Cope’s dark-blue gaze cut to me. “It’s no problem. I brought some extras in case anyone had issues.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. “Just let me know how much I owe you?—”
“Warrior,” Cope chided softly. “Just let me do something nice. It’s good for my ego.”
My lips twitched. “I’m not sure your ego needs any help.”
Cope grinned as he went back to work. “Fair point.”
“Sutton,” Evelyn called as she headed in my direction. “Do you need me to give Luca a ride back to the bakery today?”
“Bakery?” Cope asked as he slipped one of Luca’s skates off his foot with ease.
Evelyn sent him one of her perfectly poised smiles as she smoothed auburn hair that was already expertly pulled back into a chignon. “Yes, our Sutton here is quite busy at The Mix Up. It can be hard for her to manage drop-off and pickup.”
Annoyance flared at the reminder of all the ways I was failing to juggle the countless things I was responsible for.
Cope’s gaze shot to me. “You work at The Mix Up?”
I gave him a small nod. “I own it.”
A huge smile broke out over his face, one that had me sucking in a sharp breath at its potency. It was real, I realized. No forced fakeness. And Cope truly smiling? It was lethal.
“Thea brought some cupcakes from there to a family dinner the other week. They were incredible. Cute as shit, too. With little bumblebees on them,” Cope said, grinning wider.
Evelyn gasped. “Coach Colson. Watch your language, please.”
Cope’s brows lifted. “What’d I say?”
“The s-word,” she hissed.
Luca giggled. “If I say a bad word, I gotta do extra chores.”
Cope’s lips twitched as he turned back to me. “Want me to come over and mop the bakery floors? I can give Speedy here a ride home.”
Evelyn let out an exasperated huff. “I am guessing you do not have a booster seat in your vehicle, Mr. Colson. Children under the height of fifty-seven inches and the age of eight are required bylawto ride in one. Thankfully,Ihave an extra in my SUV so I can safely transport Daniel’s friends.”
Cope stared at her for a long moment. “Have you ever thought of getting a job with my brother Trace? I think you two would get along.”
“Excuse me?” she spluttered.
“That attention to detail and letter-of-the-law stuff? Two peas in a pod.”
I struggled to hold in my laugh and eventually had to cover it with a cough.
Evelyn straightened and turned to me. “Do you want me to give Luca a ride?”
That heat in my chest was back, the flush of guilt at being unable to manage it all. “I’d really appreciate it. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Evelyn shot Cope a dirty look and headed off in Daniel’s direction.
Cope clapped the sides of Luca’s skate. “You’re good to go. Meet you on the ice?”
Luca nodded enthusiastically. “Thanks, Coach Reaper.” He waddled off before we could get in another word.
Cope pushed to standing, and the height difference had my head spinning. His tee pulled against the planes of muscle in his chest as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “That lady’s a piece of work.”
I shook my head. “She just has it all together. Isn’t used to people who aren’t perfect, I think.”
