Autumn beamed as Benji laughed. "Actually, sunshine, I'm seeing someone."

Angie's eyes widened as she looked to her mom, and Lucy shrugged. "What?"

"Yup," he said as Lucy looked up, her eyes narrowing as he smiled. "She's this really awesome gal, makes my heart hurt at the sight of her. She has the best smile."

Angie looked bored. "Well, yay."

"Angela," Lucy scolded and Angie threw her hands up.

"I wanted him to take you on a date!"

Benji smiled as Lucy looked away, his smile slowly dropping as she said, "Enough, Angie."

She made a pouting face, leaning on her hand, as Autumn said, "Well, then, Angie, tell me about your breakaway."

Like the grandma she was, she knew what would liven Angie up. Angie sat up, excitedly giving a play-by-play. Jayden leaned in close. "You're talking about my sister, right?"

Benji looked over at him and nodded. "Yeah, trying to make her smile."

"Yeah, that asshole," Jayden basically growled, but he looked relieved. "Mom said you almost fought him."

Benji looked at Lucy, who was seated at the end of the table, her eyes on Angie before she glanced back at Benji. Her eyes were so sad, so tired. She needed to go home and go to sleep. "He had one more chance to say something shitty about her and I would have."

Jayden nodded as Lucy looked away. "She's pissed."

Benji let out a long breath. "Apparently, that was wrong."

"No, from what my mom said, Rick is trying to get their parenting plan changed. She's stressed. It isn't you."

When Benji gazed back across the table, Lucy looked over at him and then back at the food she hadn't even touched. "What do I do?"

Jayden shook his head as he met his eyes. "I don't know. Short of killing the dude, is there anything we can do but be there for her?"

"Will she let us?"

Jayden scoffed. "Nope. But we will try anyway."

It was clear that Benji was a part of that we, and it made him feel good. But did Lucy still see him that way? She wouldn't even really look at him, and it was killing him.

He didn't know what to do.

When they were done with lunch, they walked out as a group, Baylor limping behind, and Benji slowed to walk with her.

"When's the surgery?" he asked and Baylor shook her head.

"End of the month."

"When you hitting the ice again?"

Biting her lip, she shrugged. "I don't know if I will. Professionally, at least."

His brows came together. "Really?"

"Yeah, they don't know if I'll play ever again to my full potential."

Benji nodded slowly, thinking that over. "Do you believe that?"

Baylor met his gaze and held it for a second before shaking her head. "I don't."

Smiling, Benji cupped her shoulder. "Don't give up."

She smiled, the curve of her lips brightening her whole face before she nodded. "Thanks."

"Anytime," he said, squeezing her shoulder as Angie squealed.

She was up on River's shoulders when she declared, "Mommy! River is gonna take me stick shopping."

Lucy shook her head, though, her brows coming together. "No, she has a stick. She's fine."

"She has Jayden's old stick. She needs her own."

"She's fine," Lucy tried, but Autumn was already waving her off.

"We want to take her out, spend some time with her. We miss her."

"Mom, you guys see her all the time. Stop spoiling her."

"No, you go on. We'll bring her by Jayden's later," Autumn insisted, and River nodded while Angie pleaded with Lucy with her eyes.

"Yeah, Mom, go for a ride with Benji. Maybe he'll break up with his girlfriend and take you on a date if you're nice," she sang, and Benji chuckled as Lucy glared.

"Angela," she warned, but Angie was giggling with Autumn. "That's enough."

"She's right," Autumn whispered while Jayden and Baylor snickered behind Lucy.

"Mother, enough," she demanded and then let out a long breath. "Fine, y'all go. Text me later. I'm gonna head to the apartment and start packing."

"I thought we were doing all that tomorrow and Monday?" Autumn asked and Benji's ears perked up. She hadn't told him about this.

"Monday is my office, tomorrow is the apartment. I'm gonna get a head start since you guys are taking my daughter."

"So instead of going out with Benji, you're gonna pack?" her mother deadpanned and even Angie made a face.

"Bye, guys," she said, turning on her heel. "Be good, Angie. Love you. Come on, Benji," she called over her shoulder and Autumn set him with a look.

"Take her out."

"Yeah, to Chuck E. Cheese!" Angie said then and Benji chuckled.

"See you guys later. Good game, Angie."

"Thanks! But really, she loves Chuck E. Cheese," she stressed and Benji had to fight his grin as he ran off to catch up with Lucy. She was almost to the truck when he finally fell into step with her.

"Apparently, you like Chuck E. Cheese. You didn't tell me that."

She cut him a sideways glance. "I hate that place."

"Angie thinks otherwise."

She just shook her head as he reached for the handle to open the door. "They're all insane."

Stepping in front of her before she could get in, he held his arms out. "Time to cash in that rain check. Bring it in."

Sucking in a deep breath, she shook her head. "Not now."

But he wasn't taking no for an answer. Wrapping his arms around her, pulling her to him, he kissed the top of her head. Thankfully, she didn't fight him. "Yes, now," he whispered against her hair, and when her arms came around his waist, his eyes fell shut.

Nuzzling her nose in his chest, she drew in a deep breath and then let it out, holding him tightly. "Dealing with Rick just sucks ass," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut, and he nodded.

"He's a dick, for sure."

Pulling back, she looked up at him and nodded. "I'm just so tired."

He smiled. He was tired too, but he would gladly be tired for the rest of his days if he got to spend every night like he had last night with her. "Me too."

He cupped her face, and she leaned into his hand as she closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, he found them swimming in tears as her little lip wobbled a bit. "I'm sorry you had to deal with all that."

"You don't apologize for that fucker, Lucy."

She paused, looking up at him. "You're right. I'm sorry I snapped at you for just doing what a man who cares for someone would do." His heart fluttered as his lips curved. He held her gaze as she cleared her throat. "It just really hard with him, and I'm not used to someone wanting to stand up for me against him."

"Well, get used to it, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a long breath, shaking her head. "That's the thing, Benji. You can't. He will use it against me."

Benji gave her an incredulous look. "How in the world can he use me standing up for you against you? I don't understand. You don't matter to him. The only thing that should matter is Angie and her best interests."

When her lip started to tremble harder, he took her by her hips and a tear rolled down her cheek. Reaching up, he wiped her face free. "Don't cry, baby. Please."

But the tears kept coming. "He wants to go week on/week off with me. Where I would get her one week, he would get her the next, and so on. Angie can't do that. She needs stability. With her ADHD, she needs the consistency, the reassurance of permanency. She loves her school, they honor her 504 Plan, and we are comfortable there. He isn't in her school district. And I know he won't drive her, he'll try to get me to drive her to his school district."

"That's stupid, though. It's not ideal for Angie."

"It doesn't matter. He's doing this to hurt me. I know he is because he doesn't care at all about what Angie needs. He says that I used the ADHD as a shield, something to keep her in my clutches, when that's not it. I want her to have a daddy, someone who loves her and whom she can trust. But I told him I don't want her in dance, that she feels like she's being ignored., And he said he feels they can be better parents, and Benji-" Her voice broke and he took her in his arms, his heart shattering in his chest as she sobbed. Holding him tightly, she pressed her face to his chest, clenching his shirt in her fist. "I can't do that. I can't go week to week. If it would benefit her, then, yes, I could understand and I would deal. But it won't. She comes home from his house and it takes a day or two to get her back to who she is. Happy and carefree. She is better with me, I know it, and he makes me question that."

"Lucy, don't you dare," he said roughly against her temple. "That won't happen. He won't get her, there is no way. He's a dick-anyone can see that."

"Yes, I know. But he has the family-the wife, the daughter, a steady job. It makes me so nervous. He's looking for anything, and it scares me. It scares me so damn bad," she said, her body shaking as her words were muffled. He leaned in to hear her as she whispered, "He wanted me to keep River away from her. I refused and now he's added you." Pausing to sniff hard, she looked up at him and shook her head. "She would be devastated if I told her she couldn't see you."

"Me too," he admitted, his throat tight with emotion.

"And I would be devastated."

Holding her close, he leaned his head to hers, kissing her temple. "That won't happen. Remember that fighting you for you thing I have no problem doing? This falls into that category. I'm sorry, but I won't let you."

She tried to smile, but the tears came faster and she slowly shook her head. "I just don't know what to do. He scares the living shit out of me."

"He can't touch you, and he won't get Angie. It won't happen," he repeated, holding her and kissing her temple. "I promise."

"Benji, you can't promise that."

"Well, I'm promising it," he said roughly, kissing her once more.

"He wants me to break up with you," she whispered against his neck and he froze. "He texted that at lunch."

He held his breath. "What did you say?"

"I told him to fuck off," she said softly. "And he said I better hope Angie never says that you touch her. He's such a fucking asshole!" she yelled against his chest, her fist balling up as her body broke with a sob.

His eyes fell shut as she clung to him, his fingers biting into her ribs as his heart ached. "Lucy, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. Tell me what I can do."

"Hold me. Just hold me."

"Done," he whispered, kissing her once more, and he did. He held her as she cried, and he really didn't know what to do. He had been sure she was going to throw the mom card in his face, but she didn't. She clung to him, needed him, and it pleased him to no end. But the issue of Rick was still so strong. He really didn't understand the dude. He had moved on, had a wife and daughter, so why was he so worried about Lucy? Why wasn't she allowed to be happy? To move on, too?

It was sad.

On one hand, he wanted to hunt the dude down and kill him, but he knew that wouldn't help anything. No, he'd have to be her rock, and he could do that. For her and Angie. Pulling back, he moved her hair out of her face and kissed her nose. Holding his gaze, she whispered, "Thank you."

His brows pulled together as he shrugged. "For what? Being here for you? That's a given, baby. Don't thank me for that."

"It's not only that," she whispered, her lip trembling. "I've never broken down about Rick to anyone but my mom. My brothers don't even know, more because I just don't think they'd understand. But you, it's easy, and that is such a comforting feeling. I don't think you realize how important that is to me."

Moving his thumbs across her cheeks, he kissed her lips softly. "Well then, you're welcome, Lucy."

"You scare the living bejesus out of me, Benjamin Paxton."

He scoffed. "Funny, you don't scare me at all," he said with a wink and she grinned, her dimples flashing as she leaned up to press her lips to his. Melting against her lips, he let his fingers bite into her hips as he squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, pulling away, she looked up at him with so much relief and need in her eyes that he found himself breathless. "You know, this shit with Rick... Let it go right now. Angie is with your mom and River, having a blast. There is nothing we can do now anyway, so how about we go back to my house and take a nap?"

She looked hopeful for one second, and then she shook her head. "I really need to pack. They need my stuff out by Tuesday."

He cupped her face. "And it will be. But today we nap. Tomorrow, we work."

But, of course, she protested. "No, you don't have to do that. You have stuff to do, I'm sure. I've got this. Jayden and River are gonna help. Go do what you need to do."

Benji nodded his head, already ready for her to try to deny his help. "Yeah, you're right. I do have something to do."

She nodded. "See, it's fine. I've got-"