Page 16 of Falling for the Grinchy Bad Boy

“Never in a school.”

“It’s sensitive!”

He opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, Aunt Victoria swooped in to save me.

I wanted to say it was about damn time. I wasn’t the one that created that mess. Not all of it.

“Cooper Frost,” she said brightly, slipping her arm through mine. “I haven’t seen you in forever! You’re all grown up now.”

“Victoria,” he said with a warm smile.

Oh, she just popped his overinflated ego. And I loved it. I dared him to try and be a dick to her. I raised my chin in challenge. Bring it, buddy. Yell at her for using an extension cord.

She patted his arm like he was still twelve. “Ease up, young man. No one’s hurt. Everyone’s fine. There’s no need to forget your manners.”

Cooper’s eyes snapped back to mine. “Keep Joy from burning down the town and then I’ll be in a much better mood, I promise.”

“Oh goodness, there was no fear of a fire,” Aunt Victoria said with a wave of her hand. “I’ve done worse making Thanksgiving dinner. And I happen to know you’ve had to put out actual fires caused by much bigger problems.”

“Victoria, those fires didn’t involve fifty kids,” Cooper said.

She laughed. “You’ve never raised kids, apparently. They are walking fire hazards. No one was hurt. No one even coughed from the smoke. If anything, they’re having a better day playing in the snow. So it all worked out in the end.”

“Those hot plates should not be used. They should definitely not be plugged into an extension cord. A cord taped to the floor. People step on those cords and⁠—”

Aunt Victoria held up her hand. “Trust me, young man, I know. I’ve been on this planet a lot longer than you. If I thought there was a risk, I wouldn’t have done it. I’ve run that exact same setup a hundred times before.”

“You set that up?” Cooper asked with surprise.

I couldn’t hide my smug expression. He had just laid into me for doing it. I dared him to go after her. She would put him in his place so fast he wouldn’t know what hit him.

But instead of going after her with the same intensity he’d used on me, Cooper’s entire demeanor shifted. His shoulders relaxed, his voice gentled, and suddenly he was Mr. Reasonable instead of Mr. Cocky Asshole.

“Victoria, I know you’ve done this before,” he said, his tone respectful and patient. “But those extension cords can be tricky. When they’re taped to the floor like that, people step on them without realizing, and the wiring inside can get damaged. Even if it looks fine on the outside.”

I watched in disbelief as Aunt Victoria nodded thoughtfully, actually listening to him instead of dismissing his concerns like she had when he was lecturing me.

“And the hotplates, they’re old enough that the temperature controls might not be accurate anymore. It’s easy for something to get hotter than you expect, especially when you’re trying to manage multiple stations at once.”

“You make a good point,” she said, completely reasonable. “What would you suggest?”

“Maybe make the cocoa in the cafeteria kitchen next time? You could use the regular stove, get the temperature just right, then transfer it to thermal dispensers for serving. That way there’s no electrical setup in the main area, and the cocoa stays warm without any risk of overheating.”

I stared at him, my mouth probably hanging open. Where was this measured, helpful Cooper when he was tearing me apart two minutes ago? This was practical advice delivered with respect and genuine concern, not the barely contained fury he’d directed at me.

“That’s a good idea,” Aunt Victoria said. “I should have thought of that myself. Much safer, and probably easier to manage too.”

I looked at her. She was being a smartass. I knew it, but did he?

“And if you need any help with the electrical setup for future events, the fire department does safety inspections for community functions. No charge. We’d rather prevent problems than respond to them.”

She patted his arm again. “You’re such a thoughtful young man. Your parents raised you right.”

I felt my eye twitch. Thoughtful? This was the same guy who’d just finished making me feel like a pyromaniac, and now he was Mr. Community Service offering free safety consultations?

“I really appreciate that, Cooper,” Aunt Victoria continued. “Joy and I will definitely keep that in mind for the next event, won’t we, dear?”

Both of them turned to look at me expectantly.