“And we need to get your pay sorted, so if you let me know your bank info, I’ll get that arranged.” He named an amount he thought reasonable, and Lucas nodded.
“I’d be happier if you took my food and rent out first. It’s simpler.”
Jacob frowned. “There’s no charge for living here, Lucas. That’s included.”
Lucas shook his head. “But—”
“I’m pretty sure if you’re doing the cooking as well, your days aren’t going to be regular hours. The money isn’t even what a housekeeping service would cost me.” Which could be true. To be honest he had no idea what a housekeeping service would cost, and the thought of strangers in here made him go cold all over.
‘If you’re sure?” Lucas didn’t sound at all convinced. “I can’t help feeling you’re doing this because you took pity on me.”
Jacob huffed. “Maybe a little bit at first, but honestly you are doing me a huge favor by taking this off my hands. I have a ton of things I need to arrange if I’m going to move on schedule, and I might even go visit my brother over Christmas.” He had no intention of doing anything of the sort, but it gave him the perfect excuse not to be here. Once he was satisfied Lucas could cope, he was on a plane.
Because that was his lifeline. His new start. He watched as Lucas calmly wrote down some things on the pad next to the telephone, tore a sheet off, and handed it to Jacob. “That will do us for a few days, and I can always stretch it a little more when I know if you are going to see your family.”
Jacob glanced down. There wasn’t much. In fact, as far as he could see… “Lucas, I don’t hurt for cash. You don’t have to have such a tight budget.”
Lucas snatched it back, and Jacob knew he’d put his foot in it again. “I just meant it doesn’t look much.” An idea occurred to him. “Do you like steaks? I have an undercover grill area out back I haven’t touched in an age. It’s a bit cold to eat out there, but they taste fine.”
What am I doing? He didn’t want to give Lucas the impression he wanted to socialize.
“Yeah?” Lucas said shyly perking up a little. He picked up the pen and put it between his teeth with an intense look of concentration. It was adorable.
Jacob coughed to cover his embarrassment, and Lucas quickly wrote out what seemed to be as many things that were on the original list and handed it to Jacob rather triumphantly. “That’ll see us through until Monday. I’ll investigate what’s in the freezer and do a proper list for all of next week.”
“If it’s in the freezer it will need to be thrown away after two years.” Jacob glanced down and smiled. He wanted to say he wouldn’t be here in a week, but he’d gotten a genuine smile out of Lucas.
“Sorry, I’m used to Terry’s budget.”
“Alcohol and fries?” Jacob teased.
Lucas raised his thumb and forefinger to show a really small gap. “Little bit.”
Jacob laughed. Then stopped in surprise. He couldn’t honestly remember the last time he had laughed, then said the first thing that entered his head to cover it. “You could come with me, then if there’s anything else you see, we can grab it at the same time.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted the offer. He really needed to keep his distance from Lucas, not come up with things for them to do together.
“Are you sure?”
No. But of course he couldn’t say that, so he picked up his keys and waited while Lucas rushed for a jacket and pulled on some sneakers. As soon as Lucas reappeared, Jacob pulled the door open and they both stepped out. Jacob hurried for the car as the wind blasted suddenly from nowhere. The weather was crazy. It had been in the eighties only last week, and now it was freezing. He glanced at Lucas as he turned the engine and saw his white hands clutch at a far too thin jacket. “Is that all you’ve got?”
Lucas looked his way quickly, nodded, but remained silent. “Which Realtor are you going to use?”
So the subject was closed. Fair enough. “Lawsons. Andy Lawson is an old friend of mine.” Lucas nodded but didn’t ask any more, so Jacob knew he’d said it just to have something to say.
They pulled into the large parking lot a little after nine. Being Saturday and only four weeks until Christmas, it was busy, but they found a space easily. Jacob tried to get as near to the door as possible because Lucas looked half-frozen even though he’d had the car heater on full blast.
He put a hand on Lucas’s arm to stop him opening the door. “Do we need to swing by your old house to pick up the rest of your clothes?”
Lucas blinked in confusion. “I don’t have any more clothes.”
“But you must have a warmer jacket at least?” He wouldn’t be surprised if it snowed. Lucas stared at his hands, and Jacob reluctantly let go of his arm. “I’m sorry, bad habit.”
“Caring?” Lucas said lightly.
Jacob relaxed a little. “I’ve a ton of jackets at the house that you could borrow.” They might be too big. Isaac had helped him out by taking all Ben’s clothes away. He’d thought they’d gone to a charity place, but he hadn’t cared at the time. He just didn’t want to see so much as a pair of sneakers.
Lucas pressed his lips together and glanced out of the window but didn’t make any move to get out. “Terry controlled the budget. As mom’s husband he had access to everything, and he used to give me an amount I could spend on the both of us.”
“Let me guess, it barely covered what your mom needed and didn’t leave anything for you?”
Lucas nodded. “Her medicines were expensive.”
“Wasn’t there someone you could talk to? Her doctor maybe?”
“Terry told me he would be happy if I walked out. He would have put her in a facility and sold the house immediately.” Lucas looked at Jacob. “I went to look around one once, and while there are lovely ones, this had to be one of the worst. He said he would get her in the cheapest and I would have no say in anything. If I took him to court to contest anything, she would be stuck in one of those facilities for months while everything was decided, and then it might have gone against me.”
“I’m sorry,” Jacob said at last, knowing it was nowhere near adequate.
“I’m not,” Lucas said. “I wouldn’t ever change the last six years. I’d have loved some help, but I don’t regret it for one moment. And I think if I can manage it, I’m going to see if I can go back to school. I’m not sure I want to be a nurse anymore, but I’m pretty sure I can find something.” He smiled. “I think you gave me the push I needed.”
He was still grieving. Jacob had had to look after Ben for nearly a year, and Lucas had to cope for six. He couldn’t imagine what he was going through. Jacob returned the smile and opened the door, resolving then and there to do everything in his power to make sure Lucas got a chance at doing what he wanted. And if it was the distraction he needed to get through every day until he flew to England, then so be it. It helped them both.
They spent a busy half hour getting everything on the list and just as they were getting some fresh veggies, Jacob heard a shout and looked up.