“Please come, Uncle Jacob,” Lake added.
“Of course I’ll come,” Jacob promised. “Just send me the date and time.”
“Yay!” Lake cheered.
“Feel free to bring a date,” Jesse teased. “Maybe a hot boy that you’ve had your eye on.”
“Good night, asshole,” Jacob responded as his brother chuckled and Lake giggled. He disconnected the call before throwing his phone on the counter. He loved his brother but now that Jesse was happily settled down with his boy and they were planning a wedding, Jesse had been on Jacob’s ass more about James.
Eventually Jacob would come clean with his brother about the arrangement that he’d offered James. If the boy accepted Jacob’s offer, they would be spending more time together. If not, Jacob might go to Vegas just to get some distance.
Once his tea was finished steeping, Jacob pulled the bag from the mug.
Turning to look out the window above the sink, Jacob stared toward the dark apartment. James hadn’t left the porch light on again. He’d reminded James numerous times. The boy never remembered.
He could investigate getting an automatic light. That might be better. James wouldn’t have to remember and it would be safer when he returned home after a late shift and tried to climb the dark steps.
Yes. Jacob picked up his cup to sip at his tea. He’d buy the light and have it overnighted. It would be no problem getting it installed while James was working the next day.
As he continued to sip his tea, the sound of a motorcycle approaching had him smiling.
The boy was almost home for the night.
Jacob felt much better when he knew the boy was settled in for the night. He slept better knowing that at least for a few hours, James was tucked in and safe. James worked a very important but dangerous job. James’s passion for being a firefighter was obvious when the boy spoke about his part-time position.
As hard as James had worked to get where he was, he was also still learning what being a firefighter entailed. Jacob wouldn’t be forgetting how pale and out of it James had looked on New Year’s Eve. There would be more bad nights. Rough shifts. Death.
If Jacob could protect James from all of that, he would. Instead, he had to step back and be the support for the boy.
He smiled as James pulled the motorcycle into his normal parking space. The engine continued to rumble as James removed his helmet.
The boy glanced over toward Jacob’s house.
Did James know that Jacob was watching?
James turned off the bike but continued to sit on it.
Dread filled him. Why wasn’t James moving? Climbing off the bike? Getting into the warm apartment?
Jacob was pleased the boy had been wearing his helmet and the familiar leather jacket was on but James sat staring toward his house. He set the mug down even as he rushed to the back door. Jacob yanked the door open and crossed the yard in less than a minute. Need to check on James drove him forward.
“James?” Jacob called as he approached. He stopped beside the bike, barely able to keep from touching the boy.
James blinked slowly. He moved his gaze from the house to settle on Jacob. “I was just thinking about you,” James told him. His voice had that same lost tone that Jacob had heard on New Years Eve.
“Oh, baby,” Jacob said softly. “Bad shift?”
“There was a fire,” James said. “We got everyone out in time.”
“That’s good,” Jacob replied carefully.
“But where will they go?” James whispered. “There was a young woman. She had twin boys. Her husband died a couple months ago. Where will she go now? It’s not fair.”
His sweet boy had such a kind heart. “There will be assistance for her.” Jacob donated to several charities in the city for that very reason. To help his community. They had good programs in place even if the housing market would make it difficult for the young woman to start over.
“She cried,” James shared. “She and the twins were safe but pictures, her husband’s things, it’s all gone.”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” Jacob placed his hand on James’s leg.
