by Toni Aleo
She looked torn, letting out a long breath. “But, Benji, I’m tired.”
He smiled. “Please.”
She didn’t even really think about it; she just nodded and he laughed. “Let me go change. Are you wearing that? What’s Angie wearing?” she said, passing by him on her way into the house. As he followed her inside, she looked at Angie and shook her head. “Come on, let’s go get ready.”
“I am ready!”
“Angela, come on. I have two white dresses we can wear. Come on,” she said and Angie followed as Benji smiled.
“That was easier than I thought,” he called down the hall, and she grinned back at him.
“I wanted to do it anyway.”
“Then why fight me?” he asked and she shrugged.
“I like to see you beg,” she teased, her eyes full of heat, and his lips curved into a smirk.
Before he could say anything else, though, Ashlyn started to cry. She was in her playpen right beside him, so he picked her up as Avery and her friend, Mekena, who was taking their pictures, came through the back door. They had gone to college together, apparently, and when Avery moved down to Florida with Jace, Mekena decided to move too. She was nice but really quiet, very much stayed to herself, while he was trying everything he could to talk to her, to make sure she got the right shots.
He was worried, but Avery guaranteed him everything would be fine. Mekena had a part-time job taking pictures at the mall, and she had done all their pictures and Ashlyn’s. The pictures around the house were gorgeous, so he felt a little better, even though Mekena wouldn’t look him in the eye. But he had to make sure he documented what was about to happen. Jordie had made such a huge deal about how important it was to have photo evidence of these kinds of things. It seemed to work for him, and Benji sure did love the big print in the Thomas’s house of Jordie and Kacey kissing after he had asked her to marry him.
“Oh, thanks, Benji. She’s hungry. Let me make her a bottle.”
“No problem, I like the little stinker,” he said, kissing her head as she smacked his face playfully. She looked just like her daddy. The genes of the Sinclairs continued to scare him.
When Lucy came down the hall, her eyes wide, his brow quirked as he took in that her dress was half on. “Hey, now, Avery’s in the kitchen, and I’m holding a baby.”
She rolled her eyes as she ran toward him, coming right up to him before going up on her toes and whispering in his ear, “I have to tell you something, but you can’t say anything, okay?” He only nodded, his heart picking up in speed. Did Angie tell her their plan? Shit. “Baylor is pregnant.”
He looked back at her, his eyes wide. “No way.”
She nodded her head wildly as she pulled him back. “Yeah, she’s, like, thirteen weeks, and they did an ultrasound and the baby looks wonderful, healthy.”
Pulling back to look at her, he was shocked. How could no one know? Her family basically called when one of them took a shit. But when he saw the tears in her eyes and he smiled, he knew why. “You knew.”
She nodded quickly. “I’m so happy. I’ve been so worried.”
“You never said anything.”
“Sworn to secretly. Still sworn, but I had to tell someone!”
He leaned over, kissing her mouth. “That’s awesome.”
“I know! She’s telling Jayden today. Eek!”
“Telling him what?” Avery called and Lucy shook her head.
“Nothing. Hey, is Markus coming up tonight?” she asked, obviously changing the subject.
“Who’s Markus?” Benji asked and Lucy looked back to him.
“He’s a friend of Jace’s,” she said as Avery shook her head.
He noticed Mekena looked relieved as Avery said, “No, he isn’t going to make it.”
“Oh, that’s crappy. I haven’t seen him in months. Whatever, I’ll give him shit later. Okay, five more minutes.”
“What was that about?” Avery asked as she came over, taking Ashlyn, and he shrugged.
“I don’t know, she’s crazy.”
She side-eyed him. “Secrets don’t make friends, Benji.”
He grinned and she smiled back as she started to feed Ashlyn. “Who’s this Markus guy? Should I be worried?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re about to propose,” she whispered as she shook her head. “Worry about that, not some guy who means nothing to her. He’s just a family friend.”
“A douche,” Mekena said and Benji’s eyes widened.
“That too,” Avery agreed and Benji knew there was more to that story, but he was too caught up in his own thoughts to worry about it. Sitting down across from them, Benji looked down at his phone, his heart pounding in his chest. Trying to keep his mind off what was about to happen, he thought about Baylor. He couldn’t believe it, but at the same time, if she had to leave the league, he would rather it be on her own terms, for a good reason and not because she was forced. Having a baby, yeah, that was a damn good way to go out. Wow, he was so happy for her and Jayden.
And damn, he wanted the same thing.
He just hoped Lucy would say yes. She was a prickly little thing, and he was sure she would say it was too early, but man, was he ready. So damn ready to make that woman his. He wanted to build a life with her, have a baby one day, and he couldn’t wait for the chance to hold a little baby that looked just like her. Or maybe, he’d get lucky and his genes would pull through. Not likely, but he just wanted the life he wanted.
With Lucy.
And Angie, of course.
The door opened and Angie came running out in a beautiful white lace sundress with her hair in pigtails. She stopped in front of him. “I look like a baby.”
“I think you’re adorable.”
She made a face as he looked up to see Lucy walking out. His next breath was promptly gone as she moved toward him. She was in a matching white lace sundress; her hair was pulled to the side in a braid with a big, white flower over her ear. She had redone her makeup, a light pink shade on her lips. It wasn’t the red he loved, but she was simply gorgeous.
“Wow,” he murmured and she grinned, her eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, yeah, come on,” she said, lacing her fingers with his and then heading out to the beach. “We’re losing sun.”
“For someone who was tired, you seem pretty eager to do this,” he accused as Mekena followed with Avery and Ashlyn in tow.
“Because every picture we have at home is of us sticking our tongues out. I swear, if either of your tongues come out, I’m smacking you,” she warned, and just like that, Benji and Angie stuck their tongues out at her at the same time. She glared. “Really?”
Glancing at each other, they laughed as he snaked one arm around Lucy’s shoulders and held Angie’s hand with the other as they headed to the beach. He wanted to say he was calm, that he was ready to pop the question. But as they posed in different positions, Mekena snapping away, Benji was ready to have a panic attack. He had this crazy feeling she would say no—which was probably insane—but it still freaked him out.
“Let me get some of just Angie doing some cute stuff. I want one of her and Ashlyn too, for Mrs. Moore,” Mekena said, and that was his cue.
Shit.
His heart was in this throat.
“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Lucy gushed as Avery grinned.
“Right, Benji,” Avery said, widening her eyes to Benji because he was supposed to take Lucy away.
Crap.
Reaching for her, he took her hand. “Hey, come here.”
“Why? I want to watch this.”
“I know, but I want to talk to you. Over there.”
“Why? Talk later. Let me do this,” she said, turning around, but Avery shook her head.
“Lucy, go. I’ve got this.”
Lucy made a face. “What in the world? I can talk to him later.”
Everyone just stood there, no one knowing what to do.
“Lucy, damn it, come on,” he said, and she rais
ed a brow.
“I mean, what is so serious that you have to talk to me right now?” she complained, and he almost said it. Almost yelled that he wanted to propose, but he just held her gaze.
“Please, walk with me over there.”
She let out an annoyed breath. It figured this wouldn’t be easy. When was anything ever easy with Lucy Sinclair? As he reached for her hand, she took his reluctantly as they walked toward the shore. “I don’t know why this couldn’t wait.”
“’Cause I want to talk now,” he said, stopping and then sitting down. “Sit.”
“Ugh,” she complained and he wanted to strangle her, but he couldn’t help but chuckle.
When she sat down beside him, he took her hand in his, lacing his fingers with hers before kissing the back of her hand. “I love you,” he whispered, and her little scowl flattened some as she smiled.
“I love you too,” she promised as he leaned his head to hers. “But you could have told me that later.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wanted to tell you something more,” he started, his heart jumping in and out of his throat. “Do you remember the first time we met?”
She smiled. “It was only a little over three months ago, so, yeah.”
He glared. “Okay, brat. I meant do you remember what you thought when you saw me?”
She laughed. “Not something nice.”
He closed his eyes. He was going to kill her before he could even ask. “Well, when I first saw you, you were looking down at Angie, panic in your eyes as you searched for how to dress a seven-year-old for hockey on YouTube. Your brow was furrowed and your lips were pursed, and I was stunned. I just stood there, staring at you and thinking how in the world could someone so beautiful walk this earth and I didn’t know about her.”
Her lips curved as she leaned into him. “Well, that’s nicer than my thinking you were a creep.”
“I’d say so,” he laughed and she grinned, giggling against him. He cleared his throat. “I remember the first time you touched me. It was just a simple touch to my arm when you laughed about my collectibles, but it seriously rocked my soul. I think that’s when I knew this was different, when I knew I was falling in love with you.”
She eyed him. “You brought me out here to talk about this? I thought we were good. Did I do something?”
He made a face. “What are you talking about? I’m sharing my damn soul with you.”
“Yeah, but why?”
He just looked at her, stunned. “Lucy, shut up for a minute,” he said, and she snapped her mouth shut, her eyes bright as she tried not to smile. “Now, as I was saying… When I slept with you for the first time, I swore I would never feel like that again—”
“Wait, are you asking me to marry you?”
“Jesus Christ, Lucy!”
She eyed him skeptically when, thankfully, Mekena came over. “Can I get a picture of you two like this?”
“Yeah,” he groaned, shaking his head as Lucy watched him, her brows pulled together. He leaned his head to hers as they had planned, but he was sure that was the only thing that would go as planned because nothing ever went right when it came to Lucy Sinclair.
“Wait, are you?” she asked once more.
“Smile, Lucy,” he demanded and she did, but when Mekena gave them the thumbs-up, Lucy was back to eyeing him.
“Are you?”
Benji looked to Mekena for help and she spoke. “I’m going to go from behind and get one of the ocean, can you lean together again?”
But Lucy didn’t move, she watched him. “Why aren’t you answering me?”
“Because I’m trying to pose for a damn picture,” he spat back.
He heard the camera clicking and all he could think was how these pictures would be a great thing to explain to their kids when they were older.
And this is Mom and Dad, fighting before he popped the question.
“Can you guys kiss?”
He leaned to her and she shook her head ruefully, letting out a breath before pressing her lips to his, the camera going off behind him. “You better not be asking me,” she warned as they parted, and he let out a long breath.
When he pulled back, he held her gaze. “Do you know you drive me crazy?”
She laughed. “I thought you liked that about me.”
“I do.”
“Okay, guys, look back at me,” Mekena called, but Benji didn’t move. His eyes stayed on Lucy as she looked over her shoulder where he knew Angie was standing with a sign that said, “Will you marry Benji?”
As he wanted, she took in a deep breath as her eyes widened.
The tears filled his eyes at her shocked expression, her jaw dropping as she covered her mouth. He pulled the ring out of his pocket before holding it up. When she looked to him, tears were glistening in her eyes as she gazed deep into his, shaking her head.
“You.”
“Me.”
A tear rolled down her face, though her gaze didn’t leave his, her lips moving as she whispered, “What happened to a year?”
“Couldn’t wait that long.”
Glancing down at the ring, she came undone as the tears rolled down her face faster. She sucked in a breath as she shook her head. “It’s beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said, his voice breaking. “Before you decided to ruin my whole speech, I had planned to tell you that I’m glad we had that week of me being gone after we first got together to get to know each other. To fall in love. I fell in love with you, not just with the way you made me feel, and I will always be thankful for that.”
Her lips trembled as she held his gaze. Reaching up, she wiped away one of his tears as her lips curved. He started to speak again. “I don’t look forward to tomorrow as another day; I look forward to it because I get to wake up to you. I get to feel your lips against mine and I get to hear Angie’s laugh. My life is nothing without you two, and I can’t go on another second without knowing you are going to marry me. That Angie will be my stepdaughter, and that we will fight every single battle that comes our way, together. Because, together, nothing can come close to bringing us down.”
“Really, Benji?” she cried, throwing her hands up. “How am I supposed to make you wait like I should? Who gets engaged so quick?”
“I married your brother and got pregnant all in a month or so,” Avery volunteered, tears dripping off her chin, and Lucy glared.
“You’re not helping. This is crazy! You’re crazy,” she accused, her grin taking up her whole face and he smiled.
“About you. Only you.”
“Benji! How am I supposed to say no?”
“You can’t,” he said simply. “Because you want to be my wife as much as I want you to be.”
“I do,” she challenged, her lips curving, and he nodded.
“You do,” he whispered as he leaned his head to hers. “Now, Lucy Lane Sinclair, the love of my life, will you marry me and make me complete?”
Looking deep into his eyes, she grinned from ear to ear as she pressed her nose to his. He almost thought she was going to say no just to be a brat, but when she slowly nodded, her nose sliding against his, he smiled as she whispered, “Guess you’re not the only one who can’t say no to the one you love.”
And Benji saw no problem with that.
None at all.
When Lucy opened her eyes two days later, Benji was fast asleep, his mouth parted, his lashes kissing his face as he drew in deep breaths before letting them out. Her hands were against his chest, the left one on top, her engagement ring sparkling in the sunlight that was streaming in across his beautiful body.
Holy crap, she was engaged.
To Benji.
And she couldn’t be happier.
While it was early, and people would think she was crazy to be engaged to someone she hadn’t even hit the four-month mark with, she really didn’t care. She was happy, and that was all that mattered. Of course, her mom was bubbling with excitement. Already planning the weddi
ng Lucy wasn’t even ready to think about. She wanted to enjoy Benji and Angie. She wanted to take her time, have the wedding she dreamed about. The one she deserved. This time, she’d do it right.
With the man she loved more than anything she could ever describe.
Not even the fact that they were meeting Rick that afternoon for lunch could wipe the grin off her face. Could everything blow up in their faces when they showed him what her father’s PI had found? Yeah, it could. But would they be okay?
They’d be great.
“I really hate when you stare at me while I sleep,” he murmured and she grinned.
“But you’re so cute,” she giggled, cuddling into him, and he threw his arm around her, kissing her nose.
“Shh, I’m tired. Tell me we don’t have to get up yet. I don’t hear Angie. Surely, I have another hour.”
She laughed. It was so funny how he hated waking up. He and Angie were the same in that respect. “I don’t know.”
“Shh, go to sleep.”
“But I love staring at you and my ring,” she said and his lips curved then. He opened his eyes to meet her gaze. Taking her hand in his, he kissed the palm of her left hand.
“Are you happy, baby?”
“I am,” she answered automatically. And how could she not be? She was engaged to the most gorgeous and thoughtful man on the planet. Her daughter was happy and healthy, and hopefully, they could get the Rick thing taken care of that afternoon. Her business was thriving, her mom and River were blissfully happy, as were Jude and Claire, off in California doing big things. Jace and Avery were raising Ashlyn and totally in love, living the life they wanted. Baylor and Jayden were having a baby, and it brought tears to her eyes remembering hearing her brother’s voice break as he told her the night before. He was over the moon.
No, Lucy Sinclair was one happy woman, and nothing could change that.
“Good, go make me some breakfast,” he muttered against her lips and she scoffed.
“What?”
“I’m hungry.”
“You’re asleep!”
“Feed me.”
“Mommy! I’m hungry,” Angie said then, climbing into their bed and nuzzling her way between them. Wrapping his arm around Angie, he waved Lucy off.
