Free Eight Nights by Keira Andrews Page B

groaned again before rolling over onto his back and opening his eyes. “Mom, chill. I thought you were coming later.”
    “It is later. Almost noon.”
    Sam whined, “What’s the rush?”
    “Hanukkah starts tonight at sundown, which I’ve mentioned to you a number of times.
    So get up and get moving. It’s a three-hour drive home, and I have things to do.”
    Grumbling under his breath, Sam stood and shuffled off to the bathroom down the hall, leaving Lucas and Mrs. Kramer alone. Lucas smiled. “I’d offer you a seat, but…”

    6 Keira Andrews
    Returning his smile, she perched on the side of Sam’s bed. “This is fine.” She glanced around the room one more time before focusing her attention on Lucas. “So, are your parents coming today as well?”
    Lucas hated this part, and the looks of pity that inevitably followed. “No, I don’t have any family.” He forced a happy expression onto his face. “But it’s cool. I’ll get the place to myself for a couple of weeks. It’ll be great.”
    “No family? None at all?” Mrs. Kramer regarded him with a new interest that unnerved him a little.
    “Well, I have some cousins in Texas, but I’ve never met them.”
    “What happened to your parents?”
    Lucas blinked in surprise. Usually people beat around the bush for a while before getting to that question. “My mom died when I was little; my dad in September. Cancer.”
    “I’m so sorry to hear it.” Her face pinched in concern. “That must have been very difficult for you.”
    Difficult didn’t really begin to cover it, but Lucas nodded. “Yeah.”
    “That’s why you didn’t start school until October. I remember Sam wasn’t too happy to find out he’d be sharing a room after all. I told him he should have moved off campus, but he insisted on the dorm. I can only imagine that’s due to the large number of girls living here.”
    Her smile was wry.
    “Yeah, Sam was thrilled to have me move in, but my profs were all really good about me starting late, especially since I’m only a freshman.”
    His father had insisted that Lucas finally enroll in university for the fall, since the doctors hadn’t expected him to make it to summer. When September rolled around, Lucas and his dad fought for days, Lucas refusing to leave his bedside while his father adamant that at twenty, Lucas had already put off his future for long enough. Lucas won the battle, and he held his father’s hand as he slipped away.

    Eight Nights

    7
    Now he was alone at a school where everyone in his classes already made friends at the start of the year and, thanks to a housing shortage, his roommate was a senior jock with whom he had nothing in common. He could move out -- aside from the life insurance, his dad had left him a fair amount of money -- but then he’d be even more isolated.
    He cleared his throat, eager to move on to another topic. “So, Hanukkah starts tonight.
    That must be fun.”
    “Yes, it’s a nice time of year. What will you do for Christmas?”
    “Oh, just hang out or whatever. I’m not religious, so it’s no big deal.”
    “Hmm.” She stood and surveyed the room again. “Do you have a suitcase, or one of those duffel bags my son likes so much?”
    “I’m sorry?” Lucas’s duffel was somewhere at the bottom of his closet, and unless --
    “Pack your bag, Lucas. You’re going to spend the holidays with us.”
    “Oh, that’s so nice of you, but I couldn’t impose.” Despite how lonely he might be over Christmas by himself, he was definitely looking forward to time away from Sam.
    “You can, and you will. There’s simply no way I’m leaving you here all alone.”
    “I really appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine. Really.”
    Sam returned, looking marginally more awake than when he left. His mother turned to him. “Samuel, Lucas will be coming to spend the holidays with us. Do you know where he keeps his overnight bag?”
    Getting to his feet, Lucas was very tempted to tug on Mrs.