He shook his head. “Baby, I don’t know. It’s killing me. It really is.”

“I just— Shit, she’s getting in the car. Hey, honey bun!”

“Hey, Mom!” Angie jumped in, leaning over the seat and giving her a kiss. “Hey, Benji! You come home tomorrow, right?”

“Yup. We’re still having that dance party Sunday?”

“Duh! You better be ready.”

“Oh, I am,” he promised and Lucy grinned as Angie snatched the phone and sat down.

As Lucy pulled out, Angie said, “Hopefully, I’ll see you Saturday. Mom says I have to tell my dad I don’t want to go to his house.”

“Yeah, I know, sunshine. Are you okay with that?”

Lucy’s heart broke as Angie said, “Not really, but Mom says I have to.”

“You do. It’s legal adult crap that you shouldn’t have to deal with. But do me a favor, honey,” he asked, and Lucy caught Angie grinning in the mirror.

“Anything!”

He chuckled and it made Lucy’s heart swell. “No matter what happens, you’re coming home Sunday, and you don’t have to go back till after the first of the year. So just remember that and try to have fun.”

“But, Benji! He won’t take me to hockey and he yells all the time.”

“I know, sunshine, so just be strong, okay?”

When a tear slid down Lucy’s face, she wiped it away as her baby said, “Okay, I can do that.”

“All right, I miss you and can’t wait to see you Sunday!”

“Me too! I love you, Benji.”

That stole her breath and Lucy gripped the steering wheel as Angie grinned at the phone. Did her baby just say that? Holy crap, she did, and when Benji spoke, his voice was hoarse and full of emotion. “I love you too, sunshine. Be good, and I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay! Win some games, okay?”

“Of course. Hey, let me say bye to your mom.”

“Okay. Here, Mom,” she said, handing the phone back.

Holding it in her lap, Lucy felt him looking up at her but she couldn’t put him in his spot yet.

“I’m driving, sorry you’re getting my double chin.”

He laughed. “No, all I see is my gorgeous girlfriend.”

She grinned as she turned onto his road. “Yeah, yeah, sweet-talker. I’m almost home.”

“It could be your home,” he suggested and she shook her head.

“Shh, you. Can I call you later? I gotta get inside to do some work before taking Angie to practice.”

“Yeah. Listen, I’ll be at the game, but I’m gonna call you before we have to hit the ice. To check on you.”

“Okay,” she said, pulling into the driveway.

“It’s gonna be okay. Call me before if you need me.”

“I will,” she promised as she parked and held the phone up. When she saw he had tears in his eyes, she was breathless. He loved Angie so much, and he was just as pained as Lucy was. She prayed what he said was true. That they would both be strong through the ordeal, that it was going to be okay.

But she was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be.

Lucy’s heart was in her throat.

Her body was vibrating with nerves.

Her stomach was a mess.

And she was two seconds from falling apart.

She couldn’t do this.

No. She could do this.

She would do this.

Mindlessly, she stroked the back of Angie’s head as she looked out the window, hoping that Angie couldn’t sense her anxiety. She was sweaty, a little stinky, but Lucy didn’t care. She needed her to know she loved her because she was terrified that Angie would hate her after this—if this went the way her father said it would. How was she going to stand there and allow Rick to take her away? God, this was going to suck.

But maybe he would just let her be.

“Grandma, why are you coming?” Angie asked then, bringing Lucy’s attention back to her.

“We are going wedding shopping after we drop you off. So we figured we’d take you so I can make Mommy go,” she said with a laugh and Angie smiled.

“I want to go wedding shopping! Maybe Dad won’t make me go with him,” she said, her eyes full of hope as she met Lucy’s gaze.

“Yeah, let’s hope so,” River said before Lucy could. “But remember, baby, there is a chance he will and you’ll have to go.”

“But I don’t want to,” she said simply and Lucy’s lip started to quiver. She hated feeling so fucking weak. Why couldn’t she control this? Why couldn’t anything go the way she wanted? The only good thing was Angie and Benji. Well, when they were both with her.

“I know, baby, but we might not have a choice,” Autumn explained, turning in her seat.

But that didn’t work for Angie. Turning to Lucy, her gaze bored into her mother’s as she asked, “Mommy, you won’t make me, will you?”

She shook her head. “No honey, I won’t. I promise I won’t. But he can make you.”

Angie’s face twisted in confusion and maybe a bit of horror as she looked at her. “So I might have to go?”

Lucy’s eyes started to flood with tears and she cupped Angie’s sweet little cherub face. “Yeah, but remember what Benji said? It’s only two days and then you’ll be back home.”

Angie bit into her lip as she looked out the window. “Okay.”