Page 45 of Game Changer

“She’s not capable of being alone. She has mental?—”

“That’s enough,” Bellemont Senior cuts his son off.

“I don’t think it is. I think I should know if there’s an issue with the mother of my child.”

After that highly uncomfortable confrontation, I decided to leave before it got any worse, and to be honest, it’s good to know that Lindsey is in a safe place and that even though I think her parents and brothers are douchebags, she’s not alone when I can’t be there twenty-four seven with a child. Those are the facts, and that is the reality of our situation.

As soon as I get in my vehicle and plug in my phone, I get a couple texts.

Max

Checking in to see how our favorite Jersey U family is doing. Let us know if you need anything. We’re feeling like we should be there and not here in Jersey.

Mila

We’d like to come up and visit you and Lily. Be there when Lindsey wakes up. Call when you can. We wanna help.

I hit them back with a voice-to-text group message.

“You can come up here anytime you want. Lindsey’s house is available. Her parents decided not to stay there, so …” I pause, trying to get my thoughts straight. “You all can visit anytime; stay as long as you want.”

As soon as I send the text, my phone rings, and I hitanswer. “Boone.”

“How is Lindsey doing, Beau?” Liam Ross asks.

“She’s fighting the fight, holding steady.”

“That’s good to hear,” he says then clears his throat. “We have no problem keeping Bossy another night, but was?—”

“I think Lily’s missing her pup.”

“Gonna guess her pup’s missing Lily, too.”

Chapter 10

Sprinkles

Sydney

Ibend down and swipe my lips across Lily’s head, asking, “Not hungry?”

“Not so much now,” she says as I look at Mom and mouth “Fever.”

“You know what?” I say, sitting beside her on a stool. “I’m super tired after school and usually rest for a few minutes at my place before I come back down here.” I fake a giant yawn. “You wanna come up, and you and I can snuggle on the couch and watch some TV?”

“I never bended to your place, my Syd.” She yawns for real, the poor dear.

I scoop her up and set her on my hip. “Lily Boone, I think your pup weighs more than you do.”

“Mommy says I’ll grow big someday.”

“You surely will,” I assure her.

“You two head up to relax a bit after your busy day,” Mom says and gives me a wink.

“We are, Ms. Molly. You come, too?” she asks.

“I’ll come up a bit later and see how you two are doing.” Mom kisses her forehead—her own internal thermometer—then sucks in a breath through her teeth. “I’m going to go to the store and grab a few things first, though, okay?”

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