SUTTON
TWO YEARS LATER
“Do you have it all?Do you promise? My stick and my pads and my helmet and my skates and my?—”
“Little dude,” Thea said, humor in her voice. “I saw your mom check the listthreetimes. She’s got you.”
I sent her a grateful smile but knew it was also tired. I’d been up since three this morning baking The Mix Up’s usual fare and three dozen cupcakes for a sweet sixteen. My eyes burned, and I was running on the strongest coffee we had.
But it was worth it. Because I was living my dream. A bakery of my own, with an apartment above the shop that meant I could do those early hours with nothing more than a baby monitor that alerted me when Luca woke up. I wasn’t exactly grateful for what had happened to me, but the civil settlement I’d received after my attack had given me just enough to make the trip cross-country and get The Mix Up off the ground.
Luca cocked his head to the side in that adorable way he had as he took in my coworker and best friend. “You’resure, Thee Thee?”
She pinned him with a mock stare. “Would I steer you wrong?”
He grinned at her. “Did you sneak a Cookie Monster cupcake into my lunch?”
Thea held out her hand for a fist bump.
Luca smiled wider and tapped his knuckles to hers. “You’re the best!”
I slung the massive gear bag over my shoulder—equipment that had taken me months to save up for, even though I’d gotten most of it used. “What am I? Chopped liver?”
Luca’s nose wrinkled. “Gross, Mom.”
He’d lost the penchant for calling meMommymore than a year ago, and I still missed it. “Come on, future ice-rink superstar. We need to get going or we’ll be late.”
He bolted for the back hallway.
Thea gave my arm a squeeze. “You okay?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” I challenged. She’d been through an ordeal weeks ago that had almost cost her everything. But I wasn’t surprised that she was already back at work despite my—and her boyfriend, Shep’s—protests.
Thea rolled her eyes. “The doctors cleared me for work two weeks ago. I gave Shep an extra week as a courtesy, but you know I was going stir-crazy.”
I pulled her into a quick hug. “I get it. But just know, we’re all going to be worried about you for a while.”
She squeezed me back hard. “So lucky to have you.”
“Damn straight,” I said, releasing her.
“Moooooom,” Luca called from the back door.
Thea laughed. “Better go before Wayne Gretzky over there steals your keys and drives himself to the rink.”
I shook my head but knew she was probably right. “Call if you or Walter run into any issues.”
“We’ve got you covered, boss,” she called as I headed down the hall.
Luca was bouncing on his toes, practically vibrating withexcitement, but he didn’t break the rule of heading into the back parking area without me.
“Okay,” I said, and Luca shoved the door open, letting some early morning sunlight stream in.
As we stepped outside, I took a deep breath and let the fresh pine air fill my lungs. I’d given myself another dream by settling in Sparrow Falls. The small town nestled in the Central Oregon mountains had an endless supply of fresh air. People stopped to help their neighbors. And I felt…safe.
My phone buzzed as if challenging that.
I squeezed my eyes shut, praying it wasn’t Roman as I slid the device from my pocket. Relief rushed through me at the sight of a friend’s name.
