“Yeah, it’s to give me a great start when I’m older like he wished his daughter would have had,” Angie said then, everyone looking over at her. “Leary died when she was two, and Benji wants me to live all my dreams like he had wished for her. So we went to the bank, and Benji put a lot of money in it for me.”

“That’s nice, Angela. Thank you,” the judge said before looking to Mark. “But your client did not know about this?”

Mark looked to Lucy and she swallowed hard. “No, sir, I didn’t.”

Benji’s heart was knocking against his ribs as the judge looked over to Benji. “Did you open this account, Mr. Paxton?”

Benji nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Is what Angela said true?”

“Yes, sir. We opened it about three months ago.”

“How much is in there?”

“Almost seven thousand. Her mother is renting an office from me, for which we have a contract. The money she pays me in rent, I put in the account for Angie, I mean, Angela.”

The judge nodded as Lucy gawked back at him, her eyes narrowing, and he knew he had just fucked up. He should have told her so she could have told Mark, but he had honestly forgotten about it.

“I do not see this as evidence that Mr. Paxton is trying to buy the child off—which is a downright silly thought anyway. I see no problem here, and it’s obvious Angela cares for Mr. Paxton, so unless you have something else, I’d like to move on.”

“We have nothing else.”

“Okay, well, I deny your petition for full custody. I would like to approve these changes if you agree.”

Holloway leaned to Rick, but he was already shaking his head. “I want full custody.”

The lawyer said something Benji couldn’t hear, but Rick shook his head. Looking back to the judge, Rick’s lawyer said, “Judge, we do not agree, and we would like to further seek full custody of the child.”

But the judge shook his head before looking to Angie. “Angela, how old are you? Seven?”

“Almost eight,” she said with a smile and he smiled back at her.

“Oh, a big girl, then.”

Angie beamed. “Yes, sir. I’m almost strong enough to hit the puck like Benji.”

Benji grinned as the judge nodded. “Good. So tell me, who do you want to live with?”

Her legs stopped kicking. “I live with my mommy and Benji.”

“Do you want to live with your dad?”

“No, sir,” she said simply. “I don’t want to leave my mom or Benji. Mommy, I don’t have to, do I? Am I going to live with Dad?” She looked to Lucy, her voice panicked.

Lucy shook her head quickly. “No, honey, he’s just asking you what you want.”

“I don’t want to leave you or Benji.”

“I know, baby. It’s okay,” Lucy said, wrapping her arm around Angie and kissing her head. Glancing back up at the judge, who was writing some things down as he nodded, Benji held his breath as the judge looked back to Rick and his lawyer.

“I usually don’t ask children their wishes, but I wanted you to hear her response, Mr. Hart. I urge you to not proceed for full custody because that isn’t what your child wants. She seems happy, and unless you can come to me with real evidence that Ms. Sinclair is mistreating her, especially when the evidence seems to indicate your misdeeds, or that Mr. Paxton is a negative influence, then, I’m sorry, I have no other choice but to deny your request and approve the changes to the current parenting plan.”

Everyone looked to Rick as he shook his head. “I want to proceed with the full custody part.”

The judge’s face changed to displeasure as he looked down. “Fine, I want everyone back here in two weeks. Maybe that will give you all time to think. Mainly you, Mr. Hart. At that time, if nothing further has been brought to my attention, then I will decide what is best for Angela Hart, since I’m sure we won’t come to an agreement otherwise.”

“Judge, Angela is to go to her father’s this weekend. Can we request that she does not go until after the next court date?” Mark asked quickly before the judge stood.

He took in a long breath and then looked to Rick. “Do you want to see your child, Mr. Hart?”

“Yes.”

“Then we will honor the current parenting plan. Maybe he’ll see that putting Angela through this isn’t something a seven- almost eight-year-old should have to deal with,” he stressed before standing up.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but I’d like to request that you reconsider,” Mark tried and Benji was hopeful. He had to leave with the Assassins this week for a four-day stint before the All-Star break and had been hoping that Lucy wouldn’t have to deal with the handover, but the judge shook his head.

“Mr. Sinclair, as much as I agree with you and believe what I’m certain you’re thinking, I want to give Mr. Hart a chance to do right by his child. But I will say this, if Angela wants to speak to her mother, you must allow her.”

Rick rolled his eyes and let out a long breath. “Fine.”

“Don’t make me regret this choice,” the judge warned before slamming his gavel to the desk. “See everyone in two weeks.”

Mark turned to Angie and picked her up, kissing her cheek before looking over at Lucy. “It’s fine. We’ll have this taken care of in two weeks. No big deal.”

Lucy didn’t look convinced as she slowly nodded and reached for her purse. “Thanks, Dad.”