He smiled as his heart exploded in his chest. The way she said it was so beautiful. So sweet, and he was convinced he couldn't get enough of those three words. "I love you too."

"I love you both!" Angie giggled from the back and he couldn't grin wide enough.

He was complete.

Benji really hated dancing.

As he shimmied from side to side, Lucy leaned against the island, laughing so hard, she was crying.

"You're doing great. Try this," Angie said, spinning like a crazy person and Benji laughed.

"How about this?" he said, doing some break-dancing that was so bad, he almost smashed his head against the table.

But Angie ate it up. "Awesome! Mommy, watch!"

She did the same as Benji, and they looked ridiculous, but Benji had never had so much fun in his life. As he spun around on his ass, kicking his legs in no particular way, he looked up to see Lucy grinning, bubbling with laughter as she held her phone up, taking pictures. She looked so beautiful, so fucking happy, and while he really didn't want anyone seeing him like this, he didn't stop her. He wanted her to document this moment.

When he tried but failed very badly to spin on his head, he lay on his back, watching as Angie swung her arms around like an orangutan, laughing and having the time of her life. He wondered how many dance parties she had with Rick. How many times did Rick make her laugh like Benji made her laugh? He wondered why Rick even wanted to fight for her when he didn't even try to make her happy. When Angie looked over at him expectantly, he laughed.

"I'm old," he decided and she laughed, pulling him up.

"Never! Dance!"

Popping and locking, well, actually, he looked like he was having a conniption fit, he heard Angie laugh, the joyous sound filling his once empty house. When Lucy snorted, shaking her head, he grinned back at her as the music died down, changing to a slow song.

"Then There's You," by Charlie Puth.

He had heard it many times, liked it because it made him think of Lucy. When Angie went to turn it off, he stopped her. "No, honey, let's slow it down."

"Okay," she said, coming to him.

"Come here," he said, picking her up. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, laying her head on his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he cuddled her to him as he moved her through the kitchen, thankful for the break. He might have killed himself if he'd tried another headstand. When he turned, facing where Lucy stood, he saw her lips were curved and her eyes dark as she watched him.

"Come here," he demanded, holding out his arm. She shook her head.

"No, you two have fun."

But Angie didn't like that. "Come on, Mommy. Dance with us!"

"Ugh, fine," she said, laughing as she came over, tucking into his side, holding Angie as she laid her hand on his chest.

Exhaling a long breath, Benji closed his eyes and he leaned his head to Lucy's, kissing her forehead. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this. To feel so overwhelmed and in love from the bottom of his soul. Living life with no purpose had been scary, but now he had purpose, he had meaning, and he was holding it in his arms.

His girls.

Angie may never fully be his, but he was okay with that. Because when she was older and she graduated, she would thank Lucy and Benji, her parents. When some idiot assumed he was going to marry her, he would ask Benji, not Rick. And when it was time to give her away, Benji would be the one to do it. But if Rick got his shit together and he became the father Angie needed, then Benji would have no problem being number two. As long as Angie was happy and she knew he loved her too.

That was all he cared about.

Kissing Angie's head once more and then Lucy's, he smiled as the song played and they cuddled against him.

"This is awesome," Angie said softly and Lucy nodded.

"It is. I think he's a good dancer."

Angie popped up at that. "The best ever!"

Benji's body shook with laughter as she hugged him tighter. Another slow song came on, and still the three of them stayed wrapped together, swaying to the music. At that moment, Benji decided, as much as he hated dancing, he'd do this every day if he could.

As long as it was with these two.

When Lucy looked up, her face bright and happy, he smiled before kissing her nose. "Love you."

"Love you," she whispered, her eyes locking with his as she exhaled happily.

Holding her gaze, her gorgeous green eyes burning into his, he couldn't take it. He wanted this. Every day. He wanted to wake up to her beautiful face, to hold her sweet body when he slept. He wanted them over for breakfast, to share dinner with them. He wanted his family.

Angie and Lucy.

His voice thick with emotion, he whispered, "Move in, Lucy. Tomorrow. I don't want to wait till January. I love you, I love Angie, and this is right. We are right."

She searched his eyes, and he could feel her heart pick up in speed, beating against his chest. He figured she would fight him, tell him to hush, but to his surprise, she nodded her head and whispered, "Okay."

And right then, Benji decided that "Okay" was his second favorite phrase to ever leave Lucy's mouth.

"Baylor, thank God, she's leaving!"

Lucy shot Jayden a dark look as she handed Benji the last of the boxes. Standing in the front yard, all of them freezing their butts off as they packed Benji's truck with their things, Lucy shook her head. She was going to miss them.

"Har-har-har," she said and Jayden laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist before picking her up off the ground and shaking her.

Like he had been doing since they were kids.

"Put me down, you big oaf," she demanded as her feet hit the ground.

Kissing her on the cheek, Baylor smiled. "We'll miss you guys."

She went to her sister-in-law, who had just had surgery a week before, and hugged her tightly. She was on crutches so it was awkward, but she was thankful for such a good woman for her brother. "Thanks, Baylor."

"Any time," she said, squeezing her arm as Angie came over to hug her tightly.

"Now, Benji, there is a no-return policy on her. No take-backs on the little one either," Jayden teased as Angie climbed up his back and Lucy punched him in the chest. Wheezing for breath, he said, "Okay, we'll take Angie back, but not that one."

Benji just laughed as he jumped out of the back of his truck, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulders. "No worries. Didn't need the policies anyway," he said, kissing her cheek as she looked up to where all of her and Angie's belongings were in the back of Benji's truck. If she had been smart, she would have waited, done it all right, planned to move everything out of storage and all that, but Benji made her impulsive. So, like a crazy person, she packed up and moved in the following day. She knew it was outrageous, but she prayed it was going to work.

Because she really saw no future unless Benji was in their life.

They would be fine if he weren't. They were always fine, but they'd never truly be happy the way he made them happy. Because of that, she was ready to move in to her dream home with her dream man. It was simply ludicrous, when only a couple of months ago, she was just gliding through life, following Angie and only caring for her, to now, not only caring for Angie and Benji, but herself.

Love. Crazy thing, that love.

"When do we get my bed?" Angie asked as she sat up on Jayden's shoulders.

"Tomorrow," Lucy said, leaning her head to Benji's shoulder. "We have the Assassins' Christmas party tonight. You still wanna go, right?"

"Duh, Mom," she said dryly and Benji laughed.

"Yeah, duh," he teased, kissing her head before slapping his hands together. "So come on, ladies. Let's get home and unpacked. Home. I like that," he said, grinning over at Lucy and she smiled.

"Me too."

"Me three! We aren't homeless anymore!" Angie cheered as Jayden laughed, putting her on her feet.

"Angela," Lucy scolded, but she ran around her, jumping in the truck, saying good-bye to Jayden and Baylor before slamming the door shut.

Laughing, Benji leaned against the doorframe as Jayden teased, "You know you're gonna get shit for this from Jude and Jace."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I don't care. I'm happy."

Jayden nodded before coming over and wrapping his big arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Good. That's all we want," he said and then he dropped his mouth to her ear. "I love you, Lucy, and I want this for you. Don't fuck it up."

Laughing, she pushed him away. "Thanks, asshole."

"God, I love you," he said as she met his gaze. He meant it, she knew that, but he drove her insane. Still, though, there was no way she was doing anything but grinning ear to ear.

"I love you. You too, Baylor," she called as she walked around the truck, and Baylor smiled.

"Love you. Don't be a stranger. I'm lonely now, all by myself until this leg heals."

"Which won't be long," Benji said with a nod. "We'll see you on the ice in no time."

Baylor beamed, but Lucy looked to Jayden to see how he felt about that. Her brother was grinning, his eyes full of love, and that was her answer. As much as he worried about Baylor, he loved her and he wanted her to be happy.

The ice and Jayden made her happy.

Waving, Lucy got into the car as Benji said good-bye and got in himself. Looking back at Angie, he said, "You ready to go home, sunshine?"

Lucy looked back at her daughter who looked just as happy as she felt. Angie threw her hands up and waved them wildly. "So ready!"

"Me too," he said, starting the car. He glanced over at Jayden's house before looking at Lucy. His eyes were dark, and her lips quirked at the side as he held her gaze. "The first time I pulled into the driveway to give you your bag, I sat right here and thought, do I really want to go in there and convince that girl to love me? Let me tell you, I didn't even have to think it through. I got out of this truck, went up to that door, and that's when it started. Our love story."

Breathless, she shook her head. "I thought it started when I said, 'And you think I'm gonna trust you with my kid?'" she said.

From then to now.

Wow.

Other than her family, there was no one else she trusted more with Angie than Benji.

He thought that over for a moment and then winked. "You're right. I like that better."

Grinning, she leaned over, kissing his cheek as he put the car in reverse to head home.

Home.

Their home.

When they got back to the house, it was crazy getting everything where it needed to be in a rush and convincing Angie that the guest room would be fine until they could go get her bed.

"It's fine. I'll go get her bed after the party," he suggested, but Lucy shook her head.

"That's silly. She's fine and she hasn't slept in it since we moved out of my mother's house. You can sleep in the guest bed."

"But I want my bed, in my room," she complained with typical seven-year-old urgency, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Angela, come on-"

But Benji was there, lifting her up and onto his shoulders. "It's really no big deal. We can grab everything that we two can get," he said then and smiled at Lucy. "Don't be mad. I want this to be fun, and if we would have planned better, she would have her bed."

Lucy glared. "Stop spoiling her."

He grinned. "But I spoil both of you."

She rolled her eyes. "It'll bite you in the ass when she's sixteen, I promise you," she warned, but all he did was laugh. Rolling her eyes, she turned and headed down the hall to get her bath box, the last box that was downstairs. She heard Angie say something about playing, but she ignored them, thinking they were going to drive her up the wall. She knew he didn't mean any harm, but he couldn't just roll over for that girl. While it was sweet and adorable, Angie had that man wrapped around her finger, and Lucy would need to untie him before Angie had him building her castles in the skies.

Knowing Benji, he'd do it.

Fool man.

And boy, did she love him.

As she walked through their home, she felt good. She felt complete and already thinking of little things she would hang to add pieces of Angie and herself to the home. She couldn't wait. A part of her was sure she'd designed it in a way she liked so that when she finally gave in and moved in, like she had wanted to do from the beginning, it would be hers.

And it was.

Grinning, she grabbed the last box and headed upstairs, but she heard Benji's voice full of shock as he gasped, "Um, Angie, I don't think Mommy wants us playing with these."

Her heart dropped.

Please, God, no.

Rushing up the stairs and down the hall, she turned the corner just as Angie swung one of her dildos at Benji's face. "It's a sword! A weird looking sword, but come on. I like this one 'cause it's longer, but yours is sparkly."

Benji, bless him, was trying not to laugh, but Lucy was horrified. "Angela Lynn!"

Throwing the dildo in the box, she spun around, her eyes wide. "Mommy, I just want to play!"

"Go to your-er, the guest room. Right now! I've told you twice not to touch those."