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Then Lucas squeezed his shoulders and sat down again, stepping over Didi without looking at her.
Bryce took a shuddering breath. “Man, this is hard,” he said, and a sympathetic laugh rose from the congregation. “My dad was...well, he wasn’t perfect,” Bryce said. “He made mistakes. He was kind of lazy. But he loved me. He loved his family, and he loved the White Sox.” This got a few laughs. “He always wanted what was best for me. I can’t remember a single time my dad was mad at me, or yelled at me. Maybe he should have. I mean, I got away with murder.”
Another laugh, and Lucas felt himself smile a little, too.
“My dad just didn’t have it in him, though. He was never impatient, and he always seemed to be smiling. He was smart, too, a lot smarter than he let on. He probably could’ve done more with his life, but he was content with what he had.”
Steph leaned forward. “Sounds like Dad,” she whispered.
Lucas had been thinking the same thing.
“The best thing about my father, though,” Bryce continued, “was that he always saw the best in people. He wasn’t fooled by what was on the outside. He knew who the good guys were.” There was a long pause. Bryce was no longer crying, though...he was looking toward the back of the church. Staring.
Then he looked back at his notes. “I have a lot to do if I want to be even half the guy he was,” he said. “But I’m gonna try.” He looked to the ceiling. “Thanks, Dad.” His voice broke again. “I’m gonna miss you for the rest of my life.”
Then Bryce left the altar and walked past the first pew and kept going until he reached the back of the church. He went straight to Paulie, whispered something, and took her hand and kissed it.
“Let us pray,” said the minister.
* * *
THERECEPTIONWASheld at O’Rourke’s, as Joe had requested. There was a sign on the door: Closed for Private Function. Colleen’s cousins were manning the bar, but she was there, making sure things got done, giving directions, bustling in and out of the kitchen. She looked different, her hair pulled up into a sleek twist, a high-necked, sleeveless black dress.
She wasn’t smiling. More than anything, that was the difference.
He tried not to look at her. Visions of her kissing Bryce, pulling off Bryce’s shirt, underneath Bryce—no. He couldn’t go there. Not now. Last night, he hadn’t slept a minute, tormented by those same thoughts, but today was about Joe.
Drinks were flowing, toasts were made, food was served. Someone put the jukebox on, and it became festive as people told stories about Joe.
His uncle would’ve loved this.
Bryce looked happier, too. Lucas checked in on him from time to time, told him the eulogy was perfect. He had an arm around Paulie, who was attractively flushed. “Good to see you, Paulie,” Lucas said as Bryce listened to one of the college friends telling him about a prank Joe had pulled.
“Good to be seen,” she answered.
“Thanks for giving him a second chance.”
“It’s more like a fourteenth chance, but I think he could be worth it this time.”
Lucas smiled. “I hope you’re right. You deserve a great guy.”
“Are you hitting on me?”
“I don’t think I’m that smart.”
“Yeah,” she said, gesturing with her Genesee to Colleen, who was hefting a crate of glasses. “What are you gonna do about that?”
“I don’t know.” He felt his blood pressure rising.
“All I can say is,” Paulie continued, “she’s been a good friend. And in her own special way, she’s a ball of insecurities, Lucas, but so aren’t we all, right?”
“Right.” Seemed as if he was looking at Colleen again. And she was looking back. She nodded at something someone said, then started over, weaving her way through the crowd.
“Hey, Paulie,” she said, biting her thumbnail. Her eyes were on him, though.
“Hey, girlfriend.”
“Hi, Lucas. Bryce. Um...it was a lovely service.” She seemed on the cusp of saying more, but Didi shoved past her.
