Page 10 of The Long Way Found

Jack considered Mara's warning. She'd drawn conclusions based on one group dinner and Jack's vanishing act a lifetime ago. But maybe she wasn't wrong. Still, it was adding one more variable on just his second day back, after the job and the unexpected rush of seeing Luke again. He didn’t care what Mara thought of him, and he wasn’t going to let her be a disruptive force.

The bell on the café's front door chimed. Luke walked in, heading toward Jack's table.

Jack stood, left a five on the table for the coffee, and said, "Let's go for a walk instead."

They left without saying goodbye to Mara, who was still in the back.

"Follow me," Luke said, heading across the square and down First Street. "Best smoothies in town," he added.

The woman at the smoothie shop greeted Luke warmly and promised she'd return to the gym next week.

"I'll send Amir after you," he threatened jokingly. "I know you don't want that!"

They sat at a picnic table in the park, with patches of snow where the pines blocked the sun. Luke picked at a sugar-glazed muffin, licking his fingers.

"Couldn't resist," he said. "Sometimes you gotta go for the empty carbs."

"You look like you can afford a muffin now and then," Jack said. He was smiling despite himself, gripping his smoothie cup tighter than necessary. All those years he'd held Luke in shrouded memory—guilt and nostalgia knotted together—and now here he was in the high-altitude sunlight, those sunglasses masking whatever was behind his eyes.

Jack recognized the defensive tactic and filed it away.

"What have you been up to today?" he asked.

"The usual," Luke said. "I woke up at 5, did my morning routine with Marley, and came to work. I had a Zoom interview with a trainer who might be moving here from the Springs. Speaking of interviews… tell me about yours!"

"You're looking at Calder Ridge University's newest instructor."

"Hey! Congratulations! That's great. So you're Professor Garrison now. Should I call you Doctor?"

"Ha, no. They're strict about that. I only have a master's degree, and I might be here just temporarily."

Luke paused, but his expression didn't change. His eyes were still hidden behind the Ray-Bans. "Right. Any idea how long? A month? Five years?"

"Six months before I have to decide whether to stay permanently, I need time to think about my next steps. I don't want to rush into anything long-term."

Around them, the park hummed with afternoon life—a mom pushing a stroller, two dogs chasing a frisbee, and an older couple on the far bench.

"Hey, are we still on for dinner tonight?” Luke said. “Now that you've updated me on the job situation..."

"Hell yes, we're still on. You're not getting out of it that easily, Son."

Luke leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Son? Does that make you, Daddy?"

Jack's breath caught. "Not yet," he said quietly, eyes locked on Luke's.

A bashful smile. A moment of silence.

He was flirting with Luke. And Luke was flirting back.

Boys no longer. That's for sure. Thank God.

Luke took another bite of the muffin and stood.

"Hey, I need to head back,” he said. “Walk with me to The Ridge? You could work out if you want to grab some clothes at the lodge. I'll give you a one-on-one training session."

Jack felt like getting physical with Luke in a different way, but that would really be rushing things. He still wasn't sure how Luke might feel about anything beyond a friendly reunion marked by banter and a spark of electricity. Although Luke had neither run nor thrown a punch yesterday when Jack faced him, Jack didn't think that meant he was in the clear just yet.

But Jack knew he did not want this time with Luke to end, even with dinner on the horizon.