Page 78 of Galen's Redemption
Holy…. Who was this man?
“You look like Galen, but….”
“That’s the Galen who loves you. This is the Galen who’s going to help save the shelter and the peoplein it.”
Robert froze. “The Galen who….” He paused, letting the enormity of the admission sink in.
“Loves you. Yes, I said it, and no, I don’t want to take it back.”
“You love me?” They were words Robert had been dreaming of hearing for months. “Like,lovelove?”
“Yes, Robert. Love love. Now shut up and let’s get back to business.”
There was no way Robert was going to be able to hold back.He pushed out of the chair and rushed around the desk. He grabbed Galen’s arm and pulled him up, then spun him and crushed him up against the wall. He mashed their mouths together, not caring that each of them probably should have brushed first. Galen melted, and when his hands started stroking Robert’s back, he leaned against him.
God, he wanted to take him right here, on the desk. He’d beenwaiting, making sure Galen wanted the same thing.
“Does this mean we don’t have to wait anymore?”
Galen snorted. “I was ready the first day.” Then he pecked Robert on the lips. “But you were right. I needed to see myself as worthy before I let myself fall into the same pit I always had. You? You make me feel that way, and it’s what makes me love you. However—”
Robert groaned. “Now you’re goingto make me wait.”
“At least until Sunday, yes. We have a lot of work to do. Applications to file, people to contact, contracts to sign. I know that I took that money from you, not realizing how desperately you needed it, but I swear to you, I’m going to help you get it back tenfold.”
“I love you.”
“I know. Now, let’s get to work.”
They sat down and started crunching numbers, pausing for afew minutes when Brady knocked, then brought their breakfast over and set it on the desk. Then they jumped right back to it. Robert was amazed to see Galen in his element. He effortlessly pulled facts from the papers, gave suggestions on who he needed to talk with, recommendations on the best people to help with renovations, and also warnings as to who should be avoided. He made it all seem so simplethat even Robert understood.
“And the best part? With the money you’d have coming in, you could hire a small staff, complete with benefits. They’re the people who could work with the volunteers, train them, help them find the place they’d best be able to use their talents.”
“Could I hire an office manager?”
Galen pointed to the printed spreadsheets. “Yes, it would definitely be in the budget.”
That was all Robert needed to know. He got up and held out his hand. “You’re hired.”
GALEN BLINKEDat Robert. “I’m what?”
“Hired. The job is yours.”
“But—”
“Uh-uh. Don’t even argue with me.” He gestured to the pile of papers Galen had put on the desk. “All this is your work. It wouldn’t have happened without you, so who better to see it through?” He reached out and grabbed Galen’s hand.“This could work for both of us, Galen. You pointed out I need help, and you’re not wrong. I hate to admit it, because this has been my passion since I gave that man a crappy McDonald’s burger. I can’t deny it anymore, though. I’m floundering here and can’t see a way out. I’ve been too damn stubborn to admit it, sure that I’d be able to pull myself out of this hole. But if… no,whenI fail, thesepeople are the ones who will pay. They need to come first, not my ego. So what do you say? Will you take the job?”
Galen shook his head. “My father won’t allow it. He’s going to make me suffer until he’s good and ready to move on to something else.”
“Your father doesn’t have a damn thing to say about it. I won’t be calling for references, and I sure as hell don’t need his permission to hireyou.”
A job? At the shelter? Working with Robert and helping him to help others? To maybe redeem himself one day? “Okay, but….”
“But? Why does that sound so ominous?”
“My father won’t take this lying down. If he wants to hurt me, he’ll find a way to do it. That will include retaliating against the shelter if I got hired here. How about if I volunteer my time? That way he can’t say you’ve gotto fire me. I guess he could tell you I’m not allowed to work here, though. This whole thing could blow up in my face.”
Galen scratched the back of his head. He wanted this job, more than he’d ever wanted to work at Primal. His dream had somehow changed in the last few months. Where once he wanted to run a Fortune 500 company, now he wanted to work side by side with Robert. The passion Robertexpressed when talking about the place was infectious, and while he was printing up his lists, Galen had thought of a number of ideas to make things run more efficiently.
