Rushing the Goal
Page 53

If they had to move.
Shit, she didn’t know.
Such a mess. That was her life, though, a jumble of mess.
Going up the bleachers, Lucy sat in what she had decided was her normal spot and leaned back, waiting for Angie to take the ice. Going through some emails, she answered back her vendors, set up appointments for the following day, and looked through some possible offices that Rayne had sent her. But she didn’t want to move. She wanted to stay where she was. It was so perfect for her. Home on top, office on bottom. It worked.
But nothing ever seemed to work for her for long.
Letting out a sad sigh, she noticed that each office was way out of her price range. She knew if she picked one of them, there would be no way she could hire another designer. What a clusterfuck. Maybe she could set up an office in her warehouse? But as soon as she thought it, she knew she couldn’t. It wasn’t an office setting, and it was cold in there during the winter and hot as hell in the summer. No, that wouldn’t work.
Damn it.
When the girls hit the ice, Lucy smiled as Angie did her usual laps. She wondered if Angie missed Benji because she looked a little sad as she made her laps. When she came to a stop, she looked up at Lucy and shrugged. Lucy could tell she was a little unsure of herself, so she held up two thumbs and Angie smiled at that as Shea gave direction. At least she had Shea. He was good to her.
But even Lucy missed seeing Benji out there.
When her phone sounded, she looked down to see a text from the very man she was thinking about. Well, she thought about him all the time, but no one needed to know that.
Benji: I know what you’re thinking.
Her brow rose as she typed him back. To her surprise, and proving her to be an idiot, he had texted her last night. It was only a “Good night, beautiful” text, but still, he took the time. And it was easy to say that Lucy slept with a grin on her face. It also made her think maybe she should give this relationship a try. She was still on the fence about the whole thing.
Lucy: What?
Benji: You’re wishing I was out there with Angie.
Lucy: I am not.
Benji: Didn’t I tell you about that lying stuff? I can see right through you, woman.
Lucy: Whatever. You don’t even know me.
Benji: Okay…
Lucy: And I haven’t even thought of you. Not once.
Benji: Is your nose growing?
Lucy laughed out loud and quickly covered it as she shook her head. He was crazy, or so she thought, because then her FaceTime started to ring.
It was him.
He was nuts!
Answering it, her face was puzzled as she said, “Hello?”
“Hello, it’s me,” he sang like Adele did in her song, which made Lucy sputter with laughter.
“Oh my God, dork,” she giggled and he smiled. He was in a locker room or something, his jersey hanging above his head. Her smile dropped and her eyes went wide. “Are you in the locker room with my brother?” she screeched and he laughed.
“No, I’m in here alone. Everyone is in the hall playing soccer. Plus, I have my earbuds in. No one can hear you, so please proceed to tell me what you want to do to me naked.”
She closed her eyes, laughter bubbling from the base of her throat. When she noticed one of the moms looking at her, an offended look on her face, Lucy’s face burned as she dug her earbuds out of her purse and put them in. “I did not have mine in, and another mother just heard you,” she said into the phone, which made him laugh.
“Oh, well. She probably doesn’t get laid or she’s jealous of how hot you are,” he said simply and she rolled her eyes.
“Stop sucking up to me and tell me what you want,” she demanded and he grinned.
It took her breath away.
He was a little sweaty and his hair was pushed to the side, obviously by his hands. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his jaw was covered in hair. He hadn’t shaved, and she decided she liked him a little hairy. Yesterday, he was clean-shaven and he was adorable, but he looked sexier with a five-o’clock shadow.
“Well, if you must know, I still want you.”
Shaking her head, her face burning, she had a hard time not grinning. “Stop.”
“Fine, show me the ice. How’s Angie doing?”
Her heart grew in her chest as she hit the button to turn the camera so he could see the ice. She watched his face as he looked closer at the phone, finding Angie and then nodding as she ran the drills. “She looks good. Was she okay? Not nervous?”
Really? How was she supposed to be hard and cold around this dude?
“Eh, when she went on and did her laps, I could tell she missed you.”
“Yeah, I wish I was there. I was thinking about her all day, worried how she would do. Who’s out there with Adler?”
“I don’t know who they are, but he introduced them as his buddies.”
He looked closer. “Oh, I think they played with him his rookie season. I’m not sure. I trust Adler with my life, so I’m sure she’s in good hands.”
“Yeah, he offered me Elli’s house.”
“Put me on you,” he said and she did what he asked. “There you are,” he said, his eyes dark. “I think you get more beautiful by the second. Ooh, and today we get a peek of boobs. Why didn’t you wear that shirt last week?”
Covering her chest, she laughed as she looked away. “Stop, you’re making me blush.”
“Good, I like that color, along with the dimples. They’re my favorite.”