue out at me like he’s eight years old again. On a sigh, Wendy glances from the door her youngest son just escaped out of, back to me, her eldest son, and rolls her eyes. “You know he’s not worth the effort. Toddlers never understand rationale or reasoning.”
My sister and even Jude’s wife Sophie laugh at that, and I instantly decide my mother is right and let Jude act like an idiot alone.
Maria is waiting where I left her, but now, she’s wearing a smirk. “Even after all these years, I see nothing has changed.”
“Jude has a wife instead of a bedroom that smells like dirty old gym socks, but that’s about it.”
Her smirk morphs into a big smile. “I like it. It feels…familiar or something.”
“Uncle Remy, is this Maria?”
I look down to find Lexi standing there, looking up at us, but Maria is already quick to introduce herself.
“You must be Lexi,” she says, and my niece holds out her hand.
“Yes. I’m Lexi. Nice to meet you.”
“The feeling is mutual.” Maria engages in the handshake with the hand that isn’t holding Izzy and glances at me with an amused gleam in her eye. “I’ve heard so much about you. I’m glad we finally get to meet.”
“You knew my uncle Remy when you were in high school,” Lex says, but it’s not a question. “I saw you guys in his yearbook. Is this your baby, Izzy?” she asks, a true question this time, as she stands on her tippy-toes to peek at the baby in Maria’s arms.
“Lexi, this is Izzy. Izzy, this is my niece, Lexi.”
Lexi’s smile nearly consumes her face as she gazes at a now-sleeping Izzy, and I swear, it pulls at my heartstrings like a motherfucker.
“She’s so tiny. And cute.”
“That she is,” I agree.
After a few quiet moments of staring at Izzy, Lexi’s gaze homes in on Maria and me again. Her brow is furrowed as she glances between us, but whatever she’s thinking, whatever she’s about to say, is stopped in its tracks by my mother’s voice.
“Come on, guys! Time to get your grub on!” my mom shouts over the din of several conversations. “Appetizers in the living room!”
“Gotta go!” Lex says, her mind now focused on the food.
Which, comically, is a lot like her uncle Ty. The call of appetizers is all he needs to hear to grab Rachel and head in the direction of the living room, stopping briefly at the back door to shout for Howard, Wes, and Jude on the back deck.
Winnie, my mom, Sophie, and Daisy grab the last few dishes filled with appetizers and follow. And Flynn brings up the rear with a giggling twin in each arm.
“Here,” I prompt Maria, reaching for Izzy. “Let me take her. That way, you can eat.”
“What about you?” she protests. “Aren’t you hungry?”
I shake my head. “I can wait. I was grazing a little before you got here until I got slapped out of the way.”
Maria laughs. “Ah, I see.”
I grab Izzy underneath the armpits and pull her close to my chest, shooing Maria in the direction of the living room. “Go on. You know how the Winslows are. You need to get in there before the locusts destroy it all.”
“Says the man who was eating it before it was even ready.”
“Exactly, Ria. They’re worse than me, and that’s saying something.”
She giggles again, finally skirting past me and heading into the living room after the crowd. I follow behind with Izzy in my arms. She’s still calm, but her eyes are slightly open, and I give her a conspiratorial look, asking her to keep my secret as I stare at Maria’s ass unabashedly.
It’s round and thick and makes the perfect heart shape in her skinny-style jeans. Fuck me, she’s sexy.
Izzy coos a little and wiggles, and I’m convinced she’s trying to spill the beans. I hold her closer and whisper softly in her ear. “Come on, Iz. Don’t rat me out. We don’t want to scare her off.” I change my accent to my best version of an Australian in the Irwin family. “She’s a flighty bird, right? Gotta be extra careful with this one, mate.”