He wanted to know her.

Which was crazy since he’d never wanted to know any woman but Ava. Though, something was different with Lucy. Maybe it was because she was so shut down. He wasn’t sure, but he wanted to know her story. He suspected that her ex-husband was a douche and didn’t treat them right. That had to be the reason why Angie was so nervous, almost too scared to do anything in case she failed. Or maybe Benji was way off. One thing was for sure, while she was with him, she was going to be reassured and she was going to be supported.

Because that sweet little girl had wiggled her way into his heart in the mere hour they had been together.

And for some reason, he wanted to be more than just the replacement for her uncle.

He wanted to be her friend.

That wasn’t weird, right?

Crap.

Maybe it was.

But when Angie looked back at him for reassurance after killing it and beating the other girls back to the line, he figured, yeah, it may be weird to want to be friends with a seven-year-old girl, but he didn’t care. This was supposed to have been his life now, but he’d lost his daughter and didn’t get to have that chance. For so long, he had been lonely. Holed up in his house, all by himself, but being on this rink, surrounded by these mini-players and Angie, he felt right. Maybe this was his calling, following in Shea’s footsteps. Coach a team one day, because he was having a blast.

And it was time for Benji to be happy.

If coaching a bunch of girls three times a week could do that, he was going to do it.

Practice was over before Benji knew it. They even had a little scrimmage at the end. Nothing crazy, but when Angie scored, you would have thought he had been the one to score. He was so excited and Angie ate it up. Lucy was in the stands, hollering her butt off too, but she didn’t smile when he sent her a grin. She probably thought he was strange. Oh well, he probably was. For as much as he’d thought about her in the last two hours after just meeting her, he was starting to think he was an odd one.

Keeping the puck from Angie as the girls started to clear off the ice, Benji was laughing with Angie when Shea blew the whistle. “Come on, guys, they gotta clean the ice for the next group.”

“Aww, man,” Angie complained and Benji tapped her helmet.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get your mom to bring you early on Wednesday, and we’ll do a little pickup before practice.”

Her eyes lit up as her grin almost broke her face. “You’re coming back!”

“Yeah, you’re coming back?” Shea asked with a grin as they skated toward him.

“Yeah, when I can. We have a road trip coming up, so I might miss a lot more than I get to come.”

Shea nodded. “I appreciate the help, of course.”

Benji tapped gloves with him as he went off the ice to find Elli Adler kissing on her daughters. “Y’all did so good! I’m so proud. Boys, get off there!”

Benji grinned at where her three boys were jumping off the stands.

“They’re boys, babe, let ’em be.”

She shot him a look. “Oh, stay-at-home dad now, think you can handle broken bones?”

He cringed but still kept a grin on his face. “Hey, I’ve had my fair share. I can handle it.”

Sending Benji a sideways glance, she rolled her eyes. “He’d cry.”

“Hey!” Shea complained and Elli shared a laugh with Benji before patting his chest.

“Glad to see you out.”

He grinned and shrugged. “It’s good to be out.”

“Angie, honey?” They all looked to where Lucy was standing, her eyes on Angie. “Ready?”

“Yeah, Mom. See ya, Coach. Come on, Benji,” she said, pulling him along.

“Lucy, how are you?” Elli called to her and Lucy smiled, taking Angie’s hand before coming toward them.

“Good, you?”

“Good, thanks. How’s Baylor? I haven’t gotten an update.”

Lucy shook her head. “I haven’t either. My brother is currently ignoring my calls.”

Elli’s brows rose and Shea laughed. “He didn’t tell her he wasn’t coming tonight. Sent Benji instead.”

Elli tsked. “Brat, but hey, Benji is wonderful.”

“Yeah, he is,” Angie agreed and Benji’s face warmed from the praise. But when he glanced to Lucy, she didn’t seem convinced.

“Yeah, I might make it to where Jayden can’t have children. Haven’t decided.” She said it so matter-of-factly, like it was as easy as swatting a fly.

Scary.

Elli and Shea grinned as Benji winced. “As long as he can skate and score, I don’t care what you do to him.”

Lucy grinned, pointing to Elli. “I got you, boss.”

“Thanks, love, and I’m very excited about our appointment at the end of the week.”

Shea looked confused. “Appointment?”

“She’s gonna decorate our summer home in Florida.”

Shea made a face. “God, how much is that gonna cost? We’re poor now, Lucy. I don’t play anymore.”

Lucy laughed and, wow, what a sound. Watching as her face lit up and she shook her head, Benji found himself smiling too. Laughing looked so much better on that girl. She really should do that more. “Sure you are, Shea. Don’t worry, y’all get the family discount.”

“Thank God,” he breathed and Elli smacked him.

“Anyway, let me know when you want to have a sleepover for the girls. Shelli and Posey have been asking for Angie to come over.”