Chapter 35 – Jack
JACK
The knock came while Luke was pouring another cup of coffee, and Jack watched him pause mid-pour.
Luke frowned, then checked the clock.
"Oh, shit," he said softly.
Jack looked up from the table. "That bad?"
Before Luke could answer, the knock came again, sharper this time, followed by Mara's voice.
"Luke, come on... are you in there?"
"Sounds like you're in trouble," Jack said.
Jack watched Luke open the door. Mara stood on the porch, keys in hand, sunglasses pushed up into her hair, with her two kids practically vibrating beside her.
"It's the half-day," she said. "Teacher workday."
Luke turned around to look at Jack as if to say, What did I do...?
"You were supposed to take them today," Mara added. "They want to spend it at The Ridge with you."
One of the kids slipped past him into the house. "Uncle Luke!"
Luke laughed despite himself and crouched automatically. "Hey. Hey. Shoes."
Jack saw Mara's expression soften. "You okay? You never forget this stuff."
"I know," Luke said. "I'm fine, I just..."
She looked past him and locked eyes with Jack, who sat at the table, mug in hand. He lifted it and smiled.
Mara's eyes went to Luke's, then back to Jack's, awareness easing into her expression.
"I see...," Mara said, with a light teasing lilt in her voice, no judgment for a change.
From the kitchen, Jack watched Luke redirect the chaos with easy competence and felt a glow in his heart that seemed to come from nowhere.
"I've got to open the café," she said, gesturing toward the door.
"I know, go," Luke said. "And we'll talk later."
"Oh, we'll talk, Uncle Luke. You can count on it." She waved over her shoulder and shouted, "Bye, Jack. Good to see you."
Luke turned back toward the kitchen, sharing a smile with Jack, who sat at the table, the kids watching him politely and intently.
"Can I have cereal, please, Mr. Jack?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said, rising to get it.
Then it was Marco's turn.
"Could you beat up a bear?" Marco asked.
"Depends on what kind of bear."
"Could you beat up a tiger?"
"I think I'd be in trouble with a tiger," Jack said.
Jack caught Luke's eye across the room and smiled.
"Do you like my Uncle Luke?" the boy asked.
"I do."
"I mean, do you, like, like-like him?"
"Yes," Jack said. "I like-like him."
"Good," Marco said. "Don't be mean to him, or my dad will have to kick your butt."
“You got it, bud.”
Later, after they'd dropped the kids at The Ridge's youth program, they stood in the parking lot.
"You were good with them," Luke said.
"They're easy."
"No, I mean it. You were patient. You answered Marco's questions honestly."
Jack looked at him. "He deserved honest answers."
Luke stepped closer. "Thank you. For this morning. For not freaking out when Mara showed up."
"Why would I freak out?"
"I don't know. Some guys would."
Jack's hand found the small of Luke's back, brief and grounding. "I'm not some guys."
They stood there for a moment, the morning sun warm on their faces, surrounded by the sounds of kids arriving and parents calling out reminders.
"I should get to work," Jack said finally. "Team meeting at ten."
"Yeah. I've got a class in twenty."
They didn't move.
"Tonight?" Jack asked.
"Yeah. Definitely."
Jack kissed him, brief and sweet, in the middle of The Ridge parking lot where anyone could see, then drove to work.
After his team meeting had started, Jack texted Luke.
“How's it going there?”
Luke: “They're getting their ya-yas out, that's for sure! You?”
Jack: “About to dive into the day. Huge smile on my face. The Lady at the gas station asked where I'd hidden the body.”
Luke: “LOL. Big smile here too.”
Jack set his phone down, still grinning.
This was good, he thought.
So good.