the office,” Quinn suggested. “It’s warmer there.” As Quinn circled around Haden, purposely not looking at the other man, he realized he was running away from him. This was ridiculous. Why couldn’t he just look the man in the eye? Haden was just a guy who’d been caught driving while he’d had a bit much to drink. Yes, he was good-looking and had a certain charm, but maybe his gaydar was wrong and this guy was straight. Wouldn’t be the first time Quinn had gotten his knickers in a twist and then found out his wires were crossed. So the guy had a proposition? Maybe he wanted to donate some money, which he obviously had plenty of, judging by his clothes and shoes.
“So what are you proposing?” Quinn asked, forcing himself to look Haden in the eye as he flopped himself down on the beat up couch in his office.
Haden took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you needed an extra pair of hands around for the holidays.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “Got caught again?”
Haden looked a little puzzled for a moment, then seemed to recover. “Oh, you mean…?” He made a drinking gesture. “No, I’m going to meetings twice a week and I haven’t even touched as much as a glass of wine in seven months now. I suppose I’m officially a recovering alcoholic.”
“Good,” Quinn replied encouragingly. It was more than he needed to know, but he wanted Haden to come to the point before Camille realized that all the work for tonight still needed to be done.
“Anyway,” Haden continued. “I’m bettering my life and since I owe a great deal to this place, I thought I could give something back and volunteer a little of my time.” Haden’s confidence waned when Quinn didn’t reply. “I could organize some sort of Christmas party, get some decorations going, spruce the place up a bit….”
Quinn stopped him by raising his hands. “Haden, we can barely stay afloat as it is. There’s no budget for anything extra, I’m afraid. The Salvation Army usually gets us some turkeys and a tree and we can swing some cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, but that’s about as festive as it gets around here.”
Despite Haden’s apparent insecurity, Quinn’s words didn’t stop him. “I’ll donate… I can find people to donate other things. I’ll make some calls. For Christmas decorations and maybe some… other stuff. I want to try to make a difference, Quinn.”
Quinn looked at Haden, this time unafraid to let their gazes lock. The passion he saw in the other man was something he had lost a long time ago. Maybe Haden was right? Maybe it didn’t take all that much to make it a little more special this year? And an extra pair of hands was always welcome.
“I can stay and help tonight as well, if you like,” Haden offered. “Since I can tell I haven’t persuaded you yet.”
Haden was looking at his half empty coffee cup, allowing Quinn to smile without feeling like he was mocking the older man. All sorts of questions ran through his mind, most of them boiling down to the same thing. Was Haden really so lonely that he was willing to spend not just a Friday night in a homeless shelter but Christmas as well? Quinn realized he didn’t know anything about Haden’s family or home life. Maybe there was more to Haden’s DUI than just a spoiled rich guy getting caught too deep after a night on the town. What if it was just a culmination of years of living hard, and the conviction had been enough for Haden’s family and maybe even his partner to turn their backs on him? Maybe the only difference between Haden and all the out-of-luck guys who came into the shelter every night was that Haden had money?
Quinn shook his head.
“No,” Haden stated resignedly. “You’re turning me down?”
Quinn recovered quickly. “Oh! No! I’d be a fool to turn down any offer of help!” He sat up straight. “We can always use an extra pair of hands around here. Thank you. It’s a very generous offer.”
Haden’s face cleared
“So what are you proposing?” Quinn asked, forcing himself to look Haden in the eye as he flopped himself down on the beat up couch in his office.
Haden took a deep breath. “I was wondering if you needed an extra pair of hands around for the holidays.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “Got caught again?”
Haden looked a little puzzled for a moment, then seemed to recover. “Oh, you mean…?” He made a drinking gesture. “No, I’m going to meetings twice a week and I haven’t even touched as much as a glass of wine in seven months now. I suppose I’m officially a recovering alcoholic.”
“Good,” Quinn replied encouragingly. It was more than he needed to know, but he wanted Haden to come to the point before Camille realized that all the work for tonight still needed to be done.
“Anyway,” Haden continued. “I’m bettering my life and since I owe a great deal to this place, I thought I could give something back and volunteer a little of my time.” Haden’s confidence waned when Quinn didn’t reply. “I could organize some sort of Christmas party, get some decorations going, spruce the place up a bit….”
Quinn stopped him by raising his hands. “Haden, we can barely stay afloat as it is. There’s no budget for anything extra, I’m afraid. The Salvation Army usually gets us some turkeys and a tree and we can swing some cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, but that’s about as festive as it gets around here.”
Despite Haden’s apparent insecurity, Quinn’s words didn’t stop him. “I’ll donate… I can find people to donate other things. I’ll make some calls. For Christmas decorations and maybe some… other stuff. I want to try to make a difference, Quinn.”
Quinn looked at Haden, this time unafraid to let their gazes lock. The passion he saw in the other man was something he had lost a long time ago. Maybe Haden was right? Maybe it didn’t take all that much to make it a little more special this year? And an extra pair of hands was always welcome.
“I can stay and help tonight as well, if you like,” Haden offered. “Since I can tell I haven’t persuaded you yet.”
Haden was looking at his half empty coffee cup, allowing Quinn to smile without feeling like he was mocking the older man. All sorts of questions ran through his mind, most of them boiling down to the same thing. Was Haden really so lonely that he was willing to spend not just a Friday night in a homeless shelter but Christmas as well? Quinn realized he didn’t know anything about Haden’s family or home life. Maybe there was more to Haden’s DUI than just a spoiled rich guy getting caught too deep after a night on the town. What if it was just a culmination of years of living hard, and the conviction had been enough for Haden’s family and maybe even his partner to turn their backs on him? Maybe the only difference between Haden and all the out-of-luck guys who came into the shelter every night was that Haden had money?
Quinn shook his head.
“No,” Haden stated resignedly. “You’re turning me down?”
Quinn recovered quickly. “Oh! No! I’d be a fool to turn down any offer of help!” He sat up straight. “We can always use an extra pair of hands around here. Thank you. It’s a very generous offer.”
Haden’s face cleared
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