Rewind It Back (Windy City, #5)

by Liz Tomforde

With my legs spread wide, she sits between them, leaning back against my chest. I wrap the blanket around us, crossing my arms in front of her. Hallie sighs this content sound, and I fully understand that calm, that peacefulness. It feels like we’ve come full circle, sitting in the same place on the same date where I once sat with the girl next door on her thirteenth birthday. But there’s one thing that this birthday is missing. Digging into my pocket, I pull out my wireless earbuds, handing her one and putting the other in my own ear. “What’s this for?” she asks. On my phone, I tap on the music app and scroll to the playlist I’ve been putting together since October. “Every birthday, I used to love listening to you tell me about all your important moments from the year, so I was hoping on this birthday, I could tell you about mine.” She turns back to look at me. “Really?” With a nervous smile on my lips, I nod. “Yes. Please. I’d love that, Rio.” She drops her head back to rest on my shoulder. “I’d really love that.”