Page 84 of Game Changer

“Don’t yuck my yum,” she huffs

“This is …” Sydney shakes her head. “This is so confusing. You’re like a totally different person than you were at the bakery.”

“A near-death experience will give you clarity.” She yawns then winces.

“You need a break?” Sydney asks, standing and grabbing a Styrofoam cup with a spoon and feeding her a scoop of ice chips.

Mitch clears his throat. “I think you get the gist of this. Lindsey and I have been through some shit. Scott”—he pauses and smiles at him—“has been a source of strength for both of us, that and he has so much patience with us.”

“Worth it to see you both finally ready to let them see they can’t control you anymore.”

“I’m happy to see you’re all healing and dealing, but I am so fucking pissed my little girl was forced into a situation because you three were?—”

“Beau.” Syd stands and shakes her head.

“Syd, love you and mean it to my soul, but I have every right to be fucking angry.” I point at Scott. “Three years of give-up-custody bullshit. I should kick your ass.”

“It wasn’t his responsibility; it was mine,” Linds yells, and her voice sounds shredded.

“I am so fucking happy you’re alive, Linds, but right now, I need a break.” I kiss the top of her head, take my wife’s hand, and walk the fuck out, calling back, “Have your brother text when you are ready to see our daughter.”

In the garage, Sydney stops me. “I love you.” I turn back and see tears in her eyes as she repeats, “I love you.”

“I love you,” I tell her, though I am a little bit confused about the middle of the parking garage exchange.

“Then listen to me when I say you need to get over this for your daughter and for your years of loving Lindsey. She was abused.”

“And she dragged my daughter into that shit, Syd.”

“She’s agreed to press charges.”

I fist my hand above my chest. “It hurts, Syd. It hurts knowing three adults could have stopped that.”

“You can still be pissed, but go after the one who actually did it, not her victims.”

“Adults, Syd.”

She grabs my face. “For Lily, you have to let her mom heal from the injuries that could directly lead back to poor choices I made since it was my ex, and the ones she’s had since childhood.”

“That’s asking a lot,” I snarl.

She snarls back, “You’re Beau Boone, number 21 for the New York Knights, a badass hero who saved a life, my husband and, most important, Lily’s father. You have a whole lot to give.”

“Fine, you win, but can I be fucking angry for a day or so?”

She walks past me. “Not if you want to make out with me in your truck while we wait for our family to bring Lily to see her mom.”

“You’re not playing fair,” I call after her.

“I’m playing to put numbers up for the home team on tonight’s Boone report.”

“First wifey win,” I grumble.

“Of many.” She turns around, smiling at me. “So many.”

“I’ll lose every disagreement just to see that smile and be able to nibble that ass.”

“It’s not losing when you’re playing for the same team, Beau Boone.”

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