Page 114 of The Long Game

“What?” Jack asked.

“I was texting her to be sure she was doing okay, since she decided not to go to church,” Colton explained, leaving Jack speechless. “And I guess she tripped on her front stairs yesterday morning.”

“She didn’t mention that to me,” Jack said, still trying to process that Colton had…checked in on his mother?

Colton shrugged guiltily. “I think it’s her wrist. She says she had dinner delivered last night because she didn’t want to use that hand. And I don’t know, I get the feeling it’s a bigger deal than she’s letting on. Maybe she should get it x-rayed.”

Jack opened his mouth but no sounds came out.

Colton gnawed on his lip. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Jack said quickly. “Not at all. I’m just surprised.”

When that didn’t reassure Colton, Jack gave himself a mental shake. “Thank you. For checking in on her. She’s not always easy,” he said, which was a massive understatement but still sounded kind of mean.

Colton shrugged. “I guess, but she’s not…she’s nothateful, and Grady said this family sticks together, no matter what. Ifigured that included the grumpy ones, as long as they, you know, accept us all.”

Jack blinked, chest tight.This fucking kid.“You’re right,” he finally managed to say. “If you’re okay on your own for a bit, I’ll go check on her.”

Colton jumped to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”

“But…”

“Be real, Jack. She’s going to fight you on this and she’s way nicer to me. Also, if she gets too mean, I’ll threaten to move in and take care of her until she’s better.”

Jack laughed at the image of his mother flinging herself out the door and into the car, demanding to be taken to the ER for X-rays. He stood and hooked his arm around Colton’s neck. “Come on, smart-ass. Let’s go.”

They let Sam know where they were headed while he made a latte for Jack’s mom—Colton knew how to butter her up—then hit the road. As soon as Jack parked in his mother’s driveway, Colton hopped out of the truck and went right to the back door, letting himself in after hardly a knock.

Like family.

Jack jogged after him and found Colton on the couch next to his mother, gingerly holding her arm in his hands. “Maman Chevalier, you need X-rays.”

His mother’s thin arm was swollen, an ugly bruise standing out against the pale skin. Colton was right.

“I’m fine,” his mother gritted out, face ashen.

“Come on,” Colton said, standing. Careful not to pull on the injured arm, he cajoled Jack’s mother to her feet. “We’ll go with you.”

“I don’t want to make a fuss,” she said.

Jack rolled his eyes at the absurdity. He couldn’t set foot in the door without a fuss.Colton, however…

“It’s no fuss,” Colton said firmly.

He carefully helped Jack’s mother to the door while Jack grabbed his mother’s purse and cane. He followed them to the truck, locking the house and generally keeping his distance while Colton did all the heavy lifting—proverbially and literally—of getting her into the truck. By the time Jack got behind the wheel, his mother was tucked between them on the bench seat, her complexion gray. Colton put her seat belt on for her and his mother smiled weakly at him.

Jack was so grateful for Colton at that moment, he wasn’t even going to make him order decaf after noon that day.

Jack was acutely aware of his mother’s discomfort. Her breath caught whenever the truck jounced over a pothole, and she curled around the arm when they turned and her weight shifted into Colton.

Jack pulled up to the urgent care facility’s door and left Colton to manage getting his mother inside while he parked the truck. He worried it was too much for a kid to take on, but Colton accepted the responsibility so naturally, it was hard to slow his momentum.

Jack’s mother probably felt the same way, which meant Colton was managing thembothperfectly.

As soon as the nurse took his mother back for X-rays, Jack drew Colton into a hug. He kissed Colton on top of the head. “Thank you.”

Colton clung to him. “She’s a tough lady. She’ll be fine.”

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