But when she wasn’t, he’d be there, and he’d bear the burden of all of it as long as Lucy would let him.

“My mom thought you were going to propose to me.”

Wrapping his arms around Lucy’s waist as Angie played with the new indoor hockey set Benji had gotten her, he kissed her shoulder. “Did you want that?”

She shook her head. “God, no, we aren’t ready.”

“No?”

“No, crazy. Jeez,” she said, gawking at him. “Plus, I love my new bracelet and earrings. I’ve never had diamonds before, I didn’t even have an engagement ring.”

He made a face. “No?”

“Nope, we were poor,” she said with a grin. “Plus, I never needed it. Angie was my main concern, or maybe I knew that Rick wouldn’t last. I don’t know,” she laughed, leaning her head against his as she drank in the stunning set he had gotten her. When he saw it, he knew she’d love it, and while she thought it was too early for them to be engaged, it hadn’t stopped him from picking out a ring for her.

Not that anyone knew that.

He hadn’t bought it, but he found the one he wanted for her. It would fit her hand perfectly, a simple three carat diamond in a platinum band. He knew she’d love it, but he’d wait until he knew she wouldn’t say no.

Kissing her jaw, he said, “Well, I’m getting you a ring.”

“Later.”

“Later? Like, how later?”

“Why do you need times for everything?”

He grinned. “So I can do it before then,” he said with a wink and she laughed.

“I don’t know, a year?”

He made a face. “No.”

“No? You can’t just say no.”

“A year is too long.”

“You are crazy. It’s been little over two months, Benji. That’s like ten weeks,” she stressed and he shrugged.

“When you know, you know.”

She made a face. “So you’d marry me tomorrow?”

“Hell, I’d marry you right now. I mean, it would be an excellent bonus birthday present…” he said and she made another face.

“You’re insane.”

He grinned as she cuddled into him. “But I’ll admit, it’s sorta cute.”

“And hot, right? You want to bang me?”

She sputtered with laughter. “I always want to do that.”

Smiling against her hair, he kissed her head as he held her. He wasn’t playing. He’d marry her that second; all she had to do was say yes. Until then, though, he’d hold her, he’d love her, and life would be good. As they watched Angie bat the ball with her stick into the wall, he held her tightly. She whispered, “Benji?”

“Yeah, baby.”

“I’m worried about court with Rick.”

“Don’t, it’s three weeks away.”

“What if, by some crazy chance, he gets her?”

“Then we will fight for her back, but I highly doubt that I will happen.”

“It scares me,” she whispered and he nodded, kissing her head.

“Don’t be, I got you.”

She let out a long breath, fisting his shirt as she looked up at him, her chin touching his. “Sometimes, it's hard to find words to tell you how much you mean to me. Most of the time, I don't say anything at all because I don’t share the way you like to,” she said and he smiled, getting lost in her eyes. “But I hope you know that having you and Angie is what I live for.”

His lips curved even more as he dropped his mouth to hers. “I know exactly how you feel.”

Her eyes shone with love as she cupped his face. “Merry Christmas, Benji.”

“Merry Christmas, my love,” he said before pressing his lips to hers.

“Benji! Come on, let’s play! You said you’d be my goalie,” Angie whined and then she stomped her foot. “Ugh! All you do is kiss.”

Grinning against each other’s lips, they pulled apart as his heart burst in his chest. “I’m being beckoned.”

“I know.”

“But I love you.”

“I love you more, birthday boy.”

And what a feeling that was.

Court day.

Benji had been waiting for this day for weeks. He was ready to get it over with. Shut Rick up and get what Lucy had been wanting, what Angie needed. As he watched Angie kick her legs back and forth in the chair she was sitting in between Lucy and her grandpa, Benji’s stomach was a mess. He was surprised how, even though he was ready for this, he was nervous. Probably because Lucy was so anxious. While she looked beautiful in a modest dress that came to her knees with black tights, her hair up in a nice bun, he didn’t miss the way she had bitten her nails almost to the quick. Or how she kept moving her fingers together, lacing them, unlacing them, and then sitting on them. She was freaking out, and it was killing him not to be able to touch her.

Angie, though, she was just watching. Taking in everything about the room and the judge and drawing. No cares in the world. Like her mother, she looked adorable in a yellow dress that really made her his little ray of sunshine. Her hair was down, straight along her shoulders. She glanced back at him, and he smiled. She grinned before she mouthed, “This is boring.”

Nodding his head, he pressed his finger to his lips, and she turned back around as the judge spoke. “Counsel, this court date was set to alter the parenting plan for Angela Hart, parents, Lucy Sinclair and Rick Hart?”