Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)(22)

Benji grinned, his face reddening a bit as he laid the bag beside him. “She’s an awesome girl.”

“She is. The best ever, and I knew I could trust you. So thanks again,” Jayden said with a nod. “And I’m so sorry if my sister was hateful to you. I know she kinda cut Vaughn down, so no telling what she said to you.”

Before Benji could say anything, though, Baylor was talking. “Vaughn asked her to go home with him. I think that warrants her to call him what she did,” she defended and Jayden shrugged.

“Yeah, I guess. But she’s ice-cold to everyone, I swear. I don’t even know how she is succeeding in her design business.”

Ooh, he didn’t know that… Or wait, yeah, he did. He remembered Elli saying something about coming to Florida for their house. “Like home design?”

Baylor nodded. “Yeah, she’s amazing. She’s done everyone’s houses. She’s about to do the Adlers’ home in January. Jayden has basically made the whole team call her.”

Benji made a face. “Not me.”

“You have an apartment, that’s why.”

“No, I don’t. I have a house.”

Jayden’s face showed confusion. “What? I thought you were staying over at the Hampton Places?”

Benji shook his head. “I moved this summer into my new house over by Anderson.”

“Oh. Well, hire my sister!”

Benji laughed before saluting Jayden. “Yes, sir.”

Laughter filled the table, but before anyone could say anything else, their food was delivered and they dug in. He liked Sinclair. He had been nervous when they were paired together. Benji was with Thomas, but Sinclair and King didn’t click the way they did, and Coach moved Benji up. He was thankful, but when he first met the kid, he thought he was just that. A kid. But Sinclair was way more than that. Wise beyond his years. He was a good guy, and Benji was lucky to be playing with him.

Taking a bite of his sushi, Benji looked up as Jayden asked, “Was she bad? I’ve been dying to know, but then I’m worried you’ll say she was horrible to you and I’ll have to defend her and then we won’t be friends.”

Baylor snickered as Benji rolled his eyes playfully. “You sound like a teenage girl, Jay.”

Laughing, he nodded. “I know, but she’s hard, man. I love her. Like, with all my heart. We are all so close, my family and I. But Lucy and I have that temper, that undying kind of love for the people we love, so I know how she can be when she gets mad. Me not showing up or manning up like I should have, I’m sure, made her want to kill the first person in sight.”

“Yeah, I’m surprised she hasn’t killed him in his sleep yet,” Baylor laughed, but then she paused, shaking her head. “No one hurts Angie and lives to tell the tale. I didn’t even know he hadn’t told her until I saw the death threats she was sending him.”

Wow, Lucy had quite the reputation. Too bad he gave no shits about it. He was pretty sure the thick wall she had up was just that, a wall, and he was going to get over that thing. Why, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was her smile that had driven him to this madness, but he wanted the chance. He wanted to make her smile again.

“She wasn’t that bad,” he said softly, but they both didn’t believe him.

“You don’t have to lie. Was she really that bad?”

“Please tell me she didn’t try to hit you,” Jayden said, embarrassment all over his face, and Benji laughed.

Shaking his head, he shrugged. “She was snarky as shit, and she didn’t trust me. Really, she wasn’t bad, but then my main focus was making sure Angie was okay, you know? I think she appreciated that.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Baylor said. “Angie is her world, and if you knew her backstory, it would make sense, you know? Her ex-husband is a piece of work.”

“That’s an understatement,” Jayden said with a shake of his head. “But that’s none of our business.”

What? Yes, it is, Benji thought, but he didn’t press. He could tell the loyalty between Jayden and his sister was unbreakable and he admired that. But yet, he wanted more. He wanted to know everything.

“Yeah,” Baylor agreed. “I just want her to be happy.”

Jayden nodded. “Yeah, but I really don’t think it will ever happen. I’ve never seen her with anyone but Rick the Dick, and since they’ve been divorced for four years now, I’m starting to think my sister will never get with anyone else. She’s gonna be one of those really angry old ladies who beat people with canes.”

As they shared a laugh, Benji swallowed hard. Their laughter died down and Jayden slowly shook his head. He looked sad, but the anger was there. It was loud and clear that Jayden was not a fan of Rick the Dick.

“I just don’t know. She worries me. She needs to be happy too,” he said, more to Baylor than Benji, but there was no unhearing that. “I just don’t know why she doesn’t try, at least.”

Clearing his throat, Benji leaned on the table. “Because it’s easier to hide from the fear of rejection and pain than to put yourself out there and try.” They both looked up at him and he shrugged. “But then the right person comes along and it makes you want to try. It makes you overcome the fear.”

“Whoa, that’s some deep shit, bro,” Jayden said, his eyes widening.