Page 74 of The Long Way Found

Seven missed calls. Texts from Mara, from Suze.

He looked at the screen for a moment. Then he looked up at the table, at Hallicks, Farris, two other faculty members, and support staff, all of them mid-conversation, clearly not done.

He ran the calculation.

Nine o'clock. He could be there by nine.

Except

Luke (8:05): “Never mind.” The door had closed. And walking out now, with Farris mid-sentence, would mean something to the people in this room. Would mean something for what he was trying to build.

Better to handle it tomorrow. Apologize properly. Give it the full attention it deserves.

He heard that thought and recognized, somewhere behind it, the specific quality of the lie within it. The idea that Luke deserved his full attention tomorrow. When the current thing was resolved. When there was room.

There was always a current thing.

He typed: “I can't get away. I'm really sorry. Have a great night.”

Sent it. Turned the phone over. Looked up.

"Sorry," he said. "Go ahead."

The meeting broke up at eight-forty.

Jack walked to his Jeep and did the math. The party invitation said it would end at nine o'clock. He could make the last few minutes and be there for the end.

He sat with that.

Then he thought about the room. Mara's face. Suze's. All those people who'd been there all evening, watching Luke cover for the man who hadn't shown up. Jack walking in at eight fifty-five, as people were getting their coats.

Luke deserved better than that entrance. That's what he told himself.

In the empty conference room, Jack finally opened his phone and read through everything—all of it, in order, the way you read an after-action report when you already know it ended badly.

Luke (6:45): “Everything okay?”

Luke (7:30): “People are asking.”

Luke (8:05): “Never mind.”

Mara (8:20): “Seriously, Jack. Where are you?”

Suze (8:35): “He's not going to say anything, but I will. This is not okay.”

Jack set the phone on the table.

He thought about the Sunday he'd left Luke's bed, already halfway back to the office in his head. The door closing while Luke said, "Drive safe,” in a voice that asked for nothing. He thought about I love you and what he'd said back.

Thank you.

Like a man receiving information he'd handle at a more convenient time.

He'd told himself that was reasonable caution. Luke would understand.

It instantly occurred to him that Luke understood him completely, probably better than Jack understood himself. Luke had extended grace and patience, and the kind of room you give someone when you're hoping they'll grow into it and eventually choose you.

Jack had used that breathing room to make absolutely no effort.