Page 96 of Galen's Redemption
“I will. Take care of yourself.”
They disconnected, and Galen headed to Robert’s office. He pushed open the door and found Robert staring blankly at the computer screen. He huffed out a frustrated breath.
“How the hell do you make heads or tails of this mess?”
“Because it’s what I do.” Galen went to the desk. “Let me take a look.”
Robert slid over. “Be my guest. I knew you were the right choice for the job. I always contacted businesses and got checks. I understand how to do the taxes and things and I know the basics of asking for money, but what you’re doing? It’s way beyond my pay grade.”
“It’s why we’re making such a good team. You’ve got way more people skills than I do, and you put everyone out there at ease.”
“Oh, that’s bullshit. You’ve got those kids wrapped around your finger.” Robert got up and went to the coffee maker, then poured a cup for each of them. “And the adults? They’re usually skittish around new people, but with you, they’re warming up fast. Face it. They loveyou.” He came back and put the cups down, then bent over and kissed Galen’s neck. “Just like I do.”
Galen frowned. “Why does it sound like you’re trying to butter me up?”
That got a laugh out of him. “Because I am. Thanksgiving is coming up, and my parents want us—that’s you, Andy, Marco, and me—to join them this year.”
“But that’s time for your family.”
“Which you’re part of. Mom told meshe’s been prodding you to realize it.”
And she had. They didn’t talk often, but since the thing with Robert she’d called Galen several times to check on Mouse. Or that’s what she claimed. She always brought the conversation around to him visiting. Telling him that he didn’t need to come with Robert, that he was more than welcome to drop in by himself. Each conversation with her left Galen witha warmth in his chest that he couldn’t explain.
“Okay, I’ll go.”
“Good. You get to bring it up to Marco and Andy too.”
“What? Why me?”
Robert laughed. “Because you’ll tell Andy, and he’ll call me so I can be sure you talked to him, and he’ll be my backup if you try to get out of it.”
It wasn’t a bad plan, but it had one flaw. “I won’t. I… I want to see your family.”
“Our family.”
“Okay,ourfamily.”
“Good. You can still talk with Andy, though. I’ll call Marco, so you can’t say I’m heaping work on you.”
Galen blew a raspberry. “Please. You’re going to call Marco after Andy talks to him.”
Robert kissed Galen again. “You know me too well.”
“Yes, I do. Now sit down, shut up, and let’s go over these reports. Some of them are reasonable. A few of them are too high, and I’m not sureif the company is trying to rip you off or not. I’ll have to do some cost estimates to see where their prices fit in.”
After that, he and Robert got lost in the world of numbers, facts, and figures. When Robert put his hand on Galen’s knee and squeezed, Galen grinned to himself. It was amazing how such a simple gesture made everything better in his world.
Everything.
NOEL STOODthere,hands on his hips, glaring at Robert. “What do you mean, you can’t come for Thanksgiving?”
“Just what I said. I have plans. After we serve dinner at the shelter, we—I—am heading out to see my family.”
Noel’s grin turned predatory. “You saidwe.What’s going on, Robert? First you tell me you’re going to be taking Sundays off, and now you’re sayingwe.Is there something you want to tell me?”
Oh, how he wished he could. He’d been dropping subtle—and a few not-so-subtle—hints to get Galen to reach out to Lincoln and Noel, but he could tell Galen was afraid. And Robert wasn’t sure he could blame him. He asked Lincoln once if he’d heard from Galen and got a growl as his reply. It was no wonder that Galen swore Brady to secrecy, and why he had to pick Galen up when Noel was working. Thiswasn’t the perfect solution, and sooner rather than later, his secret would come out, which meant he needed to own up to it.
“I want to, but I’m going to ask you to be patient for now.”
