“You should,” Rachel said, forcing her lips into what she hoped was a pleasant smile.
“Maybe we could all get together,” Jack suggested. “You, me, them. Make it a family thing.”
The casualness of his suggestion, the way Jack included himself in Rachel's family circle like it was the most natural thing in the world, made her chest tight. A family thing… that’s what we used to be. But no more. She tried to keep her expression blank. “That would be nice,” she said softly. Knowing she would share a meal before he left again brought a bittersweet heartache. “Shiloh and Joseph would love to have you over for dinner.”
They were interrupted when their dishes were cleared, and Betty topped off their coffee cups. He sucked in a breath, then said, “I’m glad we met up today. I was planning on calling you when I finished my run, but seeing you at the fitness center made this easy.”
Rachel might not have been around Jack much in the past few years, but she knew when he had something on his mind. She had no idea what it was, but steeled her spine for what she thought might be the “I’ve met someone and am moving away” speech, or worse, him telling her “I’ve met someone and we’re staying here.”
Jack set down his coffee cup and leaned forward, his expression shifting. There was something in his eyes she couldn't quite read. “So,” he said, “I haven't told you everything about why I'm home.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel tilted her head, studying him. “I thought you were just visiting your family.”
“I am living with my family… in George’s apartment. But there's more.” Jack wrapped both hands around his mug, and Rachel noticed the slight tension in his jaw. “I'm back. I’m staying… for good.”
The words hung between them. Rachel blinked, sure she'd misheard him.
“Staying?” she repeated. “Here? In Baytown?”
“Yeah.” A smile broke across his face, slow and warm. “I've been planning with Dad for the past few months. I applied to the North Heron Sheriff's Department and took the detective exam. That, combined with my military law enforcement background, led to me being offered a position as a detective. I started a couple of days ago. I didn’t tell you ahead of time because I wanted it to be a surprise, and I needed a few days to focus on the job.”
Rachel's lips parted, but no words came out. Jack Hudson. A detective. For North Heron County. Living here, permanently, not just visiting between deployments.
“A detective?” Her eyes bugged, and her mouth flopped open and closed. Finally, she blurted, “Here?”
“That's the idea.” Jack grinned at her obvious shock, trying to keep his pride in check. “My experience as a ship's security officer in the Navy translates well to civilian law enforcement. My partner is Mark Robbins. I have to stay in the Naval Reserves, so I'll still be connected to the service for a few more years.”
“Jack, that's...” Rachel shook her head, still trying to process. “That's… huge. That's a really big deal.”
“It feels like the right move.” His expression grew serious, earnest. “You know how long I served on the other side of the country, Rach. Deployed, gone for months at a time. I've seen the world. And all along, I kept thinking about home. About Baytown. About the people I left behind.”
Rachel's throat tightened. She knew he wasn't just talking about his family. The way he held her gaze, steady and open, made sure of that.
“So you've really thought this through,” she murmured.
“I have.” Jack nodded. “And there's something else.”
“Something else?” Rachel laughed nervously. “There's more?”
“Baytown High School offered me the assistant JV baseball coaching position.” The grin that split his face was pure Jack… boyish, a little cocky, and completely disarming. “So yeah, I'll be on our old turf again.”
Rachel stared at him. The baseball field where she'd spent afternoons watching him play. The hallways where they'd first met. The parking lot where he'd kissed her for the first time. And now Jack would be there. Not passing through, but staying.
“You're going to be coaching at the school,” Rachel said slowly. “The school where I teach.”
“I am.” Jack's smile softened, and there was something vulnerable beneath it. Something hopeful that he was clearly trying not to let show too much. “Is that okay? I don't want to make things awkward for you.”
Rachel glanced down at the tabletop, now cleared of dishes, where her hands rested. His hand was placed over hers, his thumb gently tracing over her knuckles. She had no idea when he’d reached for her. Nor that he’d taken her hand.
Her mind was spinning, trying to catch up with the enormity of what Jack was telling her. This wasn't a weekend visit. This wasn't a holiday reunion where they'd share a few catch-up stories that were becoming perfunctory before he flew back to the other side of the country. This was permanent. Jack planned to build a life here in the town where she lived and worked and breathed. And they had once planned to make it their home.
“Rach? You okay?”
“It's not awkward,” she blurted after having been caught with her mind wandering all over the place. But as the words left her mouth, she realized she meant it. “It's just... a lot to take in.”
“I know.” Jack slid his hand away from her and turned it palm up. The gesture was an invitation, not a demand. “I should have told you sooner. I've been wanting to, but I wanted to wait until I was sure everything was in place. Until I could sit across from you and say it in person.”
Rachel looked at his hand, at the familiar lines of his palm, the strong fingers that had caught her more times than she could count. Slowly, she placed her hand in his.
