Levi cleared his throat and dropped her hand. “She had you google the incident. Didn’t she?”
Hope replied with a sympathetic smile, which made him groan.
“Well…there goes my anonymity.”
She laughed, and they continued to set up the chairs.
“This isn’t like AA,” she told him. “It’s not a secret meeting. It’s grief counseling. Some members of the group even meet up on their own socially.”
Levi carried two chairs across the growing circle and set them in place. “Yeah, sure. That’s fine,” he said. “Just to be clear, I don’t reallyneedgrief counseling. This is just a formality for my sentencing.”
She nodded. “You don’t have to share anything you’re not comfortable sharing, Levi. But you’ve got fifteen sessions to decide, right?”
He flashed her a devil-may-care grin and wondered if she bought it.
“Good morning, Hope!” a woman called from the entryway, and Levi let out a sigh of relief. But when he spun to see who his savior was, he stumbled back a step.
“Mrs. Higginson?”
His father’s girlfriend beamed and strode toward him with open arms. “Levi!” Before he had time to process the fact that anonymity was truly out of the question, she’d already enveloped him in a hug. “And it’sTilly,” she reminded him.
Levi let out a nervous laugh, and Tilly finally released her embrace.
He wasn’t sure who it was that Tilly was grieving. Hell, she didn’t seem all that grief-stricken. But since she’d called Hope by name, Levi guessed she was a regular, which meant he’d likely find out more than he’d ever bargained for when it came to his father’s love life.
“Good morning, Hope,” more voices called as people filed in. Levi recognized Old Man Wilton, a widower who was now dating Mrs. Pinkney, owner of the town sweet shop aptly named Sweet, and who was a widow herself. Dawson Hayes, the former deputy sheriff who graduated with Levi, strolled in.
“Levi Rourke, as I live and breathe,” Dawson said, striding toward him. “Heard you were back in town and coaching soccer?”The statement came out like a question.
“Hayes…” Levi replied. “I heard about your dad. I’m sorry.”
The deputy crossed his arms and his jaw pulsed. “You don’t have to say that. You and your brother know he wasn’t a good man.”
Maybe he wasn’t, but if Dawson was here, that meant he was grieving.
Levi cleared his throat. “Well, I’m sorry if things have been hard since his passing.”
Dawson gave him a curt nod, seemingly satisfied with Levi’s amended response, and then strolled to an empty seat in the growing circle of group members.
When all was said and done, nine people plus Hope sat in the circle with five empty seats for thejust in case-ers, as Hope called them.
“Good morning, everyone. I trust you all had a good night watching the Muskies take their first win of the season?”
There were some soft hoots and hollers in recognition of the football win that Levi had listened to from his truck in the parking lot.
He understood why Haddie wanted her space, yet at the same timedidn’tunderstand why—if they really were friends—they couldn’t hash it out and move on.
“So, let’s start how we always do, with introductions, especially since we might have a new member or two today,” Hope continued.
At the mention of a new member, every head turned in Levi’s direction, which told him he was theonlynew member today.
“Remember to state your name and one thing about yourself that you want to share. It can be anything from the reason why you’rehere to your favorite color. Whatever makes you comfortable.”
“I’ll start!” Tilly cried, waving her hand in the air.
Hope nodded for the other woman to continue.
“Hi, everyone!” Tilly said with glee. “I’m Tilly Higginson, and I’m here because I lost my husband.”
