It was astonishing how much his life had changed in so short a time. Where would he be a year from now? More? The thought should have been frightening—his entire life had drastically changed over a matter of months, it could drastically change again—but Cooper couldn’t summon up the slightest sliver of anxiety. At this moment, on this day, it was frankly too difficult to imagine Park out of his life and every scenario with him in it, too manageable.

Cooper looked at the ring on his hand. Ran a finger over its smooth surface. Married. Him. How ridiculous. He felt...not changed. But like he’d been seen, understood, and then cherished all the more for it, which had something of a transformative effect in itself.

Behind him, the front door opened, and to his surprise Eli slipped out onto the porch and propped his hip jauntily on the railing beside Cooper.

“Unless you’re hiding yourself here to build suspense for a surprise musical number, this is shameful host of the party behavior.”

“Aren’t you the host of the party?” Cooper asked.

“I’m the life of the party,” Eli corrected. “And never has the phrase ‘last man alive’ been more apt. What are you doing outside?”

“Hiding,” Cooper agreed, not sure he could explain the way his emotions felt too large to fit inside his own skin, never mind a house already full of people. “I’m worried my father’s going to see me and feel inspired to give a speech.”

“Oh, he’s already informed us all he’s forbidden from doing so,” Eli said cheerfully. “A charming little prepared monologue delivered seven different times to five different people, on the other hand...”

“Christ, why?” Cooper groaned, face in his hands.

“I was one of the lucky ones to be twice-blessed, so I’ve got the good bits memorized, if you want to hear. Actually”—Eli cocked his head, squinting—”I think I hear him going round eight with the Park pack right now.”

Cursing, Cooper started to straighten up, but Eli stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Leave it, he’s fine. I’m certain they like your father more than they do you anyway.”

“Don’t you hate it when everyone tries to flatter you on your special day,” Cooper said dryly, but relaxed back over the railing. Eli just shrugged and rolled in place so that he was mimicking Cooper’s pose.

“Don’t take it personally. They’re too tight knit to bother caring much for anyone outside the family who takes up more time than a short-term acquaintance.”

Eli’s casual tone was at odds with his tense posture, and Cooper remembered that up until a couple weeks ago, these people had been his pack. For years. Not anymore. Maybe never again. And yet still he had called them in as a wedding gift. For his ex.