Rushing the Goal
Page 134

“Har-har-har,” she said and Jayden laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist before picking her up off the ground and shaking her.
Like he had been doing since they were kids.
“Put me down, you big oaf,” she demanded as her feet hit the ground.
Kissing her on the cheek, Baylor smiled. “We’ll miss you guys.”
She went to her sister-in-law, who had just had surgery a week before, and hugged her tightly. She was on crutches so it was awkward, but she was thankful for such a good woman for her brother. “Thanks, Baylor.”
“Any time,” she said, squeezing her arm as Angie came over to hug her tightly.
“Now, Benji, there is a no-return policy on her. No take-backs on the little one either,” Jayden teased as Angie climbed up his back and Lucy punched him in the chest. Wheezing for breath, he said, “Okay, we’ll take Angie back, but not that one.”
Benji just laughed as he jumped out of the back of his truck, wrapping his arm around Lucy’s shoulders. “No worries. Didn’t need the policies anyway,” he said, kissing her cheek as she looked up to where all of her and Angie’s belongings were in the back of Benji’s truck. If she had been smart, she would have waited, done it all right, planned to move everything out of storage and all that, but Benji made her impulsive. So, like a crazy person, she packed up and moved in the following day. She knew it was outrageous, but she prayed it was going to work.
Because she really saw no future unless Benji was in their life.
They would be fine if he weren’t. They were always fine, but they’d never truly be happy the way he made them happy. Because of that, she was ready to move in to her dream home with her dream man. It was simply ludicrous, when only a couple of months ago, she was just gliding through life, following Angie and only caring for her, to now, not only caring for Angie and Benji, but herself.
Love. Crazy thing, that love.
“When do we get my bed?” Angie asked as she sat up on Jayden’s shoulders.
“Tomorrow,” Lucy said, leaning her head to Benji’s shoulder. “We have the Assassins’ Christmas party tonight. You still wanna go, right?”
“Duh, Mom,” she said dryly and Benji laughed.
“Yeah, duh,” he teased, kissing her head before slapping his hands together. “So come on, ladies. Let’s get home and unpacked. Home. I like that,” he said, grinning over at Lucy and she smiled.
“Me too.”
“Me three! We aren’t homeless anymore!” Angie cheered as Jayden laughed, putting her on her feet.
“Angela,” Lucy scolded, but she ran around her, jumping in the truck, saying good-bye to Jayden and Baylor before slamming the door shut.
Laughing, Benji leaned against the doorframe as Jayden teased, “You know you’re gonna get shit for this from Jude and Jace.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “I don’t care. I’m happy.”
Jayden nodded before coming over and wrapping his big arms around her, hugging her tightly. “Good. That’s all we want,” he said and then he dropped his mouth to her ear. “I love you, Lucy, and I want this for you. Don’t fuck it up.”
Laughing, she pushed him away. “Thanks, asshole.”
“God, I love you,” he said as she met his gaze. He meant it, she knew that, but he drove her insane. Still, though, there was no way she was doing anything but grinning ear to ear.
“I love you. You too, Baylor,” she called as she walked around the truck, and Baylor smiled.
“Love you. Don’t be a stranger. I’m lonely now, all by myself until this leg heals.”
“Which won’t be long,” Benji said with a nod. “We’ll see you on the ice in no time.”
Baylor beamed, but Lucy looked to Jayden to see how he felt about that. Her brother was grinning, his eyes full of love, and that was her answer. As much as he worried about Baylor, he loved her and he wanted her to be happy.
The ice and Jayden made her happy.
Waving, Lucy got into the car as Benji said good-bye and got in himself. Looking back at Angie, he said, “You ready to go home, sunshine?”
Lucy looked back at her daughter who looked just as happy as she felt. Angie threw her hands up and waved them wildly. “So ready!”
“Me too,” he said, starting the car. He glanced over at Jayden’s house before looking at Lucy. His eyes were dark, and her lips quirked at the side as he held her gaze. “The first time I pulled into the driveway to give you your bag, I sat right here and thought, do I really want to go in there and convince that girl to love me? Let me tell you, I didn’t even have to think it through. I got out of this truck, went up to that door, and that’s when it started. Our love story.”
Breathless, she shook her head. “I thought it started when I said, ‘And you think I’m gonna trust you with my kid?’” she said.
From then to now.
Wow.
Other than her family, there was no one else she trusted more with Angie than Benji.
He thought that over for a moment and then winked. “You’re right. I like that better.”
Grinning, she leaned over, kissing his cheek as he put the car in reverse to head home.
Home.
Their home.
When they got back to the house, it was crazy getting everything where it needed to be in a rush and convincing Angie that the guest room would be fine until they could go get her bed.
“It’s fine. I’ll go get her bed after the party,” he suggested, but Lucy shook her head.