Page 4 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

Pip saw her and ran full tilt toward her. “Ellie!”

Ellie caught the brown-haired cherub in her arms and swung her up. “Ooof! You’re getting too heavy for that.”

“No, I’m not!”

Ellie hugged her tight. “You’re right.”

“Hey, Ellie, what’s shaking, baby?” Gracie panted as she passed her and set the baby carrier down. She shot Mike a disgruntled look. “Don’t help me or anything. Not like I don’t have my hands full.”

Ellie laughed, her dark thoughts chased away by Gracie. Ellie had never had a lot of girlfriends, preferring guys’ straightforwardness to women’s catty passive aggressiveness. But it was hard not to like the vivacious coffee shop owner.

Ellie leaned over to accept Gracie’s hug, Pip wrapping her arms around her mom’s neck as they pulled away. “Nothing much. Just need to get my computer fixed.”

“Well, you came to the best. Is he being nice?” Gracie looked between the two of them, but her skeptical expression focused more on Mike than Ellie.

“No,” Ellie said.

Mike said, “Yes,” at the same time.

Gracie’s full lips pursed into a pout. “I wish you two would just get along.”

Mike growled. “Give me my food, and stop meddling.”

“Why are you cranky, Uncle Mike?” Pip asked, innocently.

Ellie snickered at Mike’s surprise. “I’m not cranky, sweet pea. Your mommy is just being a pest.”

The little girl wiggled down from her mom’s arms and put her hands on her hips. “That’s not nice to say! You need to say sorry.”

“Yeah, say sorry,” Gracie teased.

Mike shook his head. “I am getting sh…I mean, guff from every woman today.” He bent over and tapped Pip’s nose. “Even the pint-sized ones.”

Pip giggled and threw herself at him, obviously forgetting she had been cross with him not thirty seconds ago. Ellie watched him lift the little girl up and tickle her until she was squealing.

He’ll make a good dad someday.

Ellie wasn’t sure why she was thinking about Mike and his future offspring. They would probably be mini self-righteous jerks, like their dad.

“Why don’t you stop acting like you’re so cool,” Gracie said, dropping the bag on his desk with a thunk. “Cause you’re not.”

Ellie hid a smile as she turned back to her paper, filling it out as she listened to the three of them with one ear.

“How’s Mr. Ian?” Mike asked.

“Sleeping and if you wake him up, I will destroy you.”

“Whatever. Didn’t you bring any fry sauce?” Mike’s voice was dark and irritable, and Ellie hated that she liked it so much. Why did he have to be so hot?

Because that’s the way it is. All the ones that seem like a catch lure you in and spit you out.

“No, they only gave me one and I used it for Pip’s food. You know, your adorable goddaughter? Would you really take fry sauce from a baby?”

“Sweet pea, you ate my fry sauce?” he said.

“Yep, and it was yummy.”

Ellie laughed softly, her back still to them. She loved Pip’s sass.