“I can just see all of us,” Nate said. “Sitting around this fire pit with the kids. Maybe telling stories or singing camp songs.”
“Tellingghoststories!” Colin said with a grin. “I’m great at that!”
“Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall,” Nate sang, then giggled.
“Maybe drinking songs aren’t the best choice?” Joshua suggested.
“Oh, come on, Josh!” Nate shot back. “Don’t tell me you didn’t sing that song when you were a kid.”
“Singing songs wasn’t part of my childhood experience.”
“Nate’s right,” Colin said. He put Joshua into a gentle headlock, then kissed his hair. “Sorry, babe, but “Ninety-nine Bottles of Beer” is mandatory.”
“So is “Row, Row, Row Your Boat!” Nate chirped.
David shrugged. “I’m afraid I have to agree with Nate. This isn’t about age. It’s about camping tradition. And both those songs are required if you want to call yourself a camper.”
“I bow to the will of the majority,” Joshua said, reaching for Colin’s hand. “We’re making this up as we go. There are more questions than answers—and that scares me. But this feels right. Helping these kids—it feels like something we’re supposed to do.”
Colin captured Joshua’s hand in both of his, his voice steady and sure. “And I can’t imagine four people better equipped to do that than the four men sitting here. We’ve got the heart and the vision, and that’s more than half the battle. We’ll figure out the rest as we go.”
“We also have the commitment,” David added. “And not just for the sake of these kids, but also for ourselves.” Nate linked their arms, and David rested his cheek against Nate’s soft brown hair. “I know from years of experience that helping young people avoid the pain and heartache thatwewent through is a deeply healing experience. It’s like we’re rewriting our own stories by giving theirs a better start.” His voice softened, heavy with emotion. “That’s something worth fighting for.”
Nate smiled, his fingers drifting to David’s hand. “And who knows? Maybe they’ll teach us as much as we teach them. Kids have a way of surprising you.”
Colin nodded, his gaze moving between the others. “We’ve all been through our share of struggles, and that’s exactly what makes us the right people for this. We know what it’s like to feel lost, and we know what it’s like to find our way back—with help.” He nuzzled against Joshua’s cheek and whispered, “And love.”
Joshua tightened his grip on Colin’s hand. “You’re right. We’ve been through the fire, and we’ve come out stronger. That’s something these kids need to see—that it’s possible not only to survive but to thrive.”
David leaned forward, his eyes glinting with determination. “Then let’s make it happen. Whatever it takes, we’ll give these kids the camp experience they deserve.”
“Agreed,” Colin said. He glanced at each of them in turn, his handsome Irish face glowing with pride. “One step at a time, just like we said. Together.”
“Which is how we do everything,” Nate added, smiling as he reached to pat Joshua’s shoulder.
They fell into a comfortable silence broken only by the music of the nearby stream. The weight of their shared purpose settled over them like a warm blanket. For the first time, the problems felt manageable, and the vision for Camp Pride felt less like a dream and more like an attainable reality.
Chapter 3
The Great Camp Debate
Colin leaned back and fixed Nate with an unblinking stare
“Oh, Lord god,” Joshua moaned, rubbing his forehead.
“Comeon, Colin!” Nate countered. “It’s a good game! Don’t be a dick!”
“I amnotbeing a dick! I simply think we can do better than Simon Says.”
“IlikeSimon Says,” Nate challenged.
Colin glanced at David. His raised eyebrows and tilted head both suggested caution. In fact, his entire demeanor indicated that this was a battle Colin would be wise to avoid. Colin’s eyes swung to Nate, who was slumped in his chair, his expression an equal mixture of equal parts hurt pride and pure defiance.
“OK, OK,” Colin muttered, bowing to the inevitable. “Simon Says is on the list.” He leaned toward Nate and jabbed an index finger in his direction. “Butyou’rerunning it, rabble-rouser!”
“Listen, guys,” Joshua interrupted. “I have an issue I’d like to raise.”
Colin was bent over a legal pad, adding Simon Says to the list of activities, but something in Joshua’s tone caused him to stop and turn toward his husband. “What’s up, bud?”
