“Anytime, honey,” he said, squeezing her arm. “Don’t worry, okay? He has nothing on you guys.”

“Okay,” she said as Angie took her hand. “Let’s go.”

“Benji! Let’s go to lunch,” Angie decided as she broke free from Lucy, going for him. He picked her up, kissing her cheek as he nodded.

“Sounds good to me, and then we gotta go home so I can pack. Gotta leave this afternoon.”

She made a face as they walked down the aisle, Lucy and Mark behind them. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I know, but it’s only six days, and then we leave for Florida.”

“Woo-hoo!” she cheered, laying her head against his shoulder as they walked out to the truck. “Grandpa, wanna come with us?”

“Sorry, love bug, I can’t. I’ve got another case,” he said almost automatically. Benji wasn’t sure if he was being truthful, but he knew that Lucy didn’t want him to go. He could see it all over her face. She was still holding him at arm’s length, which Benji guessed she always would. He had done some major damage to his children.

“Aw, okay, I’ll see you soon,” she said, wiggling out of Benji’s arms and going to Mark to hug him.

Moving around all of them, Lucy went to stand by the truck, opening the door before saying, “All right, Dad, thanks again. I’ll be in touch.”

Benji looked back at Mark as Angie got into the truck. He looked sad as he nodded. “Of course, honey. Talk to you soon. Benji, good to see you again.”

“You too,” he said before turning and getting into the truck himself. When he started to put his seat belt on, though, he could see that Lucy was mad and he was pretty sure it was directed at him. He looked over at her and she had her legs crossed, leaning into the door, the farthest she could be from him as she stared out the window. “That went really well,” he tried, and she just nodded her head.

“Yeah.”

Okay, then.

“Do you want to go to lunch?”

She shook her head. “No.”

Angie went to protest, but Benji stopped her. “Honey, Mom is tired. That was exhausting. Let’s go on home. I’ll make you a peanut butter sandwich.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

His stomach was uneasy as he drove back to the house. When Lucy went in without a word to him, he bit into his cheek as he went into the kitchen to make Angie some lunch. He really didn’t want to fight with her before he left, but it was looking like that was exactly what was about to happen. As Angie popped around being her usually silly self, Benji made her a sandwich and then set it on the island. Climbing up into the chair, she put her iPad on the counter and then looked to him.

“Am I going back to school?”

“Probably not.”

“Cool, can we shoot around some before you leave?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sunshine. Let me go and make sure Mom is okay.”

“Okay,” she said before hitting play and starting a movie. Washing his hands, he wiped them off before heading upstairs where Lucy had gone. When he hit the hallway, he could see her sitting on the bed, her eyes on him.

“So I’m apparently in the dog house,” he said as he headed down the hall, his eyes on hers.

“Yeah,” she said, her sass in full force.

“Because of the savings account?” he asked, shutting the door, and she stood.

“Yes! What were you thinking? Why didn’t you tell me? And I can send my kid to college, myself. You don’t have to do it. I’m not helpless!”

He nodded, pressing his palms into his hips. “You’re absolutely right. I should have told you, and I know you can put her through school. But I told you when we signed the contract for the office that I would do with the money what I wanted. So I opened Angie an account, and I have the money you deposit transferred every month. I also put the five thousand dollar design fee that you wouldn’t let me pay in there too,” he said. That made her brows go to her forehead, steam all but coming out of her ears. “I did it for no other reason than to help put her through school.”

“It isn’t your job, Benji! It’s mine. I’m her mother. You’re not—”

She paused, her eyes widening, and he watched her. He knew what she was going to say, and he tried not to let it hurt his feelings. But he knew he failed a bit as he held her gaze. “What? Not her dad, just the boyfriend? Yeah, I know that.”

She looked away, her lips trembling as she shook. “I don’t need anyone helping me with my kid.”

“I wasn’t trying to help you. I was doing it for Angie.”

She shook her head, a tear running down her cheek, and he waited. He knew how she worked. She needed a second, and as he expected, she soon looked up at him. “I’m sorry. I’m just mad because Rick tried to use that against you like the foul asshole he is, and I hate that I didn’t know what was going on. I was completely surprised, and I hate that. I need to know what is coming at me so I can fight it. I couldn’t fight that, and for a second there, I thought I was losing everything.”

“I completely understand, and I’m sorry for not telling you. I honestly forgot about it.”

She looked up at him, tears spilling out of her eyes as she threw her hands up. “Why are you staying around? I’m an asshole—”

“Because I love you,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her to him. “Your stress level is borderline 2007 Britney Spears right now, and I get it. But, Lucy, I want to help you. I want to be there for you.” He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her temple as she leaned into him.