“And I’d like to ask you a favor. Trent and I would like to hold the ceremony during Camp Pride. Down by the lake, maybe? Would that be all right with you?”
“God, Jeff …” Joshua said in a half-whisper. “All rightwith me? It couldn’t be moreperfect.”
“It feels like a fantastic way to begin our new life.”
Joshua smiled and touched Jeff’s arm. “You and Trent will literally and symbolically step into your future in a place whose entirepurposeis hope, healing, and acceptance.”
Chapter 7
Pastor Campbell?
Joshua heard the front door open and close. He smiled down at the carrot in his hand and tossed it onto the counter when the sounds emanating from the living room confirmed who had arrived: Colin was home.
His smile grew broader a moment later when two strong arms encircled him from behind, and a warm, soft mouth began to kiss the side of his face. “I heard you come in,” Joshua murmured, turning his head to nuzzle his cheek against Colin’s.
“Hard to miss, am I?”
“Yeah. The sound of your briefcase and shoes hitting the floor is pretty distinctive. Couldn’t be anyone else. Besides,” he said, inhaling deeply and giving a soft moan of satisfaction, “I can smell you from here.”
“Is that agoodthing?”
“It absolutely is.”
Colin spun him around, his hands resting on Joshua’s shoulders. “What have I got in my pooooocket?” he singsonged with a grin, shaking Joshua back and forth.
Joshua laughed and lowered his head, resting his forehead on Colin’s chest. “Well …” he murmured, “a Hershey’s Kiss, maybe?”
“Piss-poor guess, Joshua,” Colin griped. “Show some imagination. It isn’talwaysa chocolate kiss!”
“No. It’s only a chocolate kiss whenyou’renot showing imagination!”
“Guess again.”
Joshua lifted his head and met Colin’s eyes. “Um, pickup order from Burger Bach?”
“Nope.”
“Uh, concert tickets?”
“No one in town we want to see! So, nope.”
“I give up.”
“Well, you know the rules. If you give up, you have to search.” He took a half step back and lifted his arms, inviting Joshua to search his pockets.
Joshua laughed. “OK,” he told his husband, wiping his hands on a nearby dishtowel. “Search ison!” He began pawing through Colin’s pockets, searching his shirt, then the pockets in his overcoat, then his suit jacket. In between pocket explorations, he also took time to fondle the half-hard erection hidden beneath Colin’s trousers. “I found somethinghere,” he teased. “Isthismy treat?”
“Now you’re being mean,” Colin replied with a snicker. “Keep searching.”
Finally, his explorations led him to the inside pocket of Colin’s suit jacket, and he whooped in glee. “Found it!” He withdrew a folded piece of paper upon which was written in Colin’s distinctive handwriting:
Hey, bud,
You know, some guys come home and kick off their shoes. Me? I come home and findyoubecauseyouare home to me. No matter how crazy my day gets, no matter how many foul, nasty cases I’m forced to wade through, the second I see you, I feel peace begin to seep into every nook and cranny of my soul.
You’re the best part of my day. Always.
So yeah, this is me, standing in our kitchen, with my hand in my pocket, pretending this little note is simply another silly game. But you should know: I’d play this game forever just to see you smile.
