14. Sutton

14

SUTTON

I shouldn’t have let the little truth slip free. Because as Cope studied me, I knew he was putting together too many pieces. Ones that created a picture I didn’t want him to see.

I’d learned the lessons at far too high a cost. It wasn’t the things you surrounded yourself with that were important; it was the people. And if you got too caught up in chasing the next high, whatever the form, you could lose what mattered most.

As if reading that, Cope moved into my space, not crowding me but creating intimacy. “This house is family.”

My brows rose, questioning how that could be.

“Ten bedrooms. One for each of my siblings, Mom, and Lolli. Plus, a loft with bunks for Keely. So, if we all want to stay here on Christmas Eve, we can.”

My heart lurched at that. Just enough for the whole Colson crew to fit. Because they were important to him.

“The design itself was Shep’s first big custom project for Colson Construction. It put him on the map in the architectural space. ”

I swallowed hard. “You gave him his big break.” And I knew he’d gone on to build a massively successful business.

Cope shrugged. “As you can see, it wasn’t exactly a sacrifice.”

One corner of my mouth kicked up as I took in the house with new eyes. “No, it wasn’t. It’s beautiful.”

Cope inclined his head to the left. “Arden lives down that road. Has a guesthouse and workshop for her art. We put in a barn so she could keep her horses, and Keely can come ride with her.”

A burn lit in my chest. So much thought for everyone else. “What about you? What did you put in for you?”

He grinned. “Come on. I’ll show you.” He climbed the front steps as Luca danced around us. Plugging a code into the lock on the door, he twisted the handle and stepped inside.

“Holy crackers, Mom! This is like a mansion. Coach Reaper, is this a mansion?”

I couldn’t even answer Luca because I was struck dumb by the view. The entire back of the house was windows. All three sides were practically pure glass. But the picture they created tugged me forward as if my feet had a mind of their own.

I heard Luca’s and Cope’s voices in the background but kept moving until I reached the captivating view. I felt Cope at my side more than I saw him. His heat, the strength that seemed to vibrate off him in waves.

“It’s one-way glass. We can see out, but no one can see in,” Cope explained as he reached for the handle of a slider. “But this is what I did for me.”

He slid the door open with ease, and I saw it was one where you could open the whole wall. But I was already stepping out, unable to resist. The back deck was an outdoor lover’s dream. The expansive patio was tiered into different sections. On the top tier to the left was a large outdoor dining space, complete with an overhead covering to protect from the sun. On the right was an outdoor sectional with a firepit in the center that would be perfect for chilly mountain nights. The second tier had countless benches and planters, creating a maze of places to sit. And finally, a stunning pool seemed to disappear into the pond beyond it, like you were floating on water. Cope had created the perfect harbor.

“You have a pool ?” Luca shrieked.

There was a flash of panic in Cope’s expression. “Does he know how to swim?”

“Like a fish,” I said, amusement lacing my tone. “We’ll be lucky if we ever get him out of the water.”

Relief swept through Cope. “A fish, I can handle.”

“Cope,” I whispered. “This is magical.”

He grinned down at me. “My favorite part of the whole house.”

“I can see why. You could live out here.”

“I do. Well, other than the hours I log in the gym.”

I arched a brow.

He shrugged. “Professional hockey player. Makes sense for me to have somewhere I can stay in shape. It’s in the basement. There’s a screening room down there, too. Shep’s a sucker for movies, so I let him have his way there.”

“Of course, there’s a screening room,” I muttered.

Cope chuckled. “Can I show you your rooms?”

“Yes! I wanna see my room!” Luca yelled, overhearing us.

It was hard to pull myself away from the beauty, the quiet peace. I could hear the creek as it babbled and fed the pond. I could’ve sat out here for hours, taking in every detail, but I forced my feet to follow my son and Cope inside.

Cope led us up a giant staircase. I immediately began decorating it for Christmas in my mind. Acres of pine garland punctuated with antique red bows. It would be a sight to see.

“My room’s right at the end of that hall,” Cope said, pointing to the left.

My cheeks flamed, thinking of running into Cope in my pajamas while getting a glass of water in the middle of the night.

“What about me?” Luca demanded, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Manners, Luca,” I warned.

He sent me an exasperated look. “What about me, please? ”

One corner of Cope’s mouth kicked up. “This way.”

I dropped my voice. “He already thinks he’s the coolest kid known to man because you’re his chauffeur. This is going to send him over the edge.”

“I live to serve,” Cope said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he led us down the opposite hall and into an absolutely stunning room. The walls were a calming gray except for an accent wall that made you feel like you were living in a breathtaking black-and-white photo. It was a blurred forestscape with tall trees and a foggy, atmospheric feel.

“This is sick !” Luca hollered, full-on jumping now.

“I thought you might like this one,” Cope said with a grin. “You’ve got your own bathroom through there. And this TV has a game console. Kye’s partial to gaming, so I had to set him up.”

Of course, he had.

Cope winced. “We should make sure those games are age appropriate.”

“I can tackle that,” I assured him.

Luca made a running leap onto the bed. “I’m never leaving this spot.”

Cope grinned at me, one of those devastating, truly happy smiles. I was starting to see that his most joyful moments were when he made someone else happy. That knowledge made me want to give that right back to him.

Cope turned to me, that grin still playing at his lips and making my insides do some sort of acrobatics move. “What about you, Warrior? Ready to see your room?”

More spiraling spins and dizzying flips. No, I wasn’t ready. Because as amazing as all this was, it wasn’t something I could get used to. Luca either. “Sure,” I said, forcing my smile brighter. “Luca, you want to come?”

“Naw, I wanna chill in my room,” he said, tucking his hands behind his head.

God, was he seven or seventeen? My rib cage tightened, making it harder to take a full breath. These moments with him would be so fleeting. Before long, he wouldn’t want cupcake movie night with me; he’d opt to go out with his friends instead. Then he’d be driving, at college, and gone out into the world.

Cope’s arm pressed against mine as he ducked his head. “Hey, you okay?”

I swallowed, trying to clear the ball of emotions gathering in my throat. “Sometimes I blink, and he’s had a growth spurt.”

Cope wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Pretty sure he’s still your little boy.”

“For today, maybe,” I mumbled.

“Come on, Mama. Let’s show you your spot.” He gently guided me out of Luca’s room and across the hall.

I didn’t try to escape the gentle hold he had on me. I should’ve, but I couldn’t find the strength. Cope’s warmth was like the world’s most comfortable blanket. I wanted to pull it around my shoulders and hold it close.

Cope pushed open the door, his hand sliding to my lower back as he urged me inside. My feet felt like lead. Some part of me didn’t want to see what beauty lay beyond the threshold.

As I stepped inside, I sucked in a breath. I’d been right. It was beautiful. Too beautiful. The walls were the palest turquoise—the kind of color that made you wonder if it was there at all. But at the same time, the tone had a sense of calm washing over me.

There was a large king bed against the wall closest to the hallway, one that looked like an overstuffed cloud with its white duvet and endless array of pillows. But it was the view from the bed that had me gobsmacked.

It was the same breathtaking picture as downstairs, but because we were on the second floor, it felt as though we were hovering. Floating on a sea of water, forest, and mountains.

My eyes burned, and my nose stung. I’d never stayed in a room this nice before. No place that felt this me .

“What do you think?” Cope asked, his voice barely above a rough whisper.

“It’s beautiful,” I told him honestly .

“The color reminds me of your eyes. It felt like it was meant to be.”

My gaze jerked to him. “My eyes?”

“Turquoise. Like the Caribbean Sea. Could find a world of peace in those eyes.”

It wasn’t just my eyes burning now. It was everything. People had remarked on my eyes for most of my life. Roman had certainly been taken in by them. But had anyone really taken the time to see beyond the standard blue? Blue Eyes. Just thinking the nickname had pain coursing through me.

But not Cope. He saw tone and quality. And more than that, he saw feeling.

“Come on,” Cope said, that smile back on the corners of his mouth. “You haven’t seen the best part.”

He strode toward an open door I knew had to lead to a bathroom. But I wasn’t sure how much more beauty—more seeing —I could take. Still, I followed. And when I stepped into the en suite, I couldn’t help my audible gasp.

The antique tub sat in front of another massive window, looking out on that same incredible view. You could soak in the warmth of the water and the peace of the view all at the same time. “Cope…”

“Not too shabby. There’s a shower, too.” He gestured to the large, marble-tiled space in the far corner. “Should be stocked as far as toiletries go, but let me know if you’re missing anything, and I’ll have my housekeeper grab it.”

I was still gaping at the tub, unable to get any other words out.

Cope’s hand slipped beneath my hair, kneading my neck. “Set this water as hot as it will go and have a nice long soak. I’ll bring your bags up and have dinner ready when you’re done.”

I goggled up at him. I was struggling to process so much. The fact that, for the first time in years, someone was taking care of me was at the top of that list. But I focused on a tiny detail. “You cook?”

One corner of Cope’s mouth kicked up. “I’m full of surprises, Warrior.”