Page 85 of Relief Pitcher

“Want another drink?” I asked Seth.

“God, yes.”

I wasn’t sure what had him all rattled. Usually, he didn’t have more than one or two. I went back to the keg and began filling our cups.

“Nice speeches.” I recognized the voice of one of my mom’s cousins.

“They were. Tyler’s was surprisingly lovely.” His wife let out a tinkle of laughter.

“It’s a funny thing that a couple can make it for forty years together and raise two kids who never settled down. What are the odds of that? Bad form for Jim to call it out, but he’s not wrong.”

“Have neither of them dated anyone seriously? I don’t remember Carolyn mentioning it. They must be aching for grandbabies.”

He tsked. “It’s these millennials and the Internet. They don’t know how to have real relationships in person. Everything is online.”

Beer spilled over the full cup and onto my hand. “Shit.” I stepped back before it got on me.

I found Seth and shoved the cup into his hand, then drank half of mine down.

“It’s gonna be over soon, right?”

“I fucking hope so,” I said. I needed to talk to Coop. I always felt better around him.

I nodded at Seth and took off toward the restroom before finding Coop. There was a line since people had scattered after the speeches and before dinner started. I scrolled Instagram in the hope I would look busy so no one would approach me.

“I’m glad work’s going good.” I recognized Coop’s voice and spotted him a few people ahead of me in line and chatting with someone I didn’t recognize.

“And you’re doing well?” I overheard the man ask. He was older than Cooper. Probably mid-forties.

“I am. It’s been a hard few years, which I know you understand. Things have been good lately though.”

The man nodded. “Getting back out there is so hard. I’m still struggling because I can’t stop worrying that I’m going to meet someone, fall for them, and they’re going to die. Morbid, but I’m sure you get it. Like we always talked about in group—I’m not sure it’s worth the possibility of more loss. And coping with the normal dating and breakups? Having to tell people you’re a widower? It’s exhausting.”

Coop squeezed his shoulder. “It’s not easy, but it’s a risk worth taking. Are you still going to the support group meetings?”

Eavesdropping made me itchy. My bladder could hold it. I walked past the restroom line and waved at Cooper so he would see that I’d been there. I’d head to Grandpa’s house and collect myself in the bathroom in there. Unfortunately, I was intercepted by another family member who wanted to catch up and ask me about my love life.

CHAPTER37

COOPER

I tied off a trash bag and hauled it to the dumpster behind the detached garage.

“Thanks,” Ty said when I returned. He smiled at me while stacking folding chairs onto a wheeled cart, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Something had changed after that dickhead called out a bullshit comment about Ty being single. It’d obviously struck a chord. I’d been trying to figure out how to reassure him but had kept getting pulled into conversations. I’d sat by him at dinner, and he’d seemed fine as he entertained the table, but I could see the shaken confidence behind his eyes. I’d jumped in to help with cleanup after the party ended, and with Gavin in town, I wasn’t sure when we’d have a chance to talk.

I had to trust that we would get that chance andcouldtalk through whatever was going on in his head. I’d gotten to know him well enough to have some ideas of what it was, but he might need time to process before that conversation happened.

One thing I’d learned from my marriage was I couldn’t always communicate onmytimeline. I was usually quicker to want to talk about things that were bothering me, but Aleck had always needed time to collect his thoughts before he was ready to express them. Ty might be the same way, and I could respect that.

The brewery guys loaded up the empty kegs and the rest of the helpers took the leftover food to the house, which left Ty and me alone among the party’s detritus. I grabbed a few chairs under each arm and carried them to the rack.

“Are you okay?” I figured that would be a safe way to show him I’d noticed something was off and give him a chance to talk if he wanted, but I wouldn’t push. Not yet.

Ty dropped three chairs onto the rack with more force than necessary, then shook his head. He turned to me with an expression so pained it took my breath away.

“I’m going to hurt you.”

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