Page 87 of The Long Way Found

CHAPTER 32

LUKE

Luke arrived five minutes early and went to the counter to order. He heard Jack call his name from a table in the middle of the bright, rustic coffee shop and raised a hand in acknowledgment.

He ordered a decaf soy latte, stirred in a packet of Splenda, and took a breath before turning around.

He felt calm. Also a little excited, but he wasn’t rushing back into Jack’s arms again.

Their eyes met as Luke crossed to the table, and they both smiled—that particular brew of relief and tension that had been the signature of this whole thing since March. The shop was quiet after the morning rush. Outside the big windows, kids were skateboarding along the sidewalk. Coldplay’s “Clocks” was playing softly on the stereo.

They stopped short of hugging.

"Hi," Luke said. "How are you doing?"

"Better," Jack said. "Thanks for this."

"Of course."

They sat. Jack was drinking black coffee. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping much.

“Rough night?” Luke asked.

“No, no… I’m fine,” Jack said, perking up. "My parents are in town."

Luke raised his eyebrows. "Since when?"

"Yesterday. I should have told you sooner. I honestly wasn't sure if I had or not."

That was an interesting admission. Luke wrapped his hands around his cup. "How's that going?"

"Good, actually." Jack shook his head slightly, as if still processing it. "My father's different. Or I'm different. My mother told me to stop treating everything like it needs a strategy and to lighten up."

Luke smiled. "I always liked your mother."

"I called Anna, too,” Jack said, “Tuesday night."

Luke hadn't expected that. He kept his expression easy. "How was that?"

"Uncomfortable but useful.” Jack turned his coffee cup in his hands. "I told her about us, about what I did… and she said it sounded familiar.”

“Really?”

“She used to think it was about her, that I didn’t want to be with her. It took her a long time to figure out it was all my bullshit, and that’s when she left."

Luke was quiet for a moment. "That's honest."

"She's a good person."

"I know. You wouldn't have married someone who wasn't."

His expression shifted, a small loosening, like a knot easing between his eyes.

"I don’t want to make the same mistake with you, Luke. And I've been thinking about what you said on Sunday," Jack said. "The thing about difficult tasks versus joy."

"Jack…"

"I'm not going to tell you I've figured it out. I don't think you'd believe me if I said I had, and you'd be right." He looked at Luke directly. "But I want you to know that it landed. I see it—saw it as soon as you said it, but I’ve been thinking about it all week.”