“Now, can you be my dad?” a little voice cut in.
Sutton pulled back, her face wet. She glanced back at me, giving me the ultimate gift, the chance to give this to the kid who’d stolen my heart right along with her. And after everything he’d been through, being his dad would be that much more precious a role.
“Never going to have a better job than being your dad,” I told Luca.
He flew at us. Running and jumping onto the bed. I didn’t give a damn about the flare of pain because I had what I’d always wanted, what I’d always needed, and that would never change.
EPILOGUE
SUTTON
TWO YEARS LATER
The crowd was deafeningas we walked into the arena. I’d never get used to that feeling, the way the chants and cheers vibrated your whole body and not just your ears. Lucalivedfor it. He didn’t miss a single home game if he could help it.
We’d found our balance over the past two years. The Mix Up had firmly established a home in both Seattle and Sparrow Falls. And thanks to an incredible managerial staff, I was thinking of adding a third bakery in Portland. As for the three of us, we spent school years in Seattle and summers and as many vacations as possible back home in Sparrow Falls. Because that’s what it would always be.Home.
In the house Cope had built with his family in mind, but the one he had made ours. As my hand drifted to my still-flat belly, I couldn’t help but wonder which room we’d put the little one in. Just thinking about it sent a fresh wave of nerves swimming through me.
But the timing couldn’t have been better. Because win or lose in this last game of the finals, Cope was retiring. He’d done exactly whathe’d vowed to do. He’d made hockey his. He’d rediscovered the love of the game. And through that, he was playing the best he ever had.
Some of his teammates jokingly called him Gramps, but I also knew they were sad to be losing their team captain, the one who’d brought them back after the revelations about Marcus had almost ripped them apart. While Marcus was serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, the Sparks had begun to rebuild. And now, they were tighter than ever.
I glanced up at the box where half the Colson crew was positioned. Fallon waved wildly, doing a dance in the window that made me laugh. I spotted Kye behind her, keeping a close eye—like always. Keely was near the window, too, taking in all the action, and I knew Trace had to be close by. Just like I knew Arden and Linc were in there somewhere, along with the others.
Linc had given Cope the hard sell, wanting him to come coach for the Sparks. But Cope had other plans in mind. He’d bought the rink in Roxbury from Arnie and planned to be the coach of Luca’s team and others right at home. There would be no more crazy travel or endless interviews.
It would just be…us. As it was always meant to be.
“Wooooo, doggy,” Lolli hollered as the rink came into view. “I’m ready to see my guys demolish the Lions.”
Luca laughed. “Bloodthirsty, Supergran. I like it.”
He’d taken on Keely’s nickname for her great-grandmother, just like he called Nora Grams. It brought them both great joy, but nothing compared to how Cope’s eyes lit up when Luca called him Dad.
Nora’s hand slid into mine. “You’ve got the poster?”
I held it up in its rolled form, more nerves settling in. “Is this a horrible idea? Maybe I should tell him at home.”
“No way,” Thea said, cutting in behind me. “Win or lose, this is going to be the best prize of the night.”
“Win, Thorn,” Shep corrected her. “They’re going to win.”
Thea rolled her eyes. “I’m pretty sure Shep has gotten more superstitious than the entire team.”
“For the love of God, please tell me you’re washing your drawers,” Anson muttered.
Shep flipped him off. “Yes, I am. But I sure as hell made sure I had my lucky hat for tonight.”
I glanced over at his Sparks hat with Cope’s number in bold font.
“I prefer the one Kye made me,” Rhodes chimed in, adjusting the brim of her ballcap that read,I KNEW REAPER WHEN HE WAS TERRIFIED ET WAS GOING TO KIDNAP HIM.
I chuckled as I slid into the first row of seats. “It’s good to make sure his ego is in check.”
“You sure you’re good down here?” Anson asked.
I appreciated his concern. The crowd was definitely rowdier tonight, but there was only one place I wanted to watch Cope play, and that was from as close as possible.
