Rushing the Goal
Page 141

“Is Lucy crying?” Jude asked.
“She knows how to do that?” Jayden asked as the boys gawked at him.
“Man, Lucy, are you pregnant?” Jace asked and she threw her hands up.
“No, assholes. I’m happy for our fucking mom, okay?” she snapped just as the door to the barn opened.
Everyone, including Pastor Dwayne, looked at them with wide eyes. Like always, because it was just her luck, Lucy wanted to die.
Cracking up beside her, Jace said, “God sure heard that.”
Kill me now.
With a bright red face, Lucy’s eyes met Benji’s as he sat with Angie in his lap, and a grin covered his handsome face. He was wearing a dark blue suit, a rose-colored bow tie, and he hadn’t shaved since Tuesday. She knew this because she was living with the man and waking up every morning to that face. It was glorious, and she knew she couldn’t be happier.
That was until he mouthed, “You’re fucking hot.”
That made her grin.
Big.
When her mom started down the aisle, Lucy’s gaze went to River.
He was a bubbling mess of tears, and that only made Lucy cry harder.
“Coach is crying,” Jace whispered. “I’m scared.”
“Shut up,” Lucy snapped, wiping her face.
“You guys are a bunch of babies. It’s a wedding, not a funeral,” Jude called over and Jayden scoffed.
“Dude, you cried at your wedding,” Jayden accused.
“Did not!”
“Good Lord, you guys bicker about everything. Shut up, I’m trying to get married,” their mom barked and all four of them snapped their mouths shut, fighting back their laughter. It felt like when they were kids, but they weren’t kids anymore. They were four different personalities, all grown-up, paving their own ways. For once, Lucy didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything.
Looking back at Benji, who had his arms wrapped around Angie as they watched, she curved her lips into a satisfied grin.
She knew she had everything she never knew she needed.
Benji had never seen a set of siblings bicker and pick at each other the way Lucy did with her brothers.
“Benji, I shit you not, she still picks her nose,” Jude decided.
“I saw her do it before we walked out, and she cussed in front of God and everybody,” Jace added. “She’s gross.”
“She stinks too. Believe me, she farts like a dude,” Jayden teased, holding back his laughter as Lucy glared.
“I’ve never seen or smelled either of those things, but thanks, guys,” he said and Lucy shook her head, her eyes dark with annoyance. Though she was still gorgeous. Her hair was down in curls along her shoulders. The dress she wore was simply lethal, and he was convinced she was the most gorgeous woman in the world. She was hotter than the bride, and he knew that was taboo to say, but she was. The wedding, though, had been amazing. Benji even shed a tear or two for the beautiful couple. It was clear how much River loved Autumn and her in return. It was gorgeous. Their vows were sweet, and looking over at them, he couldn’t help but smile.
Relationship goals.
That’s what they gave him.
“I got you three, I really do,” she said, and they all laughed her off. “Fine, Jude would crap his pants, and instead of going to my mom to get cleaned up, he and Jayden would paint with it.”
“Ew! Lucy, I’m eating,” Claire complained while Angie giggled loudly.
“You played with his poop? Not even your own, but his?” Baylor asked as Lucy grinned.
“I was, like, one.”
“Three.”
“You were crapping your pants at almost five?” Claire asked, horror all over her face.
“I had digestive issues, thank you,” he said simply while Jace laughed like a hyena.
“And that one used to eat dog food,” Lucy said, pointing to Jace, who stopped laughing immediately. “And I mean, dog food, the treats, the soft food, hard. Jace was basically a dog.”
Avery made a face. “I’m never kissing you again.”
“Ha! Please. Come here,” he said, pulling her to him. She tried to resist him, but then she pressed her lips to his as everyone laughed.
“But that’s not all—”
“Shut up, Lucy!” Jayden yelled and she smiled.
“Don’t want me to tell everyone how you and Jude used to play with dog poop, too?”
Benji shook his head, laughing as Angie balked. “Ew, guys!”
“What was your thing with poop?” Baylor asked and Jayden shook his head.
“I hate you,” he said and Lucy grinned.
“Don’t try to embarrass me in front of my boyfriend, then,” she said plainly, and all three boys looked away, shaking their heads.
“Are you sure you want to be with her? She’s mean,” Jace called over to him. Benji smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Yeah, I love her, the mean side too.”
“She bites, did you know that? Like, I still have the scar,” Jude said, pulling his shirt up, and sure enough, right by his ribs was a bite mark scar.
Benji looked over at Lucy and she shrugged. “He tried to tickle me.”
“She broke my nose. Twice!” Jayden yelled and Benji laughed.
“I won’t even try to tickle her, she’s like a ninja.” Jace shook his head, looking to Avery. “Like, really, she’s evil.”
“I feel like I should try. Get you down one good time and tickle the heck out of you,” Benji said and she grinned up at him.