Page 17 of Beyond the Rainbow (Pride Camp 2025 #11)
The Listening Heart
J oshua glanced around his office and sighed.
Every flat surface was covered with Camp Pride paraphernalia.
Large boxes were scattered here and there, overflowing with banners, water bottles, and brightly colored signs.
His clipboard held daily schedules, weekly schedules, cabin assignments, and various legal papers, all signed and ready to hand over to the Verdun Adventure Bound staff.
“We’re as ready as we’re going to get,” he muttered, glancing toward the door.
Colin was due there any second, and he was bringing Alex Mayfield with him.
It had been two weeks since Alex and Colin’s game of catch, and in that time, Colin had deepened his connection to the shy, frightened youth.
He had taken Alex for walks along the Rivanna River and to Moo Thru for ice cream, keeping things casual but nudging Alex gently toward opening up.
A smile here, a quiet ‘thanks’ there—each one a small victory
But Joshua had yet to form his own connection with Alex. He had seen the boy only in passing, exchanging polite, casual greetings. Now, with Camp Pride just days away, it was time to bridge that gap.
He adjusted the stack of camper files on his desk, his fingers tapping absently against the folder labeled Alex Mayfield.
He knew the basics: thirteen years old, a history of abuse ending with his placement in a foster home, a bright but introverted kid who always kept to himself.
To Joshua, this was a very familiar scenario.
What he didn’t know was how to reach him. Or even if he could.
The door swung open, and Joshua quickly stood. Colin stepped inside, his easy grin in place, and behind him, hesitating just inside the doorway, was Alex.
Joshua’s heart tightened. The boy looked smaller in person than he had in Joshua’s mind: his shoulders hunched, his wary gaze darting around the room as if seeking an escape route.
“Hey, bud,” Colin said. He moved to Joshua’s side and laid a hand on his shoulder. “I think you know my friend, Alex.” He gave Joshua’s cheek a quick kiss and turned to the boy. “You know my husband, Josh, don’t you?”
Joshua took a breath, then smiled. “Hey, Alex. It’s good to see you again.”
Alex didn’t speak, just gave a small nod before throwing a cautious glance at Colin, as if searching for reassurance.
“Man!” Colin said, looking around. “This place is a mess!” He perched on a corner of Joshua’s desk, one arm draped casually around his husband’s shoulders, then leaned closer to Alex, who was looking around at the chaos. “He’s usually not this messy at home. He leaves that to me !”
Joshua groaned, leaning into Colin. “I just can’t seem to get organized!
Listen, maybe you guys could help me out.
” He handed Colin a sheet of paper from his clipboard.
“These are all the games and activities we’ll be doing at Camp Pride.
Could you guys go through that box of prizes and help me decide which prize to give out for each game?
I’m really terrible at that sort of thing. ”
Colin shot Alex a look and showed him the paper. “What’d you say? Wanna help out?”
“You two will be the official prize coordinators for Camp Pride.” He nudged Alex. “He loves prizes—mostly because he always wins them.” He poked Colin with a gentle elbow. “He’s such a show-off!”
“Hey!” Colin complained, but Alex grinned at the exchange, and Joshua saw him visibly relax.
Joshua pointed to a large box overflowing with prizes. “That’s the prize box. Just dump everything on the floor if you like.”
Alex’s gaze darted to Colin as if checking to see if Joshua was serious. When Colin winked and gave him a nod, Alex hesitated for only a moment before moving to the box.
Joshua smiled in encouragement. “Go ahead, Alex. Dump away!”
Alex’s grin widened. He and Colin each grasped a side of the large box and tipped it, spilling the contents all over the floor of Joshua’s office.
Colin and Joshua lowered themselves to the floor and sat cross-legged, surrounded by a colorful explosion of prizes: rainbow bracelets, glow sticks, water bottles, and enough fidget toys to keep a dozen restless campers entertained.
Alex hesitated for only a second before dropping to the floor beside them. He picked up a rubber duck wearing rainbow sunglasses and examined it with a small, amused smile.
“Oh, that one’s a grand prize,” Colin teased. “Very exclusive.”
Joshua snorted. “Yeah, only top - tier campers qualify to win the Rubber Rainbow Duck of Doom.” He leaned closer to Alex and whispered: “You can bet Colin will win that one!”
Alex let out a soft chuckle, his shoulders losing some of their tension.
Colin handed him a plastic bag filled with rainbow stickers. “What do you think—trivia game or scavenger hunt?”
Alex turned the bag over in his hands, his gaze thoughtful. “Scavenger hunt,” he announced.
Joshua’s heart lifted at the simple response.
It wasn’t much, but it was something. A moment of choice, of participation.
He glanced at Colin, who gave him a knowing smile.
Step by step, his look seemed to say. Joshua exhaled and smiled.
“Scavenger hunt it is.” He took the paper from Colin’s hand and wrote the prize next to the game. “What’s next?”
Alex picked up a drawstring backpack emblazoned with the Camp Pride logo. “Is this a prize?”
“Oh, dang!” Joshua said. “Those should be in a different box. Everyone gets one of those.” He nodded to the backpack. “Keep that one if you like, Alex.”
Alex hugged the backpack to his chest, his broad smile lighting up his face. “Thanks!”
Joshua shrugged. “No sweat! It’s your pay for helping me out.” He consulted his list. “OK. We need three prizes for the Two Truths and a Lie game.”
Alex began to paw through the pile of prizes while over his head Colin met Joshua’s gaze, his smile soft with understanding.
“Can you guys excuse me for a second? I need to go hit up the restroom. Be right back.” He stood up, his large hand resting on Joshua’s shoulder as he steadied himself, and before he began to move toward the door, Joshua felt Colin give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
Alex paused when Colin got to his feet, and for a split second, Joshua held his breath.
He knew that Colin’s decision to leave the room was calculated.
Giving him and Alex a moment alone. Giving him a chance to deepen their connection and gain the boy’s trust while still maintaining a professional demeanor.
“Would the glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces work for that one, Alex? Or do you think the hacky sacks work better?”
For a moment, all was silent as Alex’s eyes followed Colin out of the office, then he turned back to Joshua. “I like the hacky sacks,” he said, holding one up.
“Hacky sacks it is,” Joshua told him, updating his prize list. When he lifted his head, Alex’s eyes were, once again, fixed on the door, as if waiting for Colin to reappear, then his gaze turned to Joshua.
“He’s really nice,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Joshua drew in a breath, his own eyes moving to the door, then back to Alex who was watching him, something akin to curiosity in his eyes. “He’s my best friend,” Joshua told him.
“I thought you were married.”
“We are,” Joshua said with a slow smile. “I’m lucky enough to be married to my best friend.”
Alex was silent for a moment, turning the hacky sack over in his hands. Then, just barely, his lips curved into a smile. “He’s fun, too.”
Joshua’s heart lifted at the small but meaningful admission. “Yeah,” he agreed, voice warm. “He really is.” He tilted toward Alex, and his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Don’t tell him I said this, but at home he’s a bit of a leprechaun.”
Alex gave him a small smile, his fingers tightening around the hacky sack. And for the first time, when he looked at Joshua, his eyes held something other than wariness. “I don’t have a best friend.”
Joshua felt the weight of those words melt deep in his chest and his breath caught.
He studied Alex’s face, the way his fingers curled around the ball, the way his eyes moved around the room, always aware of his surroundings, always looking for the safest spot.
“Well,” he said carefully, keeping his tone light, “that just means you haven’t found the right one yet. You will though.”
Alex looked down at the hacky sack, rolling it between his fingers. “I hope so,” he murmured. His voice was quiet, uncertain.
Joshua tossed another hacky sack toward Alex, who caught it instinctively, his eyes darting up in surprise.
“At Camp Pride, we have this thing called the buddy system. Everybody looks out for each other. No one’s alone.
Maybe you don’t have a best friend yet , but I’ll tell you what.
” He smiled and leaned just an inch closer. “Until you do … I’ll share mine .”
Alex blinked, his fingers tightening around the ball as if testing the weight of Joshua’s words. He tossed the second hacky sack into the box before turning to face him, his eyes meeting Joshua’s. “ Colin ?” he asked softly, something akin to wonder in his voice.
Joshua nodded. “Sure! He’s the best friend anyone could ask for.” His voice dropped slightly, sharing a confidence just between them. “Trust me, he’s got enough room in that big heart of his to hold both of us.”
For a moment, Alex said nothing. But something in his posture shifted—something small, something important. He nodded. Just once. Then he drew in a deep breath, and his eyes met Joshua’s. “Thanks, Josh.”
Joshua exhaled, feeling warmth spreading through his chest. He didn’t push, didn’t make a big deal out of it.
Instead, he simply nodded as if sealing a quiet understanding between them.
“Good choice on the hacky sacks, by the way,” he said, shifting the moment with an easy smile. “They’re gonna be a hit.”