“Oh, it won’t? Let me speak to your supervisor,” she snapped, and Tina’s face was full of worry. She was the owner of the restaurant and it was her baby, one she had inherited from her grandma. She wanted to redo the whole place, give it a facelift. The grand reopening was set for the following Monday. It had to be done this weekend. “It’s fine. Everything is okay,” Lucy reassured her, but then she caught sight of the time, realizing that Angie had to be picked up.

Shit.

Putting her phone on speaker, she texted Jayden, but he didn’t answer and her stomach dropped. Crap. Automatically, she hit Benji’s name and texted him.

Lucy: You busy?

Benji: Never for you. What’s up?

Lucy: Can you go get Angie for me? I’m stuck at my job right now.

Benji: Yeah, I’ll leave now.

Lucy: Thank you so much. I’m calling the school to tell them you’re coming.

Benji: Sounds good.

Putting the phone back to her ear, she picked up the landline in front of her, dialing the school and making the request. Thankfully, it was no headache. But when she hung up and the supervisor came on the line of her cell phone, Lucy was sure her head was about to be pounding.

As she yelled at the manager on the phone, she refused to even think about the fact she had just depended on someone, other than family, to pick her child up. Again.

Nope, she had way more to worry about. Plus, she knew Angie was in good hands.

“Benji! Hey!”

“Hey, sunshine,” he said as the door was opened by one of the teachers who had checked his ID before Angie was able to get in. He still thought the school was extra swanky, and they weren’t playing when it came to him getting Angie. He was pretty sure they were five seconds from asking for a hair sample. He appreciated it, though. It meant Angie was safe and that was good. He hadn’t realized it would be this much security, especially as this was the second time he had picked her up. Maybe it was because he was in his truck and not Lucy’s car with the school decal? He wasn’t sure, but again, he appreciated it.

When Angie hopped into the back of his truck, exclaiming over the new booster seat he’d bought a few days ago in hopes of more outings with her and Lucy, he grinned back at her. “Your mom is working, asked me to get you.”

“Oh, cool! So I get to hang with you?”

He nodded as the door shut. “Looks that way. Is that okay? Do you want me to take you to Baylor?”

“No way! Let’s go!”

He chuckled as he waited for a signal to go, sending a quick text to Lucy that he had Angie.

Lucy: You’re a godsend.

Benji: Sexual favors?

Lucy: Lots.

Grinning, he put his phone down as the crossing guard started to wave him on. “How was your day? Do you have homework?”

“Yeah, I have a test tomorrow in spelling, but it was good. I played some knee ball in gym and learned some like factors. You know, elementary school. It’s awesome.”

“Good,” he said as he chuckled, turning out onto Demonbreun. When his phone rang, he looked down to see it was Lucy. “Oh, it’s your mom. Hey.”

“Hey, so I don’t know when I’m gonna be out of here. It could be another hour or two. Lots of stupid shit went down. Thankfully, I fixed it, but I have to wait for the next delivery. Can you take Angie to Jayden’s? I don’t know if we’ll make it to your house tonight.”

Disappointment flooded him. He’d really wanted to see her and hang with Angie. “Well, if it’s cool with you, Angie wanted to hang out with me. I asked if she wanted to go to Jayden’s, and she said no. So, I mean, I can keep her, and then you can come over and we’ll have dinner.”

“Oh, yeah. Let’s do that,” Angie called from the back and Lucy let out a sigh.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure how late I’ll be.”

“It’s fine, I promise,” he said and then he turned so Angie didn’t hear him. “I want to see you.”

“Okay. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Cool, we will be waiting.”

“Thank you. So much. Really, you really came through for me. Jayden was napping.”

He smiled. “Anytime.”

Hanging up the phone, he met Angie’s hopeful gaze and he nodded. “We’re good.”

“Woo-hoo!” she cheered, bouncing in her seat. “Can we play some hockey?”

“Duh! Gotta study first and I gotta put dinner in the oven, okay?”

“Cool.”

“Oh, I have to stop by the bank real fast.”

“Boring,” she sang and he laughed.

“It will be quick.”

She nodded as he drove, heading toward the bank. “So are you still dating someone, Benji?”

He chuckled. “Why do you ask?”

“’Cause I think you should ask my mom out. I think she likes you. Don’t tell her I said that.”

“I won’t,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Why do you think that?”

“Because she smiles around you. Like, all the time. Grandma says it’s nice and Mommy needs to smile more. I think so too.”

“Well, I am noting your comment, and I’ll report back, okay?”

“Cool,” she said, nodding her head to the music. “She’s really nice. And really pretty.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“She’s funny too.”