“A damn shame you don’t speak to Keith anymore.”
Jacob just stopped himself from taking a gulp of coffee. “What?” He suddenly understood Patrick’s cryptic comment from the club.
“Your brother.”
“I know who Keith is,” he snapped. But I’d completely forgotten you did. “Your older brother was at school with him.”
Patrick nodded. “I never thought about it when you mentioned it the other day. The last time he contacted me was six months ago. I told him I hadn’t heard from you since Ben died, and even if I did know where you were, ethically I couldn’t tell him.”
Jacob nodded. That was true. “But what has talking to Keith anything to do with children’s stories?”
“Because he told me his partner, Evan, is a children’s story acquisitions editor. He works for one of the big five as they are known. Publishing houses,” Patrick added. “I’m pretty damn sure he’d take a look at it even without Lucas knowing. Then if it’s no good, you won’t have to tell him.”
Lucas would be thrilled. Jacob’s heart knocked painfully against his ribs. But that would mean talking to Keith. He’d do it for Lucas though. “It seems I’m having a week of doing things I always swore I wouldn’t ever again.”
Patrick smiled but didn’t push, and Jacob was grateful. “Shall we go see what our boys are doing? It seems awfully quiet in there.”
Jacob grinned as Patrick got two red plastic cups from the fridge and poured juice into them and snagged a huge plate of sandwiches. He handed that to Jacob and got out some salad, paper plates, and paper towels. “Nothing fancy.”
Jacob chuckled, feeling lighter, and followed Patrick. “This is spectacular,” Jacob commented as they walked into a smaller room, Charlie’s playroom. There were posters of most popular children’s movies everywhere, plus a lot of drawings obviously done by Charlie. He was drawn to the wall of photographs, most showing Charlie as a little, but a few in his nurse’s uniform, and one in a very smart suit at what must be a wedding.
“This is Charlie’s space. He does whatever he wants in here. The only thing I vetoed is a TV. That’s in the main living room.” Patrick looked down fondly at Charlie, who was concentrating on building a track for his cars to race on. “He likes horror movies, and I’m not about to let him watch those in here.”
“Nightmares?” Jacob asked.
Patrick nodded. “Except I’m the one who has them,” he admitted sheepishly, and Jacob grinned.
“That’s awesome,” Charlie suddenly exclaimed, and Jacob looked at what Lucas had done. He’d arranged a car garage, but instead of touching the cars, he’d written a list of repairs and posted prices for them. He’d also gotten the box of what Jacob considered broken toys and was propping up spare tires against the wall. Jacob grinned. Lucas was playing but playing in the exact creative way he was naturally drawn to.
“And the workmen could have a break room,” Lucas went on and rummaged through some more things, finding a box he immediately set up as a table. “They need chairs.”
Jacob watched Lucas fondly, and his eyes took in the black jeans Lucas had on and imagined what was underneath them. Knowing he would get hard if he wasn’t careful, he distracted himself. “Good job, buddy.”
Lucas shot him a beaming smile as they all sat down, and Patrick put the plate of sandwiches and everything on a small table and told the boys to help themselves.
“What did you bring?” Charlie asked, nodding to the bag with the toys Lucas had. Jacob stiffened, praying that Charlie wouldn’t shoot Lucas down.
Lucas dragged the bag over. “Just some stuff.”
“Let’s see,” Charlie said eagerly, and Jacob watched the nervous swallow travel the length of Lucas’s throat. His boy was being so brave, and Jacob wished he was sitting on his knee right then so he didn’t have to be brave on his own. He brought the coloring books out, and Charlie examined the glitter pens, giggling as Patrick groaned good-naturedly, but then Lucas brought out the craft set. It wasn’t just that that you could make and decorate hair slides, but the company who had made it was being typically gender biased and pictured two little girls on the front.
Charlie took the box from Lucas and opened it up. He glanced over at Patrick with a very mature look on his face and back to Lucas. “I’m really not good with this sort of thing, but I bet you are.” Lucas nodded a little unhappily. It was a no. A polite no but still a rejection. “Do you mind helping me?”
Lucas gaped a little in shock and glanced at Jacob as if he were checking he’d heard right. Jacob’s throat got very tight. “I have a best friend at the hospital, and he loves this sort of thing.” Charlie looked hopefully at Lucas. “I know he’s knitting me a scarf, and it would be awesome if I could make something pretty to give him back.”
Jacob could have cried, and he was fairly sure Patrick was going to burst with pride.
“I’d love to,” Lucas said shyly.
“How about you guys finish your lunch first, then you’re not eating glitter sandwiches?” Patrick suggested with a smile, and Lucas and Charlie giggled. The rest of the afternoon went in a haze of laughter and good company, but Patrick called a halt after the second time Charlie yawned. “He’d worked three doubles because of a virus decimating the staff. You need a nap, sweetheart.” Charlie pouted a little but gave in gracefully, and after the boys had cleared up, Jacob wrapped Lucas up tight against the bitter wind outside.
“Give a thought to what we mentioned,” Patrick said as they were leaving. “I need to know one way or the other in a week.”
Jacob nodded, his good mood vanishing for some reason, but he tucked Lucas into the car, buckled him up, and put the heater on as high as it would go.
Lucas yawned himself and apologized. “I had a good time Daddy, thank you.”
So had he. Jacob had enjoyed every moment, and it was getting harder and harder knowing it was going to end, and end very soon.
Chapter Eighteen
Lucas put the phone down and tried really hard not to cry.
It was Christmas Eve. Jacob had just left to go run some errands. Although Lucas thought he was crazy going out anywhere today, Jacob had admitted he had his second therapist appointment, so Lucas had let him go with a proper goodbye. Lucas had pressed really close to kiss him, and Jacob had groaned and kissed him breathless, promising he would be back soon.
It had been a perfect week. Jacob had been wonderful and attentive. Lucas had worked two nights this week at the club, and Jacob had insisted on giving him a ride both times and waiting while he worked.
Lucas groaned and buried his head in his hands. He’d hoped. He’d been so certain Jacob was going to change his mind. Nothing had been mentioned about England, and stupidly he’d started hoping he was staying until he’d gotten the phone call that had told him he was wasting his time.
It had been the Realtors. A phone call from Mr. Lawson’s assistant confirming the appointment Jacob had made for Monday morning to appraise the house. Lucas wiped his eyes because he couldn’t seem to make them stop leaking and called himself every kind of fool, but it hurt so damn much.