Rushing the Goal
Page 10

She glared. “How about no. I’m good.”
His brows rose. “What?” he croaked out.
“I got it. I can do it.”
“Momma!” Angie stressed, her eyes pleading.
Lucy tore her gaze from Benji Paxton’s and looked at her daughter. “Baby, I Googled how to do it. We can do this,” she said reassuringly, holding out her phone with a YouTube video on deck. “How hard could it be?
But Angie was not convinced.
“You Googled it?” she cried out, and when Benji laughed, Lucy glared. She knew it wasn’t his fault, but he wasn’t needed. So he needed to go.
“You can leave.”
That didn’t seem to bother him any as he said, “Google can’t help you, I can.”
Angie looked hopeful, but Lucy wouldn’t admit to needing help. Cutting a look to him, she held his gaze. “Do you doubt Google?”
His eyes were dancing with laughter as his lips curved. This time, it didn’t seem forced, and hell, he was cute. Like a little bulldog puppy or something. “No, but I’m sure it doesn’t have the experience I do. I’ve been playing hockey since I was three. I’ve won two Stanley Cups, and I play on the same line as your brother. So, I mean, word is I’m good, and I’m sure I know more about it than Google.”
Glaring, she held his gaze, unfazed by his resume. “Was that supposed to impress me?”
His lips curved in a playful way that may or may not have had Lucy gasping for breath. Not that she’d ever tell him that. “Maybe. Did it work?”
“Nope, not even kinda,” she said simply, turning back to Angie. “I trust Google. Not your uncle’s replacement. We don’t even know this guy.”
“Yes, but he knows hockey, Mom. He won two Cups!”
“True, but I have Google and YouTube. I’m sure I’ve got this.”
“Or we can just let him do it since Uncle Jayden trusted him to help us.”
“Without telling me,” Lucy added and Angie glared.
“Because he’s scared of you!”
Lucy feigned hurt. “That’s not true.”
Angie just gave her a look, and Lucy shrugged as Benji said, “No, really, that’s the rumor I heard. Heard you might try to hit me. Jayden apologized in advance.”
Letting out a long breath, she closed her eyes. God, Jayden was overdramatic. She wasn’t that bad. Glaring back up at Benji, which made her realize maybe she was that bad, she demanded, “Shh, you. And don’t believe everything you hear.”
He scoffed at that, and her glare deepened. The guy may be hot, but she decided she didn’t care for him much. Fed up with all of this, she looked back to her daughter. “If you want the replacement to help you, I understand. But I think I got this.”
She felt Benji looking at her, but she didn’t meet his gaze as Angie shrugged. “I guess he can do it. He knows what he’s doing.”
Lucy wouldn’t let that bother her. He was experienced, and all she had was Google. Plus, she was so angry at Jayden, there was no telling what Angie would go out there looking like. So she smiled sweetly and said, “Okay. Go get ready, and let’s play hockey!”
Turning to Benji, she watched as Angie looked at him expectantly. But he was staring at Lucy. With a quirk in his lip, he said, “It was really nice meeting you. And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.”
Yeah, she didn’t like him one bit. Her eyes narrowed as his gray eyes seemed to twinkle. She hadn’t been looked at like that in a while, and she honestly didn’t understand it. This guy didn’t even know her, yet he looked at her like they were friends. Maybe even more. She wasn’t sure.
Strange…
“Yeah, okay, I’ll make sure you don’t walk right if you hurt her. I’ll be watching from the stands,” she said, leaning down and kissing Angie’s temple. “Have fun, okay?” Angie smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She was nervous. “You okay, baby?”
“I wish Jayden was here,” she whispered and Lucy bent down.
“I know, but I’m sure replacement guy—”
“Benji,” he supplied, but there wasn’t annoyance in his voice. Humor, though. He found her funny. Which was annoying as hell.
“Benji,” she said slowly, enunciating each syllable just to be a bitch. He just laughed, a deep tenor that had her toes curling in the heels she wore. Clearing her throat, she said, “He will take good care of you.”
When he crouched down beside her, Lucy stared at him in confusion as he cupped Angie’s shoulder. Angie looked at him curiously, and Lucy glared. What was he doing?
“You know, I’m sure your uncle wouldn’t have asked me to pitch in if he didn’t think I would be great at helping you. I heard you’re the best little hockey player in the world and that you’re gonna show me some awesome moves,” he said sweetly.
Hell, Rick didn’t even talk to her like that and that dick was her dad.
Angie’s cheeks reddened and Lucy smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, so don’t worry. I know I’m not your uncle, but I’m excited to hit the ice with you, and I’ll do my best to help you out. I’m like your personal helper. I’m your trainer!” he said excitedly, and Lucy couldn’t help it, she smiled a little. Just a little.
“You are?” Angie asked and Lucy was surprised how shy her daughter was being. She had been so excited about this, but now, it didn’t seem that way.