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Jai

“Pride Camp, this is Jai.” I squinted at my laptop, debated getting up to close the blinds so the sunlight wasn’t hitting the screen at a bad angle, and then decided being able to see outside was more important.

“Jai…Prasad…?”

My skin prickled. Coming back to Mission City had always been a risk. In that instant, it didn’t feel worth it. I cleared my throat. “Yes. May I ask who I’m speaking to?”

“It’s Arnav!”

No missing the excitement.

“Arnav Mehta.”

I blinked. “Arnav?” I only knew one Arnav and his last name was Mehta. “How are you?”

“I was going to ask you that question. Like,how the hell are you? As opposed towhy the hell didn’t you tell me you were back in town?”

A question he essentially just asked.

“I’m good.Busy, but good. I’ve only been in town for two months.” I both winced and held my breath.

“Right. Well, summer camp would keep you busy. I’m just surprised I didn’t know.” With just the slightest tinge of hurt.

“I haven’t really told anyone. I wanted to get settled first, you know? My focus has been on the campers. This is our first year in operation, so plenty of kinks to work out.”Really? I just used the wordkinksfor fuck’s sake.

“Understandable. And I haven’t spotted you—but then I wasn’t looking either. Back then…we drifted… My bad, really. I was so focused on law school, and I just wasn’t paying attention, and then one day I realized we hadn’t spoken in a while and I tried calling, and your number was disconnected. I seemed to recall you’d gotten a job with a big finance company, but I couldn’t remember which one—”

“All good.” Because I wasn’t going to explain the weird journey my life had taken. Or what had me turning tail and running from Vancouver. From British Columbia. To the other side of the country. But I could provide an explanation for my return. “Pride Camp was hiring a new director, and I figured I could put my finance degree to good use.”

“Yeah, they’re lucky to have you. I can barely add.”

A bit of an exaggeration—but math hadn’t been Arnav’s strength. No, his ability to smooth talk anyone had been his gift. I’d always thought salesperson would’ve been an exceptional backup career if this law thing didn’t work out. “How’s lawyering?”

“Good. Keeping me out of trouble. Hey, I saw your parents last month. They didn’t say anything about you coming home. Of course they were too busy putting down gay people. You know before I could even say anything, Samara was right there, standing up for her baby brother and his husband.”

“I remember Samara, and wait—” I rubbed my forehead. “Did you just say you’re married?” I wasn’t even going to try to explain why my parents hadn’t said anything to him. Something about me being dead to them. If they knew I was running Pride Camp, they’d lose their ever-loving shit.

Arnav chuckled. “Yep. Almost six months. Go figure, right? An older man, at that. A gorgeous, sexy, slightly older man who’s glaring at me right now.”

Slightly older?I wasn’t going to ask. And somehow I’d envisioned him alone as we spoke. I hadn’t said anything I was uncomfortable with, but I found the idea of him having someone there listening vaguely disconcerting.

“Oh, sorry, I should’ve mentioned Foster before now. Look, why don’t you come over? Say Monday night?”

“The camp…”

“You don’t get a night off? We can make it another—”

“It’s fine. Actually, I’m only here for emergencies at night. I live on the property. But one night away will be fine.”

“Great. I have a new house. Yes, I finally moved out of my parents’ basement.”

A distinctive chuckle quietly reverberated through the phone.

“Oh hush, you.” Arnav again laughed. “Foster’s one to watch. He comes across all quiet and shy, but beware. Once he knows you, he’s got a wicked sense of humor.”

“Really?” I didn’t know aFoster.

“Yes. So consider yourself warned. Can I text you my address to this number? Or do you want to write it down? Oh, or I can send an email—”