Page 57 of Relief Pitcher

“You could do it either before or after the anniversary party. Though if you want to wait, I’d encourage you to keep guests away at the party. That last storm seems to have caused some serious damage, and there are a couple of large branches that have significant cracks. See those?” He gestured to multiple spots.

My parents looked at each other and had an entire conversation with their eyes, which was something I’d never understood. As an outsider, I’d seen it with my parents and watched Austin and Caleb develop that skill. It was happening with Ethan and Parker too. I had that with the guys to an extent, but it seemed different in a romantic relationship.

I remembered being out with Danita and Coop a few weeks ago and how Coop and I had looked at each other and blurted out, “Hard-boiled eggs!” when she was trying to convince Coop to try a salad at a trendy new bistro in McMinnville. Something she said must’ve made us both think of the TikToks we’d swapped of a chef who’d found a way to add hard-boiled eggs to every recipe.

One inside joke didn’t mean we’d developed our own special communication. That kind of connection required a level of intimacy I wasn’t built for. If I was, surely I would’ve encountered it before my mid-thirties. People didn’t ask to date me. They asked if they could fuck me again, sure, but no one ever said, “Hey, you did an incredible job sucking my dick in the restroom at this club. I’d really like to take you on a date and get to know you better.”

I let go of Mom’s arm, and she turned and hugged Dad. I’d expected that tree to always be there. It had survived over forty years of my parents knowing each other, me and Seth climbing all over it, storms and heatwaves, and holding nests where countless birds began their lives. Grandpa had planted it when he’d bought the place when Dad was a kid. That tree had watched over three generations of McNeills.

I supposed I’d expected it to be there for more generations of McNeills, even though I never planned to contribute to the bloodline. I could picture Seth with a family someday. His kids should be able to add their initials to the tree. Damn. I didn’t expect a hunk of wood and leaves to hit me in the feels so hard.

But it was a fucking tree! Trees were supposed to outlive humans. I always thought Seth or I would take over Grandpa’s house someday. He was spending longer and longer periods at his place in Arizona, and we all knew he would make it permanent eventually. With all the memories there, the home should stay in the family. We could have barbecues and celebrate birthdays and hold gatherings at the holidays. Austin and Ethan could bring their guys. Dom could cook. Seth could teach Coop how to play our family’s version of cornhole.

Coop? What the hell? I gave my head a startled shake. My brain must’ve dropped him in because he was standing there. I wasn’t sure I bought that, but it was the only explanation that made sense. Any other explanations moved into feelings territory, which was a big ole nope.

I walked over to the tree with Coop to give my parents some privacy to talk.

Coop gave me a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Ty. I know that’s not the answer you hoped for.”

“I didn’t ask you to help to get some bullshit answer. I asked you to help because I trusted your expertise and knew you’d advise us on what was best. I just want my parents to have a special anniversary, and worrying about their tree collapsing on someone won’t be a good time. Maybe memorable, but not in a good way.”

Cooper subtly squeezed the back of my arm. As I watched my parents talk and lean into each other, I started leaning into Coop but stopped myself before I made contact.

What we had was about sex. I was helping Cooper get his groove back while fulfilling my own needs. My mind produced the explanation out of habit, but it didn’t ring true as it once had.

“Do you want to come over to my place after this? I don’t think anyone’s home.” Jesus. My mouth and brain had officially stopped communicating. I leaned in and whispered, “I can show you my jock and panty collection.”

I couldn’t believe I was inviting him over. Keeping our sex to neutral territory was part of how I’d convinced myself to keep doing it. Less emotional, but clearly, I’d been fooling myself. What was so different about Coop that I was doing and saying things I never thought I would? What made me break over a decade of self-imposed one-and-dones to keep messing around with him?

I’d become a master at skirting my own rules and habits to justify whatever was going on with Cooper. Maybe it was time I stopped worrying about it because nothing about what we were doing felt wrong. It was new and different but not wrong, and maybe that was okay.

It had always been more fun to keep chasing new people, but Coop was the first guy I’d wanted to hold on to more than chase someone else.

“Best idea you’ve had all day.” He winked.

My parents walked over to us. “Thank you for telling us what’s going on, Cooper,” Dad said. He looked at Mom, and she smiled at him before he turned back to us. “This anniversary and vow renewal marks a fresh start. Maybe we can find a new tree to make our special one.”

I’d never stopped toreallythink about my parents’ relationship before. It had always been a constant in my life. Even if I didn’t understand or crave it for myself, I could appreciate it. It was pretty damn amazing, though, because they always had each other’s backs. When one had a hard day, the other supported them. How had I been lucky enough to grow up with parents who were in a loving relationship but be someone who had zero interest in finding that for myself?

Having an incredible example of a good relationship wasn’t enough to help me figure that out for myself. I’d had friends who’d said watching their parents in shitty relationships meant they hadn’t seen an example of how to do it right. I’d had the best example, but it hadn’t made a damn difference in teaching me to do it. Even if the world spun on its head and I ended up in one, I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to maintain it. Whoever attached themselves to me in that fictional dimension would end up hurt.

Coop smiled at me, and the hard thinky thoughts faded. Sex first. Thinking later.

“Cooper, please stay for dinner. It’s the least we can do.”

Coop looked at me for direction. Like it was up to me if I was comfortable with him spending time with my parents beyond his professional capacity. Once again anticipating what I hadn’t known I needed. How did he know to do that? Was that a skill he’d picked up in his past relationships? I could tell he was as anxious to see my underthings collection as I wanted to show him, but it was next to impossible to turn down a dinner invite from my mom.

I smiled at Coop. “You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Mom’s meatloaf. She uses curry ketchup.”

CHAPTER27

COOPER

I dragged my fingertips across the carefully stacked and folded jocks and panties in Tyler’s drawer. He hadn’t exaggerated when he told me he had every color of the rainbow. Lace, silk, even sexy cotton. Thongs, tiny shorts, ones with strings on the side. Nearly any variation I could think of.

“I want to see you in each of these.”

Ty leaned his shoulder against the wall next to me. His muscular arms were folded across his chest and his pecs flexed under his snug T-shirt. I wanted to kiss the knowing smirk off his face.

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