Jacob was stunned. “But he doesn’t need…an X-ray or antibiotics or anything?” He was coughing really badly. Patrick smiled gently.
“Let’s go downstairs and you can make me a coffee as a thank-you.”
“I’m sorry you had to come all the way here.” Lucas flushed, looking embarrassed. Patrick patted him gently on the shoulder. “No worries. I hope to see you next week at the club.”
Lucas nodded and lay down again. Patrick walked out of the room, and Jacob, because he didn’t seem to have any other choice, followed him.
Jacob put the coffee maker on while he was trying to sort out what to say. He needed a second opinion. What if it was serious? He wasn’t saying Patrick wasn’t a good doctor, but he wasn’t infallible and—
Patrick took the scoop and the hot chocolate he was just about to put into the coffee machine off him and steered him to the table. “Listen to me.” Jacob realized what he was doing and sank down, putting his head in his hands.
“It’s my fault he’s sick.” He looked up at Patrick, expecting disgust, and the whole shameful story came out before Jacob even knew what he was saying.
Patrick just regarded him silently, then took a breath. “Firstly, you cannot catch a cold from being wet and cold. It’s a virus. He got it from someone else he has been in contact with over the last few days. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses, so there is absolutely no point in me giving him some, and prescribing antibiotics when they don’t work is the reason why so many infections are now antibiotic-resistant.”
Jacob nodded. He knew that, but seeing Lucas sick had him grasping at straws.
“The only thing I will say is that young man is underweight, and if he isn’t healthy, he is more prone to picking up things like colds.”
Jacob nodded, feeling foolish. “I’m sorry I dragged you out here.”
Patrick didn’t reply immediately but then laid his hand on Jacob’s arm. “I’m more worried about you to be honest.”
Tears suddenly filled Jacob’s eyes. Patrick took out his wallet and passed over a business card. “Your reaction was perfectly normal. Anyone who has gone through what you have in the last two years would react exactly the same. Add to that your Daddy nature, and it’s a given.”
“I’m not a Daddy anymore,” Jacob said half in determination and half in sorrow.
But Patrick was shaking his head. “No, Jacob. You’ll always be a Daddy. It’s what you are. Who you are, and it isn’t something you can turn off either.” He pressed the card into Jacob’s hands. “Erica Singleton is a friend of mine. She’s in the lifestyle, so will understand your situation.” Jacob stared down at the card. “Going to England might not get you the release you want if you can’t let him go in there.” Patrick pressed a hand to Jacob’s chest, then stood. “I expect Lucas to feel better in forty-eight hours, but if his fever gets worse or you’re worried in any way, then call me anytime.”
Jacob nodded, completely overwhelmed, still staring at the card. After a moment he got up and went to check on Lucas. He was cold, shivering and restless. Lucas knew he shouldn’t, absolutely knew, but that still didn’t stop him from getting in bed and pulling the smaller body towards him. After a while Lucas’s shivering stopped and he seemed to breathe more easily.
It took much longer for Jacob to be able to do so.
Lucas opened his eyes and glanced at the sunlight peeking around the blind. He’d slept, and he felt disgusting and sweaty, but he knew his fever had gone, and apart from a scratchy throat, so had most of his cold. He rolled over and glanced down as something lumpy got stuck under his shoulder. Peering in confusion, he fished out the stuffed elephant and gazed at it in bewilderment. It was the one from the store. He was sure it was.
“I know you like soft things.”
Lucas glanced up at Jacob’s voice. His arms were folded as he leaned against the far wall. He looked like he’d been there for a while. Broken images came back to Lucas bit by bit. Soothing cold cloths, herbal teas that had tasted so good on his sore throat, and gentle hands that had felt even better. At one point he was sure he’d been miserable enough to declare he was dying, and he’d felt those hands shake for just a moment before he’d continued with the soothing cloth.
Lucas closed his eyes in horror. Surely he was dreaming that last bit? He wouldn’t have been so insensitive? “I’m so sorry. I’m supposed to be here for a job. You shouldn’t have had to go through all that.” He was pretty sure Patrick had been here, and he groaned silently. How much would that cost? He hadn’t had any health insurance since his mom died.
“Are you hungry?”
Lucas looked at Jacob in confusion. He could eat, but he felt gross, and he was supposed to do the cooking. “If you give me a moment to grab a quick shower, I can make something.” Determined, Lucas flung back the covers and practically vaulted out of bed.
And nearly landed on his face. Or he would have if Jacob hadn’t caught him. “What are you doing?” Jacob said in exasperation and steadied him before lowering him to the bed. Lucas’s knees nearly gave out a second time as his mind spun with the double assault of weak knees and Jacob. God the man smelled fantastic, and he probably smelled gross. He was pretty sure he’d had these sleep pants and T-shirt on for two days. At the same time as he realized the ones he was wearing didn’t belong to him, he also worked out that as he had no memory of getting in them—it meant Jacob must have changed him.
“Oh my God,” he whimpered, and Jacob smirked a little.
“No Olympics, but Patrick says you’ll be good for a change of scenery tomorrow. I mean coming downstairs,” he added in case Lucas didn’t understand him.
Lucas nodded but didn’t try and get up again.
“How about I run a bath for you?” Jacob suggested. “I don’t fancy your chances of standing up in the shower just yet.”
“You must think I’m such a loser,” Lucas whispered. That had been a favorite taunt of Terry’s.
“Superhuman, are you?” Jacob said and crouched down so Lucas didn’t have to look up to see him.
“Huh?”
“I mean half a dozen people from the club are sick including a barman and Adrian. You were in contact with all of them.”
“Oh,” Lucas said, feeling foolish. Jacob gazed at Lucas.
“I’m going to run your bath. Then you’re going to have something to eat. Then you’re going to get back into bed. I brought some different books up for you if you want to read, but by the time you’re bathed and fed, you’re probably be going to be ready for a nap.”
Jacob was right. Lucas managed some hot buttered toast after his bath in Jacob’s bathroom, and then he was wiped out. He was pretty sure he fell asleep while Jacob was still talking to him. He didn’t let go of the elephant though.
Chapter Six
Three days later they’d settled into a routine of sorts. Lucas hadn’t even bothered with a bandage on his finger now, but Jacob still urged him to be careful.
The downstairs was clean and tidy, Lucas hadn’t asked about the half-empty boxes in the closet, and he hadn’t mentioned the upstairs playroom at all. He’d found some filler in the garage and mended the hole. He would paint it when it was set. It was still three weeks to Christmas, and Lucas had no idea whether to mention it or not. He didn’t expect Jacob to make a fuss when he was leaving, but the problem was Lucas didn’t know exactly when he was leaving.