Page 26 of Relief Pitcher

“Latin for tree doctor,” Tyler added.

The guys looked between me and Tyler like they were trying to figure something out.

Dom scratched his beard. “I’ve got a couple of sketchy trees out back. I might give you a call sometime. You got a card?”

I tried to subtly gauge Tyler’s reaction, but his back was to me as he grabbed a couple more bottles of beer from the pantry. I caught Seth waggling his eyebrows at him. Though I was tempted to offer to take a look now, I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. Instead, I pulled a card out of my wallet.

“Yeah, call us anytime. We can usually send an arborist out within a week.” I emphasized thewesince I wasn’t the only employee at the company. In case that made Tyler feel better. We hadn’t talked about staying in touch, and the idea of approaching that conversation in front of his friends made my stomach clench. If he wanted to keep in touch, he would’ve said so. Anyway, he had my number.

We stood there, hovering near the dining table. I wanted to stay and soak up more time with Tyler and his friends, but with their generous gift of beer now bagged and the tour over, I didn’t have an excuse to linger longer.

As if sensing I was about to leave, all the guys took turns shaking my hand again and making excuses about stuff they needed to do. Austin parted with an invitation to refill the growler he’d packed for me anytime. As soon as they were gone, Tyler offered to walk me out.

I put the beer in my passenger seat and held back the words threatening to fall out of my mouth. Words he didn’t want to hear, and I had no reason to say. It’d been a weekend. A convenient bit of fun. He didn’t need a lonely widower attaching to him like a barnacle, nor was I ready.

Tyler pulled me in for a hug, and I inhaled the scent of my woodsy body wash on him.

“For what it’s worth, you give great head. It’ll be easy for you to get back out there. You’ll have the guys lining up with their dicks out.”

His words brought much-needed levity to the moment. Laughter rumbled in my chest alongside a sharp sting.

I squeezed him tight and let my lips brush his ear as I spoke. “For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed spending time with you.” I kissed his cheek, took in his stunned expression, then got in my truck and drove back to my dull life.

CHAPTER14

TYLER

After dusting my furniture, I looked around my bedroom and tried to figure out what to work on next. Since Coop had dropped me off, I’d effectively dodged the guys before they could stage an interrogation. I’d kept busy taking care of a few work things to get ahead for the week, which was always part of my Monday routine. I should use our closed day to take a day off, but sometimes, it was the only quiet day I could knock things off my to-do list.

Then I’d borrowed Austin’s car and visited the mechanic, did laundry, grocery shopping, and about a half dozen other tasks I’d been putting off. Anything to distract my brain from thinking about Cooper.

Thankfully, none of the guys were home when I returned, so I hid in my room to watch movies until I got tired enough to pass out for the night. I had a feeling that wouldn’t come anytime soon though. I flipped through some action movies, but only one kind of movie called to me. I launched the Hallmark app on my iPad and got comfortable.

I chuckled while imagining Cooper’s commentary about the quirky grandma character, then quickly shut down those thoughts. I didn’t need him all in my head while watching my relaxing stories.

About halfway through the movie, I heard what sounded like a herd of elephants stomping around downstairs. I’d planned ahead and closed my door earlier, which they usually respected.

Minutes later, my door burst open, and four guys barged in. I scrambled to close the app and shove my iPad under my pillow.

“Ew. Are you watching porn?” My brother mimed retching and sat on my desk chair.

“If I was, that’d teach you to enter without knocking.”

Austin and Ethan piled on the bed and laid on each side of me. It reminded me of college when we’d comfort Ethan after his breakup du jour or the time they comforted me after my one brief relationship ended.

Dom hulked in the doorway.

“Cuddle pile!” Ethan said as he tucked his head next to my shoulder. “Join us.”

Dom snorted. He wasn’t a touchy-feely guy.

Seth wrinkled his nose. “We shared a bed for several years as young kids. I’ve had my fill, thanks.”

I laughed as I remembered times I’d Dutch-ovened him. He glared at me like he remembered the same thing.

I braced myself for what was coming. If the four of them barging in wasn’t an intervention, I was Bon Jovi.

“Seems like you had an interesting weekend,” Austin said far too casually. My cousin was always the sensible one of the group.

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