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“Oh hey, Luke. I’m good, thanks.”
“Sweet. I’ll take a hot chocolate and the usual, thanks.”
Ava nodded and walked away to get Luke’s order ready.
“Hot chocolate?”
Luke settled next to Dylan on a stool. He was big like Jack, and there was no doubting they were brothers, but there was a softer edge to this Trainer. His smile was permanent, and although he’d only interacted with him briefly last night, Dylan was good at reading people, which came in handy in his line of work. He would lay good money down on this Trainer being a people pleaser too.
“I’m just not big on coffee.”
“Bet that’s a winner with the ladies.”
He flashed another smile.
“It is actually, they see it as part of my softer side.”
“How’s my favorite cousin?”
The kick to his gut, Dylan realized, was just something that was going to happen when Piper appeared, and something he had a feeling he’d never get used to. The trick was to ignore it and treat her like he did everyone else.
“She says that to all of us, but we like it,” Luke said.
“Yes, but I mean it with you.” Piper leaned over the counter and placed a smacking kiss on her cousin’s cheek, and Dylan had the urge to demand one too. He needed to stay away from this woman and her family. Seeing their bond was making his family look bad... really bad, which usually didn’t bother him, but today for some reason it did.
“You off today?”
“Yeah, I have four late shifts coming up,” Luke said, cradling the mug Ava placed before him. She ignored Dylan and walked away.
“I wanted to be a fireman once,” he said, watching his sister go back to the coffee machine.
“Never too late.”
Luke’s plate arrived loaded with bacon, eggs, hash browns, tomatoes, and toast.
“I’m coming here tomorrow for breakfast.”
“Best in town.”
“My mother tried to feed me oatmeal. I managed to resist, but the scone from Tea Total was pretty awesome.”
“Not enough to keep a man going though,” Luke said, shoveling a heaped forkful of food into his mouth.
“You want to order something?” Piper said, smiling, and it reached her eyes.
“That.” Dylan pointed to Luke’s plate. “Please, and coffee.”
“You just ate a scone.”
“Place the order, woman,” Luke said, then winked at Piper. “Man needs real food.”
She ruffled her cousin’s hair, then walked away.
“Hi.”
Bailey was the next Trainer to arrive.
“Oh hey, Bays, grab a seat.” Luke urged his sister-in-law onto a stool next to him. “You want coffee?”
