by Toni Aleo
“Mom, I don’t—”
“You tell me you don’t need Benji Paxton and I will smack you. Don’t lie to me, honey. Can you see your life without him?” she snapped and Lucy’s eyes went wide.
Lucy looked to Avery, but she laughed as she looked away. “Don’t look at me.”
“I mean, shit, Mom. Yeah, I can’t see my life without him now, but it’s because I want him. Not ’cause I need him.”
“Same thing,” she decided and Lucy scoffed.
Crazy woman.
“I think it’s great. He’s wonderful for you, and I can’t wait to see y’all grow,” Claire said, sending her a grin. “I’m just happy you’re happy.”
“Me too,” Baylor and Avery said at the same time, flashing grins at each other as her mom started to tear up.
“Well, we all know how I feel. Don’t let that man go, Lucy Lane. Don’t you dare let that man go.”
Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Lucy nodded. “No plans for it.”
She watched as Angie pulled Ashlyn down the aisle in a wagon, and a tear rolled down Lucy’s face while she stood with her three brothers and their mother between them outside the venue. Autumn held on to Jude and Lucy, while Jace held on to Lucy and Jayden to Jude. It was really freaking sweet, but she knew they looked silly as hell.
“So Lucy’s next, huh?” Jayden said, and she flashed him a dark look.
“No way, Benji won’t marry her. He’s only staying ’cause he’s scared of her,” Jude quipped and Lucy rolled her eyes.
“He’ll probably figure out that she doesn’t know how to cook and he’ll run,” Jace added, grinning, but when she looked at him, he looked away. “Or, I mean, he’ll be lucky to marry our amazing, beautiful sister.”
“Pussy,” Jude whispered at him, and their mom smacked him.
“Jude! We are in a church.”
“We are in a barn on church grounds, Mom.”
“God can still hear you, boy,” she snapped as her grip on them went tighter. “Now, shut up. I’m nervous.”
“Nervous?” Lucy asked, confused. “I thought you wanted this?”
“If you don’t, Mom, I can cause a distraction. Jayden will get you out of here—no wait, Jace will. And we’ll have Jayden tell River while Lucy grabs the kids,” Jude decided and everyone nodded, while Lucy was convinced she was related to idiots.
“Are you crazy? I am in love with that man,” Autumn declared and all four of them gagged, on cue, simultaneously. Lucy was quite impressed. “We are doing this. I’m just worried he won’t like my dress or something.”
“What? You’re gorgeous,” Jude said.
“Prettiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life,” Lucy agreed.
“He’s a lucky dude, Mom. You’re beautiful,” Jayden said.
“What they all said. I’d say you’re hot, Mom, but that’s kinda gross,” Jace said simply and they all shook their heads. But like they wanted, their mom smiled.
Holding on to them, she cleared her throat before saying, “I just want you four to know I love you. So damn much. And I’m so proud of the people you have become. I hate that it’s not your father, but, well, he didn’t want me. But River does, and he’s such a great guy. So thank you for walking me down the aisle, and thank you for loving and supporting me,” she said. And of course, Lucy started to cry.
“Is Lucy crying?” Jude asked.
“She knows how to do that?” Jayden asked as the boys gawked at him.
“Man, Lucy, are you pregnant?” Jace asked and she threw her hands up.
“No, assholes. I’m happy for our fucking mom, okay?” she snapped just as the door to the barn opened.
Everyone, including Pastor Dwayne, looked at them with wide eyes. Like always, because it was just her luck, Lucy wanted to die.
Cracking up beside her, Jace said, “God sure heard that.”
Kill me now.
With a bright red face, Lucy’s eyes met Benji’s as he sat with Angie in his lap, and a grin covered his handsome face. He was wearing a dark blue suit, a rose-colored bow tie, and he hadn’t shaved since Tuesday. She knew this because she was living with the man and waking up every morning to that face. It was glorious, and she knew she couldn’t be happier.
That was until he mouthed, “You’re fucking hot.”
That made her grin.
Big.
When her mom started down the aisle, Lucy’s gaze went to River.
He was a bubbling mess of tears, and that only made Lucy cry harder.
“Coach is crying,” Jace whispered. “I’m scared.”
“Shut up,” Lucy snapped, wiping her face.
“You guys are a bunch of babies. It’s a wedding, not a funeral,” Jude called over and Jayden scoffed.
“Dude, you cried at your wedding,” Jayden accused.
“Did not!”
“Good Lord, you guys bicker about everything. Shut up, I’m trying to get married,” their mom barked and all four of them snapped their mouths shut, fighting back their laughter. It felt like when they were kids, but they weren’t kids anymore. They were four different personalities, all grown-up, paving their own ways. For once, Lucy didn’t feel like she was missing out on anything.
Looking back at Benji, who had his arms wrapped around Angie as they watched, she curved her lips into a satisfied grin.
She knew she had everything she never knew she needed.
Benji had never seen a set of siblings bicker and pick at each other the way Lucy did with her brothers.
“Benji, I shit you not, she still picks her nose,” Jude decided.
“I saw her do it before we walked out, and she cussed in front of God and everybody,” Jace added. “She’s gross.”
“She stinks too. Believe me, she farts like a dude,” Jayden teased, holding back his laughter as Lucy glared.
“I’ve never seen or smelled either of those things, but thanks, guys,” he said and Lucy shook her head, her eyes dark with annoyance. Though she was still gorgeous. Her hair was down in curls along her shoulders. The dress she wore was simply lethal, and he was convinced she was the most gorgeous woman in the world. She was hotter than the bride, and he knew that was taboo to say, but she was. The wedding, though, had been amazing. Benji even shed a tear or two for the beautiful couple. It was clear how much River loved Autumn and her in return. It was gorgeous. Their vows were sweet, and looking over at them, he couldn’t help but smile.
Relationship goals.
That’s what they gave him.
“I got you three, I really do,” she said, and they all laughed her off. “Fine, Jude would crap his pants, and instead of going to my mom to get cleaned up, he and Jayden would paint with it.”
“Ew! Lucy, I’m eating,” Claire complained while Angie giggled loudly.
“You played with his poop? Not even your own, but his?” Baylor asked as Lucy grinned.
“I was, like, one.”
“Three.”
“You were crapping your pants at almost five?” Claire asked, horror all over her face.
“I had digestive issues, thank you,” he said simply while Jace laughed like a hyena.
“And that one used to eat dog food,” Lucy said, pointing to Jace, who stopped laughing immediately. “And I mean, dog food, the treats, the soft food, hard. Jace was basically a dog.”
Avery made a face. “I’m never kissing you again.”
“Ha! Please. Come here,” he said, pulling her to him. She tried to resist him, but then she pressed her lips to his as everyone laughed.
“But that’s not all—”
“Shut up, Lucy!” Jayden yelled and she smiled.
“Don’t want me to tell everyone how you and Jude used to play with dog poop, too?”
Benji shook his head, laughing as Angie balked. “Ew, guys!”
“What was your thing with poop?” Baylor asked and Jayden shook his head.
“I hate you,” he said and Lucy grinned.
“Don’t try to embarra
ss me in front of my boyfriend, then,” she said plainly, and all three boys looked away, shaking their heads.
“Are you sure you want to be with her? She’s mean,” Jace called over to him. Benji smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“Yeah, I love her, the mean side too.”
“She bites, did you know that? Like, I still have the scar,” Jude said, pulling his shirt up, and sure enough, right by his ribs was a bite mark scar.
Benji looked over at Lucy and she shrugged. “He tried to tickle me.”
“She broke my nose. Twice!” Jayden yelled and Benji laughed.
“I won’t even try to tickle her, she’s like a ninja.” Jace shook his head, looking to Avery. “Like, really, she’s evil.”
“I feel like I should try. Get you down one good time and tickle the heck out of you,” Benji said and she grinned up at him.
“Please. Try.”
The challenge was in her eyes, and he almost wanted to do it until Autumn said, “Benji, honey, I like you a lot. Please don’t.”
He looked back at Lucy wide-eyed and she smiled. “I knocked her tooth out.”
He gasped as Autumn nodded, pointing to the front one. “Fake tooth.”
Looking back at Lucy, he said, “You are mean!”
That had everyone laughing as the server came by to refill their drinks. They were at Catbird Seat, some ritzy place Autumn and River really enjoyed. But Benji was still hungry and he had already eaten all his plate and most of Lucy’s. It had been a great Christmas, though. For the first time in forever, he felt at home. He felt wanted being with Lucy’s whole family and watching her with them. As much as they picked on each other, the love they showed for one another was almost suffocating. Benji had never been intimidated by anything, but he was by her love for her brothers. It was like they almost did no real wrong. They were idiots, she’d say, but they were her idiots. It was sweet, and he loved watching her interact with them and their wives.
Especially baby Ashlyn.
She loved that baby like she loved Angie, and it was easy too. The little nugget had dark black hair, big green eyes, and the brightest red lips he had ever seen. She was adorable, and when he finally got to hold her, he wasn’t about to give her back. Even if he was hungry.
“Isn’t she pretty?” Angie asked as she stroked her little head. “She’s my favorite.”
“She is pretty,” he agreed and Angie smiled.
Leaning toward him, she whispered, “I’m still hungry.”
He nodded. “Me too.”
“Can we go stop to get some more food before we go home?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said and she grinned as she leaned into her grandma, Autumn taking her in her arms and kissing her hard on the head.
“You look great with a baby in your arms, Benji. Plans to have some?” Avery asked, her lips curving up when Lucy glared at her. For being so young, Avery was wise beyond her years and very intelligent, but apparently she had a little bit of a teasing streak.
Nodding his head, he looked back at Lucy and shrugged. “Got to get her to marry me first.”
“Oh my God, are you asking?” Autumn practically screamed, fumbling for her phone as the boys and Lucy all groaned. “Let me get my phone. Pictures. River, get your phone, honey.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t think he’s proposing,” River said and Benji laughed.
“Not now. One day,” he said, looking back at Ashlyn. “She says I rush into things.”
He felt Lucy glaring at the side of his head, but he just kept grinning at Ashlyn as Avery said, “Sometimes, the best things are rushed.”
“I loved rushing. Even though, I think it took you like a month to agree to date me,” Jace said and she grinned.
“But, hey, didn’t take that long to get pregnant,” she said with a huge, exaggerated wink and Benji was sure he was missing something, but that didn’t stop Lucy from snickering or Jude and Jayden from laughing hard.
“Nope, one and done,” Jace said proudly and Benji grinned.
They were young, but they sure were in love. “How long have you two been together?”
“A little over a year,” Jace said, kissing her head. “We moved fast, so I got you on the whole rushing thing.”
Benji chanced a glance at Lucy and she shook her head. “Look the other way, Paxton.”
Another round of laughter came and Benji really felt like he was fitting in.
Like he was family.
“So I guess it’s official,” Jude said then, and everyone looked at him.
“What’s official?” Jace asked, looking around. But everyone was confused.
But Autumn’s face lit up. “You’re pregnant!”
He made a face and Benji chuckled as Jude shook his head. “No, woman. Shit,” he complained as Claire laughed beside him. “I was saying that it was official that our brother, Jayden Mitchell, is now legally married to his stepsister.”
Benji sputtered with laughter as Jayden and Baylor glared. He hadn’t even thought of that.
Jace laughed, “How does it feel? Is it weird?”
“Eff off, dude. Shut up,” Jayden spat and Baylor glared.
“I can still kill you,” she warned and Jace laughed.
“When you guys have kids, though,” Lucy said then to Jayden, and Benji didn’t miss the way Baylor’s eyes widened. What the hell was that about? “Will the baby call you Daddy or Uncle?”
That had the whole table losing their shit. Well, everyone except for Baylor and Jayden. “I hate you,” Jayden declared before glaring at his mother. “Really, Mom? Had to marry my wife’s dad?”
“You mean your stepdad,” she teased, and again, everyone lost it laughing.
When Lucy stopped laughing, though, Benji looked over at her as Angie yelled, “Grandpa!”
He looked back to see Angie pop up and run around the table to a tall, dark-haired man who looked a whole lot like Lucy’s brothers. When he picked Angie up, kissing her hard on the cheek, the whole table was full of tension.
Lucy’s dad.
“Hey, love bug, how ya doing? Merry Christmas. Did you open your presents yet? You like what I got you?”
Angie shook her head. “Not yet. We had Christmas at Grandma’s this morning, and Santa brought me a bike! We are opening the rest of our presents at home after dinner. And we’re gonna have another cake for Benji’s birthday. I love cake! Grandma got married to River today! Isn’t she so pretty?”
Lucy’s father looked up and smiled. “Way prettier than she was on our wedding day. Congratulations, Autumn, River.”
“Thank you, Mark,” Autumn said tightly.
“Well, just wanted to wish you guys a merry Christmas. Ellen and I were having dinner when I heard you guys. Always the loudest, ya know,” he laughed but no one laughed with him. Benji looked around and almost no one was even looking at him. Only Lucy, Autumn, and River were.
As his laughter died down, Angie asked, “Have you met Benji, Grandpa? He’s Mommy’s boyfriend.”
“I have not,” he said and Benji handed Ashlyn over to Jace before standing up. Benji didn’t miss Mark’s eyes intently following the path of his newest granddaughter. Meeting Mark midway, he shook his hand.
“Benji Paxton, nice to meet you.”
Mark held his gaze, the same green eyes as Lucy. “You too. Mark Sinclair. Heard a lot about you.”
“Probably bad, I assume?” Benji asked and Mark laughed.
“Yeah, but Lucy redeems you. Hope what she says is true,” he said, almost like a warning, and Benji nodded.
“I think so,” he said as Angie came over to him, taking his hand.
“He’s my favorite.”
“Hey!” all three boys sang out, and she grinned back at them.
“Shh, you guys are my first favorites,” she said in a mock whisper but Benji just grinned, his feelings not hurt.
“Well, it was great to meet you, but I’ve got to get back to my wife.”
“You
too,” Benji said as he made his way back around the table.
“Again, merry Christmas and congratulations.”
Autumn said thanks, but the boys said nothing while Lucy said, “Merry Christmas.”
He sent one last grin and walked away. While Benji knew the dude was bad news and had done some wrong, he kind of felt bad for him. The boys, though, they cared not one bit before looking over at Lucy.
“You’re talking to him?” Jude accused.
“He bought something for Angie?” Jayden asked.
“I have to, he’s helping me with Angie,” she snapped back and Jayden looked down, shaking his head.
“Be careful,” Jace warned and she glared.
“I am,” she shot back as Autumn snapped her fingers at them.
“He is not ruining my dinner. You four let go of that, and you enjoy our family time, you hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they all agreed, but even Benji knew the mood of dinner had changed. As they cut into Audrey’s delicious cake, it livened up a little bit but not much, especially when the topic of Rick came up.
“Has you know who called yet?” Jayden asked, and Lucy shook her head while Benji’s blood boiled.
“Nope.”
“You should fight for full custody,” Jude said. “He doesn’t deserve her.”
Benji looked over at Angie. She was sitting in River’s lap, playing on his phone with him as Lucy said, “You think I don’t know that? She needs a father in her life.”
“Yeah, a good one,” Jude said. He pointed to Benji. “Marry that guy. I’ve only been around him the last two days, and I’ve seen him do better for Angie than Rick ever has.”
Lucy set him with a look. “I hear you, but don’t employ Benji to step up. It’s not his job.”
Before Benji could argue that, say that he wouldn’t mind, and it would be his life’s greatest pleasure to be a father to Angie, Jace said, “Can’t we just hire someone to get rid of him? Or can we not now that it’s been brought up? Shit, I should have just hired someone.”
“Or can we pay Benji to beat him up? He’s a big dude,” Jude added and Benji smiled.