Page 98 of Relief Pitcher

We walked hand-in-hand to the backyard where our loved ones waited. The guys and their partners, Danita and her fiancé—though they still acted like enemies when the teams they sponsored played against each other—my parents and Grandpa chatted in clusters with drinks in their hands.

It was the first time Grandpa had visited from Arizona after he’d sold his house to Coop and me. We’d decided to time our surprise with his visit. He’d insisted on checking to see how we’d “ruined his beautiful home.” Good thing the snarky old man loved the work we’d done over the past six months. Coop had won him over with his woodworking skills. He’d won me over with a different set of woodworking skills.

We’d decided to keep Cooper’s house and rent it out. We still went to the special spot to talk to Aleck. Sometimes Coop went alone, sometimes we packed a picnic and he told me stories about their lives together while we fed the crows. I’d befriended each and every one of those beautiful bastards. All the research I’d done on crows had paid off.

Coop wasn’t ready to sell his house, and that was more than fine with me. We’d gotten a great deal on Grandpa’s place since he was thrilled it would stay in the family. Thankfully, Seth had been on board with the plan. He was just as happy for me to get it so he could visit without the responsibility for the upkeep. So there was no hurry to do something else with Coop’s place. I’d be good to keep that creepy cabin in the woods forever if it made Coop happy.

My heart thudded as I slid open the door to the back porch. Dom gave me a wary look.Can’t a guy organize a party with his favorite people without it being suspicious? Jeez.

“Where’s the food? I was promised a barbecue.” Danita glanced around.

Coop gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. I turned and looked at him, the love shining in his eyes, and released a long breath before turning back to the crowd.

“We’re having catered BBQ later, but first, there’s going to be a wedding.”

It became so quiet you could hear a pin drop on grass before the air exploded with sound.

“I knew it! You owe me twenty bucks!”

“No fucking way. Ty’s getting married? No fucking way!”

“When did they get engaged? When did you get engaged?”

“My baby’s getting married!”

“We’re getting a woodworker in the family. Can you make me a chair?”

I whistled to get everyone’s attention. “You probably have some questions.”

“Bet your fucking ass we do.” Dom crossed his arms over his chest and aimed a stern look at us, but he softened at a squeeze of his shoulder. He was so whipped, but so was I. Things change after falling in love.

“We didn’t want a long engagement or to make a big deal about it with a big ceremony. We nearly eloped but decided we wanted the people closest to us to be here, so doing it at home was perfect.” I looked at my parents and swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Continue the tradition at our special spot.”

When Mom began sobbing, I walked over and pulled her into a hug. I heard Danita murmuring soft words to Coop and caught them hugging from the corner of my eye. After people made the rounds, giving us both hugs, Seth stepped forward.

“Ready? Let’s go.” He grabbed a notebook he must’ve previously tucked under a chair cushion.

“You knew! You are so going to pay for that secret later.”

I laughed at Seth’s blush as he looked away from his boyfriend. I doubted it would be long before Seth was arranging his own wedding.

Coop and I had talked a lot about who we wanted to perform the ceremony. He’d shot down my suggestion of my favorite Portland drag queen doing it and said it should be someone close to us. Snooze. But he had a point. Coop had grown close with all the guys and their partners, and the partners had become a crew in their own right. They even had their own bowling team. Eventually, he’d suggested Seth perform the ceremony. He and Seth had formed their own relationship and grown close, and I knew Seth could keep a secret. He’d gotten ordained online, which couldn’t have been more perfect.

Coop wrapped his arm over my shoulder, and we walked to the special spot where Coop’s gift to my parents still stood. Where the tree line met the field had become a sculpture garden for Coop’s work. The crow and the beer bottle were two of my favorite pieces. He’d been creating up a storm ever since we’d turned the bulk of the barn into an art studio. Coop could barely keep up with commissions.

When we reached the spot, I noticed something with a nicely ironed sheet over it. Coop was determined to make me cry, and the ceremony hadn’t even started.

Seth took the spot we’d decided on during our rehearsal the other day, and our guests gathered around us in a half circle. There was no groom and groom side, only family, full stop. Coop grabbed my hands in his, and I turned to face him.

“No one is more surprised to be standing here to perform my brother’s wedding ceremony than me. Can you believe it? Ty’s getting married. I think people must be snowboarding in hell.” Seth shook his head and shot me a teasing smile.

“I’ll never forget when Ty came to me confused about why he had so many feelings for Cooper. That was the moment I realized my brother and I had formed a new kind of bond. A close friendship on top of being brothers.”

Tears filled my eyes. “You’re such an asshole. Making me cry already?”

Seth’s eyes were glassy too. “It’s been a gift to watch you learn to trust Coop with your heart. If anyone deserves love, it’s you. A man who has always been quick to share his love with others. Even if one of his love languages is pranks.”

Cooper’s hands shook from his laughter.

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