Page 49 of The Long Game

Jack raised a hand in response to the greetings from around the large room. He loved this home and let the warm, welcoming atmosphere wash over him. From the outside, the building was a hulking industrial box in which you’d expect to find some kindof manufacturing or maybe even storage. On the inside—of this apartment, at least—it was all dark wood floors and big leather couches, marble counters and cherry wood cabinets.

Jack had spent a lot of time here, first because of Callum, who he’d helped move in, and later because of Barnaby, who he’d recently helped move out—not that anyone would know it, given how Barnaby was currently tucked in a corner of the kitchen with his cousin Rupert, their heads close while they whispered furiously about something.

When they spotted Jack they both jerked upright and beamed at him.

Travis pressed his palm over his face. “Jesus Christ.”

Jack studied the cousins, unimpressed. “Good morning.”

“Morning!” Rupert called in hisjolly-goodvoice.

“Coffee?” Barnaby chimed in, darting toward the carafe on the counter.

Jack nodded. “Please.”

Grady’s hand brushed the small of his back. “I’ll get it.”

Jack smiled gratefully, then turned to find Travis and Christian watching them both like particularly interesting specimens at the zoo.

Jack sighed and went to help set the table. Rupert and Barnaby brought over platters of bagels and smoked salmon and Callum followed with tubs of cream cheese and butter, a plate of sliced onions and tomatoes, and a jar of capers.

As they settled into their seats, Christian pulled a high chair up to the corner between his and Callum’s seats and scooped Eleanor off the floor, where she’d been cruising around on her sturdy little legs. He plunked her into her chair like he’d done it a thousand times before—which he probably had. Rupert asked Oliver if he was going to join them, but he just waved a distracted hand, happily stretched out on the couch and engrossed in a book so large that Jack doubted Oliver could lift it without help.Rupert pulled another chair up on Callum’s other side so that everyone was crowded toward one end of the table.

It left Jack surrounded by people he trusted and cared about, and he had no doubt that was the intention.

Grady slid onto the bench next to Jack and put a mug down at Jack’s place. “Cream, one sugar.”

“Thanks,” Jack said, bumping his shoulder against Grady’s.

Barnaby, seated across the table from them and between Travis and Christian, blinked his big blue eyes innocently. “Sleep well?”

Jack smiled, totally unperturbed. “I did, thank you.”

When Barnaby started to say something else, Travis stuffed half a bagel in his mouth. “It’s poppy seed! Your favorite!”

Jack wondered if someone had spiked the coffee. And if not, if it would help if he did.

Thankfully, everyone spent the next few minutes assembling their bagels. Jack noted how Callum took care of Eleanor while Rupert seemed to know exactly when to hand him what he needed, all while making Callum’s bagel as well as his own.

They made an amazing team, Jack thought as he took a sip of his perfectly prepared coffee.

“So,” Callum began once he’d taken a few bites, “I got your text last night. You’re thinking about taking in Colton?”

“Not me. Grady,” Jack said.

Everyone looked back and forth between them until Travis cleared his throat and said, “Right.”

“Right!” Callum agreed. “So, what does Colton think of this idea?”

Grady put his bagel down and sighed. “To be honest, we’re not sure. So far, he hasn’t given us an answer.”

“Which is better than a no,” Barnaby pointed out.

“But we don’t know why it’s not a yes, either. I’d like to think we’re a better option than Pathways or wherever he was going to end up next.”

“Youare,” Jack said, reaching for the hand resting on Grady’s thigh.

Grady squeezed his fingers and smiled gratefully.

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