All the Sauce (IceCats 4)

She chuckles. “She told me a while back, but she hasn’t said anything since.”

“Yeah, things have been busy for her with school and her internship. Then I’ve been on road trips.”

“You’re still incredibly awesome, I have to say,” she admits, tapping my arm. Before I can thank her, she goes on, “Yeah, Angie told me y’all have been on the go since the relationship started.”

“Unfortunately. But I want to plan a vacation once we get her new schedule for the mental health department.”

“Hopefully it will involve a stop in Nashville.”

“For sure.”

She smiles a thanks as I sit down between her and Angie. I glance over to her siblings. “You guys ready for the game tomorrow?” They all nod eagerly as Angie threads her fingers through mine. “I keep trying to get Angie on the ice with me, but I think she hates hockey after her injury and all.”

Angie nods. “It’s not only that. I just know I can’t beat you anymore. I’m too competitive.”

We share a grin as Benji says, “You could if you wanted. We all know how resilient you are.”

I nod. “It’s true.”

She waves me off, and then we stop to order drinks and appetizers. The conversation turns to Angie’s work at the internship and how great things are going. I enjoy listening to her talk about her work. She’s so damn good at it. So smart, it’s scary.

Lucy looks at me and asks, “How’s Evan doing? He seemed great on the plane.”

“He is. And while it sucks he’s not here playing, I’m thankful that Angie was able to help him realize where he needed to be.”

Angie beams up at me, and I wink at her. Lucy continues, “Elli said something about you getting involved in Angie’s program.”

“I am. I’m going to host a few seminars this summer and some golf activities, paintball event, stuff to bring awareness to the program. But also, I want my teammates and the rest of the league to know it’s okay not to be okay. That there is help out there.”

Lucy threads her fingers thru Benji’s. “Incredible, huh, babe?”

He doesn’t seem impressed in the least. He takes a long drink of his water, and Angie leans in, turning so he can’t see her, and apologizes.

I shake my head. “It’s fine.” She makes a face of disagreement, and I ask, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she says quickly, but when our appetizers come, everyone digs in but her. If it weren’t fried cheese, I wouldn’t question her, but it is, and my girl loves herself some cheese. I look over at her as she listens intently to Max’s play-by-play of their last diving competition. It’s really interesting, but I’d rather get Angie to eat. I hand her the fried goodness, and she takes it, placing it on the plate in front of her. I watch her, and when Lucy asks Max a question, I lean in.

“Eat.” She shakes her head, and I give her a look. “Why?”

She looks the other way so they can’t hear or see her lips moving. “They’ve already made a comment about my weight. I don’t want them to think I’m a fat-ass.” I glare at her, and she gives me a pleading look. “Let it be, and I’ll eat these off you later.”

A lesser man would have taken that deal, but I want more for Angie. “Angie, they love you the way you are.”

“I know. I do, I promise, but I don’t want to eat in front of them.”

To my surprise, Lucy hears her. “What? Why? Eat.”

“That’s what I told her,” I say, giving her a look, and Angie smiles politely.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You are,” I say, pushing the cheese toward her. She glares at me, but it’s Lucy’s eyes that have me pausing. Something moves in her gaze, and she looks over at the kids and then back at Angie.

“Angela.”

I don’t know what it is about moms, but they’ve got that voice that can send chills down your spine. I’m not even Lucy’s kid, and I straighten up. Hell, everyone does, even Benji.

“Mom, really—”

“Answer me this,” she demands, holding her daughter’s gaze. “Did you stop seeing us because of your weight gain?”

Okay, throwing it out there like that. Here we go.

I go still, and I notice her siblings are looking anywhere but at Lucy, Benji, or Angie. Not even me. I stroke my thumb along the inside of Angie’s thigh as she holds her mother’s gaze. Is she going to tell the truth? I have to admit, I’d lie if Lucy was looking at me the way she’s looking at Angie. It’s scary as hell.

“Yes.”

Oh. Okay.

I look back at Lucy as she glares. “Angela, you know we don’t care about that kind of stuff. We love you, no matter what.”

“I know, but I’m not the same. I already embarr—”

Benji speaks up this time. “Embarrassed us? Please, Paxy, that’s not true, and you know it.”