She was a horrible liar and everyone knew it, especially Autumn. To his surprise, though, she didn’t say anything as she turned to look at Benji. “Benji, where are you from?”

Laying his fork down, he wiped his mouth and sat up straight. “Chicago, right outside the city in the suburbs.”

“Oh, how nice. Is your family still there?”

Benji paused. He wasn’t sure, but he assumed so. “Yeah.”

“Is it just you? Or do you have siblings?”

He cleared his throat, Silas heavy on his heart as he tried to smile. “I had a brother, but I lost him in a car wreck when he was seventeen.”

Angie’s brows pulled together. “He died?”

Benji nodded sadly. “He did.”

“That’s so sad, I’m sorry. Isn’t that sad, Mommy?”

Lucy looked up then, meeting Benji’s gaze. “Yeah, it is.”

He gave her a small smile and he picked up his fork as Autumn asked, “So are you single, Benji?”

“He is!” Angie giggled and Lucy cut her a look.

Autumn beamed as Benji laughed. “Actually, sunshine, I’m seeing someone.”

Angie’s eyes widened as she looked to her mom, and Lucy shrugged. “What?”

“Yup,” he said as Lucy looked up, her eyes narrowing as he smiled. “She’s this really awesome gal, makes my heart hurt at the sight of her. She has the best smile.”

Angie looked bored. “Well, yay.”

“Angela,” Lucy scolded and Angie threw her hands up.

“I wanted him to take you on a date!”

Benji smiled as Lucy looked away, his smile slowly dropping as she said, “Enough, Angie.”

She made a pouting face, leaning on her hand, as Autumn said, “Well, then, Angie, tell me about your breakaway.”

Like the grandma she was, she knew what would liven Angie up. Angie sat up, excitedly giving a play-by-play. Jayden leaned in close. “You’re talking about my sister, right?”

Benji looked over at him and nodded. “Yeah, trying to make her smile.”

“Yeah, that asshole,” Jayden basically growled, but he looked relieved. “Mom said you almost fought him.”

Benji looked at Lucy, who was seated at the end of the table, her eyes on Angie before she glanced back at Benji. Her eyes were so sad, so tired. She needed to go home and go to sleep. “He had one more chance to say something shitty about her and I would have.”

Jayden nodded as Lucy looked away. “She’s pissed.”

Benji let out a long breath. “Apparently, that was wrong.”

“No, from what my mom said, Rick is trying to get their parenting plan changed. She’s stressed. It isn’t you.”

When Benji gazed back across the table, Lucy looked over at him and then back at the food she hadn’t even touched. “What do I do?”

Jayden shook his head as he met his eyes. “I don’t know. Short of killing the dude, is there anything we can do but be there for her?”

“Will she let us?”

Jayden scoffed. “Nope. But we will try anyway.”

It was clear that Benji was a part of that we, and it made him feel good. But did Lucy still see him that way? She wouldn’t even really look at him, and it was killing him.

He didn’t know what to do.

When they were done with lunch, they walked out as a group, Baylor limping behind, and Benji slowed to walk with her.

“When’s the surgery?” he asked and Baylor shook her head.

“End of the month.”

“When you hitting the ice again?”

Biting her lip, she shrugged. “I don’t know if I will. Professionally, at least.”

His brows came together. “Really?”

“Yeah, they don’t know if I’ll play ever again to my full potential.”

Benji nodded slowly, thinking that over. “Do you believe that?”

Baylor met his gaze and held it for a second before shaking her head. “I don’t.”

Smiling, Benji cupped her shoulder. “Don’t give up.”

She smiled, the curve of her lips brightening her whole face before she nodded. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” he said, squeezing her shoulder as Angie squealed.

She was up on River’s shoulders when she declared, “Mommy! River is gonna take me stick shopping.”

Lucy shook her head, though, her brows coming together. “No, she has a stick. She’s fine.”

“She has Jayden’s old stick. She needs her own.”

“She’s fine,” Lucy tried, but Autumn was already waving her off.

“We want to take her out, spend some time with her. We miss her.”

“Mom, you guys see her all the time. Stop spoiling her.”

“No, you go on. We’ll bring her by Jayden’s later,” Autumn insisted, and River nodded while Angie pleaded with Lucy with her eyes.

“Yeah, Mom, go for a ride with Benji. Maybe he’ll break up with his girlfriend and take you on a date if you’re nice,” she sang, and Benji chuckled as Lucy glared.

“Angela,” she warned, but Angie was giggling with Autumn. “That’s enough.”

“She’s right,” Autumn whispered while Jayden and Baylor snickered behind Lucy.

“Mother, enough,” she demanded and then let out a long breath. “Fine, y’all go. Text me later. I’m gonna head to the apartment and start packing.”