Page 116 of The Long Way Found

Jack stood by the window, bearded now and with longer hair, but still short. He watched Luke help Nita fold napkins at the kids' table and show her how to make swans.

Luke looked up, caught his eye, smiled that easy smile, then went back to swan-folding.

Jack's hand went to his jacket pocket. The ring was there, a simple silver band he'd bought in Denver three weeks earlier. He'd been carrying it ever since, waiting for the right moment.

And tonight was it.

Dinner was warm and full. Good food, overlapping conversations, no flaring tempers. When Patty asked everyone to go around the table and say what they were grateful for, Jack looked at Luke across the table.

"I'm grateful to be here with Luke," he said. "With all of you. Building a life I didn't know I could have."

Mrs. Garrison's eyes went bright. The Colonel nodded once.

Luke's turn came next.

"I'm grateful for second chances," Luke said, his eyes on Jack. "For forgiveness. And patience. And for all of you."

After dinner and pie, once the dishes were cleared and everyone had settled into pleasant exhaustion, Jack found Luke on the back porch.

"Need some air," Jack said.

"Yeah." Luke leaned against the railing. The afternoon was fading into autumn twilight—golden light slanting through the yellow aspen leaves, long shadows stretching across the yard. The air carried the scents of wood smoke and fallen leaves. "Good dinner."

"The best."

They stood in silence for a moment as Jack felt his heartbeat soar. He kept turning the ring box over and over in his pocket.

"Hey," Jack said.

Luke turned.

Jack presented the small box. By now his heart was hammering.

"You were my first love," Jack said. "Way back when, we were kids who didn't know how life would turn out. And now..." He opened the box. A simple silver band caught the fading light. "Now I want you to be my last love. My only love. For the rest of my life.”

He got down on one knee.

"Luke Calder, will you marry me?"

Luke's breath caught. His eyes were wet.

"Yes," he said. "God, yes."

Jack stood and slipped the ring onto Luke's finger. It fit perfectly. Luke pulled him into a kiss that tasted like pie.

When they finally pulled apart, Luke looked at the ring, then at Jack.

“I picked silver because of that day at the mine,” Jack said. “It’s part of your life—part of ours. But we can exchange it later if you want gold or something else.”

"It’s perfect,” Luke said, kissing Jack slower and deeper. “I’m yours, and you’re mine.”

“Forever, baby.”

"Should we tell them?" Luke said.

"Yeah. Before Mara sends out a search party."

They walked back inside holding hands.