Page 40 of The Long Way Found

She poured herself another glass of wine. "Luke seems really happy lately. Happier than I've seen him in a long time."

Jack glanced through the doorway toward the others. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Mara looked at him directly. "Because if you're just... figuring things out or whatever, or killing time… don't let him think it's more than it is. Just... don't make me regret saying I've seen him happy with you, okay?"

Jack set down his beer. "I'm not trying to hurt him, Mara."

"I know. But trying and doing are different things."

Jack was getting a little tired of the Mama Bear thing. He wasn't going to defend himself to Mara or explain his emotions to her, his regret, his hopes. Can't we just have a nice time tonight?

Mara must've sensed what he was thinking. She picked up her wine glass and said, "Come on. Marco's probably teaching Luke how to cheat at the next game."

They stayed another hour. More games. More laughter. After three rounds of Uno, Nita was winding down, and Julio carried her upstairs, with Marco following. When Jack and Luke finally said goodnight, Mara hugged Luke tightly.

"Love you, babe."

"Love you too."

To Jack: "Good to see you again, Colonel."

"Jack," he said. "Just Jack is fine."

She smiled. "Okay. Jack."

In the Jeep, Luke exhaled and leaned his head back against the seat. "Sorry if that was too much."

"It wasn't." Jack started the engine. "They're good people. I can see why you love them."

"Yeah." Luke's voice was soft. "They're my family. The one I got to choose."

Jack reached over and squeezed Luke's knee. Luke covered Jack's hand with his own, and they drove back toward Luke's place like that.

In the driveway, Jack put the Jeep in park but didn't turn off the engine.

Luke looked over. "You want to come in?"

Jack wanted to. But he also felt done. He'd spent the whole day in Luke's world—the soccer field, the hotel room, and Mara's house—and it had been good. Really good.

But now he needed space to process it. To be alone.

"Rain check?" he said. "It's been a long day."

Luke smiled. "Good long or bad long?"

"Good." Jack leaned over and kissed him. "Really good."

He meant it.

Luke got out, and Jack watched him walk to the front door, Marley's excited barking already audible from inside. Snow was falling heavily in big, beautiful flakes. Luke turned and waved before disappearing into the house.

Jack drove back to the hotel slowly, replaying the day in his head. The soccer field. The kids. Luke reading to Nita. Mara's quiet warning in the kitchen.

“He's happy. Don't make me regret saying that.”

It had been good. Luke's life was good. The people who loved him were good.

Jack didn't know whether he knew how to be part of something like that without eventually breaking it.