Page 57 of The Wright Man

Tina cackled and added, "I've got a trip to Tulum coming up too. Right around the same time."

I narrowed my eyes. "Rusty Rico tagging along for this one?"

Angelica choked on her wine. Bella lost it.

"We're on a break, for your information," Tina huffed, eyes rolling so hard she could've seen her own thoughts.

I took a sip of my drink, deadpan. "Well, if his broke ass pops up on that trip, imma break something else. I ain't forget how he made you cry after his last bout of bullshit."

Tina went quiet for half a second — the kind of quiet that meant something landed. Then she smiled, wide and soft, the teasing falling away for just a moment.

"Violent. Overbearing. Petty. Protective." She reached over and squeezed my hand once. "Like brother, like sister." Then she blew me a kiss, which I caught.

Cap cut in, shaking his head with a grin. "Y'all better be gone in a few weeks anyway. I got a fishing trip booked."

I looked at him, surprised. "You finally gonna start enjoying your retirement, old man?"

"Damn right," he said. "Me, Marvin, a cooler full of beer, and back pain. We set it up over that spades game you so conveniently ducked out of."

I chuckled and leaned back into the couch, heart full and heavy all at once.

Cap looked at us like we were sacred.

His eyes got a little glassy, but he just took a sip of his drink and said, "Feels good, having all my favorite ankle biters under one roof again."

He paused.

"Well... almost all of them."

A hush settled over the room.

Our eyes drifted to the photo on the mantel. Kareem at seventeen, frozen in time, his arms full of laughter and love. Tina was on his back, Angelica in his arms. All three of them were smiling like the world hadn't touched us yet.

I remembered taking that picture.

Remembered Kareem clowning about how he was holding "Grade A Black Girl Magic" in his arms.

Tina broke the silence first.

"Welp... now I'm sad." She looked around with a dramatic sigh and locked on her sister. "Angie, come see me in the kitchen. I think I need a hug or something."

Bella sprang up right behind her. "Me too. Group hug!"

Angelica groaned, "Oh my God," but didn't resist as they flanked her on both sides.

"Help me," she mouthed as they dragged her off.

"Good luck," I mouthed back, grinning.

I thought I was off the hook. But Cap stood and clapped a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's have a drink, son," he said. "A real one."

We walked into the den, Cap moving slow but sure. The Japanese whiskey I brought was already on display in a new decanter, looking like something out of a spy movie. Cap set down two crystal glasses and pulled the bottle from the shelf.

I whistled, running a hand over the glass. "Somebody loves you a whole lot. Another birthday gift?"

Cap smiled as he poured. "Why yes, thank you. Seems like you and that daughter of mine still share the same brain."