Lucas got choked up looking into his son’s eyes as he repeated the words that his father used to say to him and now he said to his son. Aiden was completely right and Lucas really needed to listen to his father’s advice.

Lucas unbuckled Aiden’s seat belt and took him in his arms, hugging him tightly.

“I love you, Aiden.”

“I love you too, Dad,” Aiden muffled since Lucas was holding him so tight. Lucas laughed as he put Aiden down, patting him on the head before shutting the door. “So you’ll try?”

“I’ll try.”

Aiden grinned before he ran ahead to where Audrey stood in the doorway with a grin on her face.

“Well hello there, guys!”

Aiden smiled big before wrapping his arms around Audrey’s waist, “Hey AA! Can I have a cupcake?”

Audrey giggled, “Sure, come on. You coming in, Lucas?”

Lucas nodded, “Yeah, I need to grab some bags and I’ll be in a minute.”

Audrey sent him a smile but it didn’t reach her eyes before she turned and went inside with Aiden. Lucas hoped the things he bought Audrey would get her to talk. He hated that Fallon was worried and so was he. It wasn’t good for any of them, especially Audrey. He didn’t know who was hurting Audrey but it wouldn’t go on for much longer. He loved her too much to let anyone hurt her.

As Lucas made his way to the truck, he thought about what Aiden said and all of a sudden, he was crying. The tears came hot and fast, and Lucas basically choked on the sob that tried to leave his body. Lucas braced himself against the truck and took in shuttering breaths. Not only was Aiden compassionate and understanding, he wanted to help Lucas. Just like Fallon had wanted to.

For once Lucas wasn’t embarrassed or nervous about his condition. The two people that mattered cared enough about him not to care about his disorder. Finally, Lucas felt like he could be himself and not have to try to be someone he wasn’t. He was a regular, good-looking guy. He couldn’t read but he played good, no great, hockey. He had a little bit of a temper and he was a recovering addict. He was in love with a woman that had him fighting tooth and nail to get past the wall she had put up, but it was okay because he loved her and he had the most amazing son in the world with her.

That was who he was, and luckily, he was blessed with people that loved all of him.

Lucas quickly moved his hand over his cheeks, taking deep breaths. He couldn’t go inside until he calmed down, so he took a couple more calming breaths before opening the trunk and getting all the bags out from his shopping trip with Fallon. After making two trips, he finally had everything inside and a smile on his face. Watching Fallon in the Kate Spade store was like watching her have an orgasm. It was hot, and that sexy half-lidded look came over her face every time she saw something she had to have. When that look came across Fallon’s face, Lucas bought whatever caused it to happen. He didn’t care how much it cost or how much she yelled and complained because no matter what, afterwards she would smile.

And he loved to make her smile.

Lucas was laying bags on the couch when Audrey came into the living with a curious grin on her face. “Ooh, whatcha get me?”

Lucas smiled up at her. “Actually, a lot. Fallon picked out most of it, and there is a bathing suit in there she got for herself.”

Audrey looked over at the three Betsy Johnson bags before looking back at Lucas. “I was joking.”

“Oh, well I’m not. Check it out, let me know if you like it,” he said. She eyed him suspiciously before reaching for the bags. The first thing she pulled out was Fallon’s new sexy bathing suit. She laughed and looked over at him. “Fallon’s?”

He gave her a goofy smile. The bathing suit was hot, but it was even hotter on Fallon. “Yeah, we are going to California next week.”

“She makes me sick with her perfect little body,” Audrey giggled as she threw the bathing suit off to the side before looking through the bag. When she pulled each item out, her eyes would go wide before she little out a little shriek. When she had everything laid out, she looked over at Lucas with a winning smile. “You know you’re my favorite, right?”

Lucas laughed. “So I take you love it?”

“Oh yes! I do!” she gushed before wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thanks for thinking of me.”

“Anytime.”

Audrey giggled as she started picking everything back up and placing it back in the bags. When she was done, she sent Lucas one more grin before heading for the stairs, but he wasn’t going to let her get far. “Who is he, Audrey?”

Lucas could have been more subtle about it, but…okay, maybe he couldn’t.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “What?”

“Who has been hurting you? You might as well tell me.”

Audrey shook her head, her eyes wide as she turned to look at him. “No way. Everything is fine. I broke down and I’m good now. Don’t worry about it.”

“Tell me,” Lucas said, standing his ground.

“No,” Audrey said quietly, “and if these things are your way of getting information from me, take ‘em back.”

Lucas watched as she threw them down on the couch before crossing her arms. Lucas narrowed his eyes. “I bought those things for you because you are the sister I never had. With that being said, tell me who is hurting you because I’m going to kill him. You don’t deserve that Audrey — you are the coolest chick I know.”