"So our apartment got flooded and they are tearing it up. They called Mom and told her we couldn't go back for a while. It's a mess. I would say we're homeless, but I don't want to lose my iPad and Mom has already threatened me with that if I tell one more person we're homeless. So we're not homeless, but we don't have a home."

This kid.

Letting out a long breath, Lucy ran her fingers through her hair before meeting Shea's stunned gaze. "Wow, okay."

Lucy shrugged. "Ladies and gentlemen, Angela Lynn Hart."

Shea laughed as he bumped fists with her and smiled over at Lucy. "You guys are good, though, right? We have a house y'all can stay at, but it's an hour from here."

She appreciated his worry. He was such a good guy, and she knew what house he was speaking of. It was Elli's old house. A lot of people had rented it from her, but like he said, it was an hour from here, and that wouldn't cut it for her. "Yeah, we are staying with Jayden until we get things figured out. They aren't sure if the building is even safe anymore. There was way more damage when they got farther into it. We've had to move my office into my brother's den while he's gone. So I've got until Friday to figure out what I'm going to do. It's a mess."

"Man, that blows. Let me know if you need anything, okay? I can help, Elli will help too, you know that. Even if it's just to keep Angie. She can come hang with us."

Lucy smiled. "Thanks, Shea. Really, that means a lot. I've got this, though."

Shea nodded. "Oh, I know. Just wanted to let you know we're here for you," he said with a grin before turning to Angie. "Ready to hit the ice?"

"Yes, sir!" she cheered before taking her bag from Lucy. She said a quick bye, and as Lucy was walking away, she heard Angie telling Shea about quitting dance, which made Lucy roll her eyes.

Angie was telling everyone, and because of that, Lucy knew she had to have everything figured out before Angie went back to her dad's. She wasn't sure if Angie would tell him about their housing issues, but to be sure, she wanted to have a plan. No reason to give him anything he could use to get custody of Angie. Things were good the way they had it, and she wasn't using Angie's diagnosis as any kind of excuse. She needed consistency and she needed stability. Rick was not that. He never had been. So what made him think he was now? It made no sense. But thankfully, they were staying with family, so that was normal for Angie. But she worried what would happen when they needed to move.

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."

"Are you done?" she demanded and he shrugged.

"I can be, for now. But you're fair game, Lucy Sinclair." She looked at the screen, and when she saw herself in the little box at the top, she almost didn't recognize who that person was. She looked different.

Happy.

Wow.

"So, Adler's house is way out of the way. Like an hour. Could you pull that?"

She shook her head. "No, that's why I said no."

"Oh, okay. So what's going on? Do you have an ETA?"

"No, he said it wouldn't be Tuesday for sure. The more they got into it, the more problems they've found. My landlord's daughter told me she thinks I should start looking for something else. That they might have to give me my money back for the month and my deposit. It's a mess."

"Shit, that sucks, babe. I'm sorry. Can I help?"

She smiled, shrugging. "Thanks, but not really. I've just got to find a place to live and an office building. Has to be by Angie's school, not out of my price range, and will allow me to grow in it."

He slowly nodded, watching her. "The offer still stands for my place."

"Benji, be real. We've known each other a week."

His face lit up. "Aw, it has been a whole week. I'll send you some chocolates."

Giggling, she rolled her eyes as she leaned back. "I'll be okay. I always am."

"No doubt. I can tell that about you."

She looked away as she swallowed hard. She didn't like to admit weakness-it wasn't her. But for some reason, he made it a little less shitty to make such a confession. "Just sucks. I could really use a hug today."

His bottom lip puckered out, and just like that, a grin covered her lips. "Would a virtual hug work? I'll even tongue the phone."

Sputtering with laughter, she shook her head. "Not the same."

"I know, but I got you Saturday."

She let out a sigh and said, "So far away."

Crap. Did she say that? Why did she say that? Crap!

"Yeah," he said slowly, a little bit of sadness in his eyes as he moved his hands through his hair. She didn't know why he looked sad; she meant nothing to him, just some chick he slept with. But the look in his eyes said something entirely different and that was crazy. They'd just met. They were just friends. Sort of dating.

Ugh, she was stupid.

"But, hey," he said, pulling her back to their conversation. "You know what I just thought of? I have an office building."

Her brow quirked in confusion. "What? No, you don't."

"No, I do. Behind my house, there is like an in-law guesthouse that they had turned into an office. The people before me ran a carpet business out of it. You could use it if you want."

"An in-law guesthouse?"

"Yeah, it's a good size. You could easily put five people working comfortably in there. Go by the house and look. I have an extra key under the rock by the third bush on the side, where I parked my truck."

She paused, giving him an incredulous look. "Benji, you shouldn't tell people that when you've just met them."

He shot her back the same look. "We've known each other a week, I slept with you the other night, and plus, you're designing my house. You aren't a stranger." She rolled her eyes and he scoffed. "Shut it, just go check it out. See if it's something that can work."

"I don't know," she said slowly. "I mean, we're cool now, but what if we aren't later?"

He shrugged. "We'll have a contract if that makes you feel better, and I'll even take your money if you want. But what I do with it is my business."

Her brows came together, her lips curving in confusion. "What the hell does that mean?"

"None of your business, just saying."

She eyed him and then shook her head. "Let me think about it."

"Fine, but while you're at it," he said and she brought her attention back to him, "make sure you think of me."

Chuckling, she held his gaze. "Why would I do that?"

"'Cause I give good hugs."

He sure as hell did.

And she was craving him like mad. Her lips curved as she leaned on her hand, looking at him. The tattoo on his chest was screaming at her, and man, she wanted to know, but it didn't seem like the right time to ask. No, she'd want to do it face-to-face when they were alone. She had no clue when that would be, but maybe...

"What are you thinking about so hard?" he asked, his eyes on her.

She shrugged. "Do you wanna go on a date with me?"

He was taken aback and then he laughed. "I actually asked you out, I think, Wednesday, and you turned me down."

She grimaced and she nodded. "I did, but if we are still talking in say, two weeks, do you think you could meet me somewhere to eat and hang out?"