It was true, what Park had said. It was so much easier to hurt the person you love most in the world than Cooper could ever have fathomed as a child.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Really, I am. I speak and I think but never the twain do meet.”

Park shook his head, still studying his feet. “No. You’re right. The worst part is I know I’m being ridiculous. I don’t know why I keep—I’m reaching for someone who doesn’t want to be reached. Every time. And I don’t even need her, so I don’t know why I keep trying to. Just to feel this humiliating—” He cut himself off, biting viciously at his lip.

Cooper wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a hug. He ran a firm hand over Park’s hair and down his back, and made some soothing nonsense noises. It was strange how someone Park’s size could feel so much smaller like this, his nose tucked into Cooper’s hair behind his ear, breathing deeply.

They stood like that for a while, but eventually Park pulled back to rest his forehead on Cooper’s shoulder instead. “Two hugs in one morning. You are spoiling me,” he said.

“I must have missed you or something.”

“Maybe I should go away more often.”

Cooper squeezed him. “You can try.”

Park chuckled and was about to say something else when Eli sauntered into the kitchen with Boogie at his ankles, eyes sweeping over them both. “I hate to interrupt this sentimental tableau, but might I remind you, someone I hold very dear is being blackmailed? And while nauseating me to death is certainly one way to put a stop to it, I was rather hoping for something a bit more impressive from the Trust’s top two private dicks.”

“Is everyone you’ve ever dated an asshole?” Cooper groaned.

Park just shrugged. “Maybe I have a type.”

Cooper was quiet as he and Park walked through the zoo a little later that day. He had called Sophie long ahead of time and asked if she’d mind giving them that informal tour she’d been offering. He’d given her a very loose explanation of what was going on, too. While Cooper didn’t want to violate Eli’s trust, he also didn’t feel right about dragging Sophie into this without her full knowledge of what he actually planned to get up to. She’d agreed anyway and told them when she had a spare hour, excitedly offering to introduce them to some of the staff for “optimum snooping,” which was nice of her.