Rushing the Goal
Page 140

“I’m glad you know what I need, Mom.”
“Anytime.”
Frustrating woman, that Autumn Sinclair soon-to-be Moore was.
“Is he going to come down to Florida with you?”
Lucy nodded, running her finger along Ashlyn’s fat cheeks. “Yeah, unless he gets invited to play in the All-Star Game.”
“Oh, when do those invites go out?”
“The beginning of the month.”
“Fun! Well, hopefully, he can come. It will be nice to hang out.”
Lucy nodded. “I’m sure Jace will get invited.”
“Eh, we’ll see,” Avery said with a fond little grin on her face. She always got that look on her face when it came to Jace. “Any word from Rick? Has he called Angie for Christmas?”
Lucy let out a long breath and shook her head. “Nope, and what upsets me the most is that Angie hasn’t even asked. I mean, what father does that to his kid? Benji was so pissed and has been just so sweet to her all day. Not that he isn’t all the time, the girl has him wrapped around her finger, but still, he’s making sure her Christmas is extra nice.”
While it was wonderful that Benji was doing what he was doing and she loved him even more, she couldn’t believe Rick. Despite being a lowlife, he made a point to call her on her birthday and holidays if Lucy had her, and she did the same. She didn’t understand how he could be like that. But then, she really didn’t understand where he got off thinking he was going to get custody of their child. Who knew? The dude was borderline certifiable.
“So Benji is in this to win it, huh?” Claire asked, looking over at her. “Like legit, Angie is his kid, kind of thing?”
Lucy shrugged. “Yeah, I think so.”
“That’s so awesome. Because, let me tell you, no one ever wanted my mom because of me. Or maybe it was the kind of men she brought around. But no one ever looked at me the way Benji looks at Angie, until Phillip. That’s basically his kid.”
Lucy smiled as Autumn beamed. “Isn’t he just perfect? He loves that baby, and it just pleases me to no end. ’Cause Lord knows she needs a good man to love her momma and her.”
“Mom, I don’t—”
“You tell me you don’t need Benji Paxton and I will smack you. Don’t lie to me, honey. Can you see your life without him?” she snapped and Lucy’s eyes went wide.
Lucy looked to Avery, but she laughed as she looked away. “Don’t look at me.”
“I mean, shit, Mom. Yeah, I can’t see my life without him now, but it’s because I want him. Not ’cause I need him.”
“Same thing,” she decided and Lucy scoffed.
Crazy woman.
“I think it’s great. He’s wonderful for you, and I can’t wait to see y’all grow,” Claire said, sending her a grin. “I’m just happy you’re happy.”
“Me too,” Baylor and Avery said at the same time, flashing grins at each other as her mom started to tear up.
“Well, we all know how I feel. Don’t let that man go, Lucy Lane. Don’t you dare let that man go.”
Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Lucy nodded. “No plans for it.”
She watched as Angie pulled Ashlyn down the aisle in a wagon, and a tear rolled down Lucy’s face while she stood with her three brothers and their mother between them outside the venue. Autumn held on to Jude and Lucy, while Jace held on to Lucy and Jayden to Jude. It was really freaking sweet, but she knew they looked silly as hell.
“So Lucy’s next, huh?” Jayden said, and she flashed him a dark look.
“No way, Benji won’t marry her. He’s only staying ’cause he’s scared of her,” Jude quipped and Lucy rolled her eyes.
“He’ll probably figure out that she doesn’t know how to cook and he’ll run,” Jace added, grinning, but when she looked at him, he looked away. “Or, I mean, he’ll be lucky to marry our amazing, beautiful sister.”
“Pussy,” Jude whispered at him, and their mom smacked him.
“Jude! We are in a church.”
“We are in a barn on church grounds, Mom.”
“God can still hear you, boy,” she snapped as her grip on them went tighter. “Now, shut up. I’m nervous.”
“Nervous?” Lucy asked, confused. “I thought you wanted this?”
“If you don’t, Mom, I can cause a distraction. Jayden will get you out of here—no wait, Jace will. And we’ll have Jayden tell River while Lucy grabs the kids,” Jude decided and everyone nodded, while Lucy was convinced she was related to idiots.
“Are you crazy? I am in love with that man,” Autumn declared and all four of them gagged, on cue, simultaneously. Lucy was quite impressed. “We are doing this. I’m just worried he won’t like my dress or something.”
“What? You’re gorgeous,” Jude said.
“Prettiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” Lucy agreed.
“He’s a lucky dude, Mom. You’re beautiful,” Jayden said.
“What they all said. I’d say you’re hot, Mom, but that’s kinda gross,” Jace said simply and they all shook their heads. But like they wanted, their mom smiled.
Holding on to them, she cleared her throat before saying, “I just want you four to know I love you. So damn much. And I’m so proud of the people you have become. I hate that it’s not your father, but, well, he didn’t want me. But River does, and he’s such a great guy. So thank you for walking me down the aisle, and thank you for loving and supporting me,” she said. And of course, Lucy started to cry.