Author: Ashavan Doyon
Cover Design: Ashavan Doyon
Length: 45,000 words
m/m romance, contemporary romance, gay romance, holiday, angst, hurt/comfort
There's no glory in custodial work. That never bothered campus janitor Carl Gibson any. He worked hard—had to. His love life was a tragedy best not reopened and his only hope for the happiness he broadcast to the world was in two things: Halloween and the shrill, ever-demanding bark of his darling Lilah. But Halloween decorations were being displaced by Christmas already, and his precious pug? He could only hope she’d hold on a bit longer.
Austin Edwards had failed his little boy. The most junior dining manager at the college, when everyone called out on Halloween, he got called in. The house lights were all dark. except one. A sparkling hope of legend at the college. For his boy’s sake, he hoped Carl was as crazy about Halloween as the stories said. When Carl filled his son’s empty bag with candy, Austin couldn’t help but wonder why such a wonderful man was so alone. He had to find out.
With Christmas fast approaching, Carl and Austin tip-toe into dating. But they both have ghosts and memories to contend with. Can Austin be Carl’s Christmas vision? Or will Carl retreat, as he always has?
Ebook downloads are delivered as links in an email upon completion of your purchase. You are permitted 3 downloads of the ebook file, which comes as a zip file containing mobi, epub and pdf versions of the book.
Cover Design: Ashavan Doyon
Length: 45,000 words
m/m romance, contemporary romance, gay romance, holiday, angst, hurt/comfort
There's no glory in custodial work. That never bothered campus janitor Carl Gibson any. He worked hard—had to. His love life was a tragedy best not reopened and his only hope for the happiness he broadcast to the world was in two things: Halloween and the shrill, ever-demanding bark of his darling Lilah. But Halloween decorations were being displaced by Christmas already, and his precious pug? He could only hope she’d hold on a bit longer.
Austin Edwards had failed his little boy. The most junior dining manager at the college, when everyone called out on Halloween, he got called in. The house lights were all dark. except one. A sparkling hope of legend at the college. For his boy’s sake, he hoped Carl was as crazy about Halloween as the stories said. When Carl filled his son’s empty bag with candy, Austin couldn’t help but wonder why such a wonderful man was so alone. He had to find out.
With Christmas fast approaching, Carl and Austin tip-toe into dating. But they both have ghosts and memories to contend with. Can Austin be Carl’s Christmas vision? Or will Carl retreat, as he always has?
Ebook downloads are delivered as links in an email upon completion of your purchase. You are permitted 3 downloads of the ebook file, which comes as a zip file containing mobi, epub and pdf versions of the book.
EXCERPT
IT WASN’T EVEN HALLOWEEN. Carl Gibson loved Halloween. He loved handing out candy. He loved getting dressed up and playing spooky music and decorating his yard.
All his friends at work said he was too old for such shenanigans.
Just now, at the store stocking up on candy for the treasured evening, he happened to agree.
The Halloween display had already been half taken down. Replacing it, three days before Halloween, was the Christmas display. Not even a Thanksgiving display! Christmas—already!
Carl steeled himself and spoke with the manager.
It was singularly unhelpful. He left his intended purchases at the counter and bought his candy at the grocery store instead. Their seasonal aisle was so perfunctory that even though it was half cleared, it was still Halloween stuff. Carl skipped the seasonal candy and bought full sized bars for the kids instead. He didn’t get that many trick-or-treaters. At least the ones he got would appreciate the holiday.
Carl’s house was one of only a few decorated for the holiday. It wasn’t like he had the giant dragon that breathed smoke in the yard. He couldn’t claim not to have been tempted. It’d started simple, with a few gravestones. He’d bought a little more every year until it had become an obsession. Carl had ten full tubs of decorations in the shed. Soon, he’d be displacing his tools!
He drove quietly into the garage and closed the door. He let the old ache settle in. He brushed the tear away, just as he had every day after work for over twenty years. Inside he was greeted with an immediate and demanding bark.
Just like that a smile came to his face. Carl swept his precious girl into his arms and stared into her bulging eyes. Her tongue lolled out to one side and he kissed the side of her face. “How’s my girl?”
A shrill bark answered.
“Hungry, I see. Out first.” He took her out and endured the staring of the neighbors. Didn’t they know she couldn’t do these things on her own anymore? He ignored them and made sure she was done, bringing her in and carefully patting her dry. His nose rebelled. She was starting to stink again. He sighed. It was too soon for another bath, but he might manage to wash her off in the sink after dinner. Carl tapped her nose as he set her carefully back in her bed. “You, my precious baby, are a great deal of trouble.”
She barked again, futilely pulling herself toward the bowl and getting nowhere.
“Hold on, baby girl. Let me get your food.”
He knew she understood. If not the words, the fact that he was at the refrigerator. Not only had she quieted, but she was hyper-attentive. He filled the bowl quickly and got on the ground to help her eat, straddling her body over his leg so she could stand up.
She wobbled as she wolfed down the food, but he had his hands at either side, ready to steady her as needed. Once she was done, she pulled to get to the water, and he shifted the positions of the bowls instead.
After she’d lapped up her water, Carl set her gently back in the bed, but he stayed on the floor, cooing gently, petting her. Finally, he kissed his precious little pug, Lilah, on the top of her head and got himself up. He needed dinner too, and it had been a long time since anyone helped him with that.
So very long.
All his friends at work said he was too old for such shenanigans.
Just now, at the store stocking up on candy for the treasured evening, he happened to agree.
The Halloween display had already been half taken down. Replacing it, three days before Halloween, was the Christmas display. Not even a Thanksgiving display! Christmas—already!
Carl steeled himself and spoke with the manager.
It was singularly unhelpful. He left his intended purchases at the counter and bought his candy at the grocery store instead. Their seasonal aisle was so perfunctory that even though it was half cleared, it was still Halloween stuff. Carl skipped the seasonal candy and bought full sized bars for the kids instead. He didn’t get that many trick-or-treaters. At least the ones he got would appreciate the holiday.
Carl’s house was one of only a few decorated for the holiday. It wasn’t like he had the giant dragon that breathed smoke in the yard. He couldn’t claim not to have been tempted. It’d started simple, with a few gravestones. He’d bought a little more every year until it had become an obsession. Carl had ten full tubs of decorations in the shed. Soon, he’d be displacing his tools!
He drove quietly into the garage and closed the door. He let the old ache settle in. He brushed the tear away, just as he had every day after work for over twenty years. Inside he was greeted with an immediate and demanding bark.
Just like that a smile came to his face. Carl swept his precious girl into his arms and stared into her bulging eyes. Her tongue lolled out to one side and he kissed the side of her face. “How’s my girl?”
A shrill bark answered.
“Hungry, I see. Out first.” He took her out and endured the staring of the neighbors. Didn’t they know she couldn’t do these things on her own anymore? He ignored them and made sure she was done, bringing her in and carefully patting her dry. His nose rebelled. She was starting to stink again. He sighed. It was too soon for another bath, but he might manage to wash her off in the sink after dinner. Carl tapped her nose as he set her carefully back in her bed. “You, my precious baby, are a great deal of trouble.”
She barked again, futilely pulling herself toward the bowl and getting nowhere.
“Hold on, baby girl. Let me get your food.”
He knew she understood. If not the words, the fact that he was at the refrigerator. Not only had she quieted, but she was hyper-attentive. He filled the bowl quickly and got on the ground to help her eat, straddling her body over his leg so she could stand up.
She wobbled as she wolfed down the food, but he had his hands at either side, ready to steady her as needed. Once she was done, she pulled to get to the water, and he shifted the positions of the bowls instead.
After she’d lapped up her water, Carl set her gently back in the bed, but he stayed on the floor, cooing gently, petting her. Finally, he kissed his precious little pug, Lilah, on the top of her head and got himself up. He needed dinner too, and it had been a long time since anyone helped him with that.
So very long.