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I blinked. “Maria? I didn’t think you’d be here.”
“What?” She laughed, releasing me just enough to see my face. “Of course, I’m here. Annie was good to me too.”
The mention of my grandmother’s name was like a punch in the gut. “Yes. Yes, she was.”
“Oh honey,” she pouted, wiping away the water trailing over my cheeks.
She hadn’t changed a bit. Her chocolate-colored hair was curled just past her chin. Her wrists were covered in bangles and handwoven bracelets, and her white nail polish looked as pristine as her beach worthy tan.
I exhaled a long breath. “I don’t know about you, but I need a drink.”
“Then let’s get you one.” Looping her arm through mine, she turned back to the bar and towed me over to one of the few empty spaces nearest the door. “Do you still drink tequila sunrises?”
“Screw the sunrise,” I said. “I’ll take it straight.”
Maria’s lips curled in a smile, and she waved down a girl working behind the bar that I didn’t recognize. She was small, blonde, and smelled like a human.
“Hey girls, what can I get ya,” she asked, glancing between Maria and I.
“Four shots of tequila, please.” Maria smiled. “Thanks, Sloane.”
The girl nodded and set out the glasses in front of us, pouring each evenly with stunning accuracy. “One, two, three and four.”
“Thanks,” I said, helping her slide them carefully in our direction. “That was impressive.”
“Thank you.” Sloane smiled walking away to one of the other wolves waving her down from the end of the bar.
“I have something for you,” Maria said, distracting me.
“What?” I frowned, noticing the three brooding guys staring at me from over her shoulder. I recognized them as some of the distant Bishop men who’d joined the pack after my parents got married, but I couldn’t remember all their names. Barney or Bailey came to mind when I looked at the tall red head in the center. He reminded me of the spa dude from Frozen, but I couldn’t be sure I was remembering the right person or the right name.
“Hey, don’t let them get to you,” Maria said, reaching across the bar to squeeze my hand.
I smiled at her and threw back the first of my shots. The alcohol burned in my throat, and I fought the urge to groan. It’d been too long since I’d had a decent drink. I only prayed that this one would give me a buzz sooner rather than later.
“Sorry,” I croaked, turning back to Maria. “You said you had something for me?”
“Yeah,” she held up her hand and wiggled one of the woven bracelets free from the chaotic tangle around her wrist. Made from purple and blue thread it was a dizzying pattern of my favorite colors.
“It’s pretty,” I said, letting her slip it around my right wrist. “Thank you.”
“I was thinking about you after I heard what happened to Annie. So, I did what I do best. I made a bracelet.”
I took my second shot and let the alcohol burn before I asked the question that had been nagging at me since Zach’s cryptic call summoning me home.
“What did happen, Maria? What was she doing on that bridge so late at night? No one told me,” I said, keeping my voice low. It was pointless to try and go unheard. If they cared to every wolf in the building could hear what I was saying, and I was positive one or two had to be listening.
Her face paled. “I don’t think that’s really a conversation for Annie’s wake.”
“No, it’s not,” announced a familiar voice from behind the bar.
Blinking, I looked up and watched as Ronnie came walking out of the back room, wiping her hands on an old red dish cloth.
I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat. I’d pictured seeing her again a hundred times and practiced all the nasty things I wanted to say after how she’d treated me, but all I could manage was, “Hi, Mom.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Mom? Well, thingshavechanged. Now haven’t they.”
“It’s been a long time,” I said, and like she’d read my mind, Maria slid one of her shots over to me.
