Page 47 of Beyond the Rainbow (Pride Camp 2025 #11)

Trent shot him a scowl. “Watch it, Irish!”

“I meant he’d have a friend there his own age! I’m not matchmaking!”

Jeff dropped to sit on the step next to Colin. “It’s a good thing you’re doing, and we’ll support you anytime we can.”

Joshua gave a wistful smile. “And maybe he’ll actually like pineapple on pizza. I could use an ally.”

David’s hand landed on Colin’s shoulder. “I think that’s the best you could possibly offer him.”

Colin nodded, his eyes dropping. “Now we have to tell him .”

The five friends got to their feet and walked toward the dining hall.

Colin and Joshua lagged behind the others but neither of them spoke.

As they approached the hall they could see groups of campers clustered near the entrance, their voices softer than usual, laughter tinged with the weight of parting.

Saying good-bye to the friends they’d made—the ones who had understood them in ways no one else had—felt like leaving behind a piece of themselves.

This was their last breakfast together. The bus would arrive in a little over two hours to take them to where their rides would pick them up. Camp Pride was drawing to a close.

Colin fumbled for Joshua’s hand and clasped it tight. “Do you want to talk to him? Or should I?”

“Let’s be guided by Alex,” Joshua murmured. “Let him take the lead.”

Colin nodded, then blew out a quick breath as they both spotted Alex, lounging near the dining room steps, talking with some of his Thunder Bat teammates. As they approached, Alex turned toward them, his face lighting up with a happy, welcoming smile.

“Hey, kid!” Colin called out as they climbed the steps and moved toward the entrance. “How you doing?”

Alex dashed to their side. “Hey, Coach!” He swallowed hard, then looked up at Joshua. “You guys got a minute? I need to—I mean have a—a question I’d like to ask you.”

Joshua nodded toward the end of the long porch. “Want to sit down there, where it’s more private?”

Clearly nervous, Alex nodded. “Yeah.” He looked up at Colin. “Great job yesterday, Coach.”

“You think I’d make a good pastor?” Colin teased, ruffling Alex’s hair.

“I think you’d be good at anything.”

Joshua felt his stomach clench. Alex adored Colin. The hero worship in his eyes as he gazed up at his coach moved Joshua nearly to tears. I can see it, he thought. I can see him thinking it: He could be my DAD!

They sat down together, perching on the wooden chairs that lined the entire porch, Alex dropping into one that faced the two of them. Colin leaned towards him. “What’s up, kid?”

Alex swallowed hard. “I want to ask you something. Something important. Something—something big.”

Colin nodded. “Ask away.”

He glanced away, hesitating, then spoke. “I want to know if you—I mean if both of you—would …” He hesitated, then stammered out: “—would be my foster parents?”

There was a moment of complete silence.

“I’d be good,” Alex exclaimed in a rush. “I wouldn’t ever do bad things. I’d clean up and help in the house. Honest!”

Joshua’s teeth clamped down on his lower lip, and the breath he sucked in quavered in his chest. He turned and looked at Colin, and the pain in his eyes said it all. I can’t. I just can’t.

Colin nodded and leaned toward Alex. “Kid, understand this. We love you. But … we can’t do it.”

Joshua saw Alex’s lips quiver. He opened his mouth to speak, but Colin spoke first.

“OK, I said it. I know it hurt you, and I’m sorry. God fucking knows it hurt me! It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to say in my life.”

He leaned forward and grabbed Alex’s wrist. “Let me tell you a little bit about me. When I was about your age,” he hesitated, glanced at Joshua, then at the floor, his eyes dark with pain, “I had a sister who I loved.” He bowed his head, and again there was silence.

“A bad thing happened to her,” he said finally, then he lifted his head to meet Alex’s eyes. “And she killed herself.”

Alex’s gasped, his eyes wide with shock and dismay. He tried to speak, but Colin’s hand tightened on his wrist. “Wait, kid. Let me finish.”

He drew in a deep breath. “I spent the first twenty years after her death being totally screwed up, and never, ever giving a damn about anyone. For me, love was a dirty word. I couldn’t even say ‘I love you’ to my mother.

And no one was allowed to say it to me.” He tilted his head toward Joshua. “Then I met him.”

Joshua’s breath caught in a sob, and he laid his hand on Colin’s back, moving it in a slow, comforting circle.

“I’m still fucked up from it, Alex. But Josh taught me how to love again.

And more importantly, he taught me how to let someone love me .

” He drew in a deep breath and leaned even closer to the boy seated in front of him.

“And I want you to know this: I just trusted you with a part of my life that very few people know about.”

“God, Colin,” Alex whispered. “What happened? That’s—that’s awful!”

Colin tilted his head toward Joshua. “He had a rough beginning too.” He glanced at his husband who nodded as if giving him permission to speak. “He was beaten and abused exactly like you were.”

Alex wheeled to look at Joshua, then swiped a hand across his face.

“It’s like this, Alex. The kind of love it takes to parent a child … that love is everything . It consumes you. It takes up every bit of your heart, and it should because that’s what a child deserves! I have that kind of love to give …” he nodded toward Joshua. “But only to him.”

Joshua drew in a breath. “And I have that kind of love to give …”

“But only to him,” Alex whispered, nodding toward Colin.

Joshua nodded.

“We’re just not emotionally set up to be fathers—either of us,” Colin said.

He shook his head. “We decided a long time ago that we won’t shortchange a child by giving them half of what they deserve because we’re not equipped to give them all that they deserve!

” He shrugged. “Our focus is on each other, because that’s the way we want it to be— need it to be.

” He gave Alex a slow smile. “But be your friend ? Hell, yes! And Alex, please believe me. I’d make a really great best friend,” Colin told him.

“But, kid. I’d make a totally shitty father. ”

“I don’t need a best friend,” Alex mumbled, still wiping tears from his cheeks. “I need a family.”

“You ever watch Supernatural ?” Colin asked suddenly.

Alex looked at him in surprise. “Yeah. All the time.”

“Then you should know … family don’t end with blood. We’ll be family, Alex. Just a different kind of family.”

Alex looked up at him, and Joshua saw his whole body relax.

“You’ve seen how we are with Trent and Jeff? David and Nate?”

Alex nodded.

“We love those guys! They’re our friends ! They’re a huge part of our lives. As close as any family … or damn near.”

“Alex,” Joshua said, reaching to take his other wrist. “We want you in our lives that exact same way. Saying we can’t foster you does not mean we want to say goodbye. We don’t.”

Alex lowered his head. “I guess maybe I am too much.”

“You’re not too much,” Joshua insisted. “You were just in the wrong place for too long. Alex, please. Be our friend. You could … come and visit us!”

“Play catch with me in our backyard!” Colin blurted out. He used his hold on Alex’s hand to draw him closer.

“Go to David’s cabin with us,” Joshua added.

“We have movie night with Trent, Jeff, and Sophie, and we’d love it if you’d be part of that,” Colin told him.

“I’d even order pizza with pineapple on it!” Joshua added.

Colin shuddered and made a fake gagging noise. “Ack!”

“Hey!” Joshua complained, giving Colin’s arm a fake punch.

Almost against his will, Alex allowed a giggle to escape.

Colin released his hand and leaned back. “This has been a tough conversation. For you and for us.”

“I want you to think about everything we’ve said,” Joshua told him. “You’ve got our phone numbers, don’t you?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah. Sharon and Paul have them too.”

“Good. Give it a day or so to let everything we’ve said settle in your mind and heart. Then give us a call and tell us what you’ve decided.” He leaned toward Alex, meeting his eyes. “We can’t give you what you want, Alex. But we will give you everything we can.”

Colin stood up. “Now go grab breakfast. Your bus will be here in an hour or so.” He patted Alex’s back.

Alex nodded, then stood and moved slowly down the porch toward the dining hall.

After six steps he stopped, his shoulders tense as if caught between two choices.

Then, slowly, he turned back to face them.

His gaze met Colin’s, then Joshua’s, and something in his expression shifted—like a weight he hadn’t even realized he was carrying had just lifted.

He took a hesitant step, then another, then suddenly broke into a run. He crashed into them, wrapping his arms around both men in a fierce, almost desperate hug.

“I’ve decided!” he blurted, his voice tight with emotion. “I want to be your friend.”

Colin felt the boy’s arms tighten around him, holding on as if afraid they might disappear. He swallowed hard, rubbing a hand over Alex’s back. Joshua’s breath caught, and when Colin glanced at him, his husband’s eyes were bright with tears. “Easy, you two!” he teased, wincing. “Cracked rib here!”

“Whoops!” Alex said, still grinning. He backed away, then turned to Joshua who was wiping tears from his cheeks. He pointed a finger at him and gave a fake scowl. “ No pineapple !”

“MY MAN!” Colin celebrated, doing a fist pump before giving Alex another hug. “Now go eat breakfast.”

“You two are mean !” Joshua complained as Alex ran to catch up with his friends.

As the boy entered the dining room, Colin and Joshua looked at each other, neither man saying a word. Then, as one, they collapsed back into their chairs. “Holy fuck !” Colin breathed out. “I feel like I just ran a goddamn marathon.”

“Yeah,” Joshua muttered. “That was intense.” He slid his hand into Colin’s. “You were amazing with him.”

“He deserved it.”

“D’you think he understood?”

“Hell, Josh, when it comes to love and relationships, I’m not sure how much I understand! We did our best. That’s gonna have to be enough.”

The breakfast tables occupied by the Camp Pride counselors were surrounded by so many campers that eating became impossible. Again and again, the boys asked if Camp Pride would be repeated the following year, talking nonstop about the great time they had and how much they wanted it to happen again.

But breakfast finally ended, and the campers wandered to the parking lot where their bus waited. They talked with each other as they walked, lugging their backpacks, their duffle bags, and the prizes and gifts they’d acquired during their stay.

Colin and Joshua walked with Alex to the bus and stood beside the door, saying their goodbyes. “When do you think I’ll see you again?” he asked Colin, struggling against his tears.

Colin whipped his phone out, holding it so that both he and Joshua could view the calendar.

“How about two weeks from yesterday?” Colin said.

“We’ll pick you up and bring you to our house for dinner and a catch.

Maybe take a walk by the river. That’ll give me time to get this cast off and a walking boot on. ”

Joshua gripped his shoulder. “You clear it with Sharon and Paul, OK?”

Alex nodded and beamed his approval, then hugged both men. “Behave yourself in the meantime,” Colin ordered. “Be good for Sharon and Paul. They’re great people.”

“But I’ll see you at the clinic next week,” Joshua reminded him.

“If my office door is shut, I’m with a patient.

But if it’s open, just walk on in.” He knelt before Alex.

“You’re all set up at Rainier. Your therapist, Ryan, is a great guy.

He’s young. He’s fun. And he’ll help you figure out how to cope with all the changes in your life. ”

Alex nodded. “OK, Josh. See you next week.” He smiled at both men and clambered into the bus, dragging his duffle bag behind him.

Colin and Joshua stood, waving and blowing kisses as the bus filled with campers pulled away.

Then, they moved to stand on the sidewalk next to their own luggage.

Trent and Jeff were loading their possessions into Trent’s van, while David stood with both arms around Nate, who was struggling to control his emotions after bidding farewell to his writing class.

“You’re gonna see them,” David told him, stroking his hair. “They’ll be helping you write the sophomore class play!”

Colin nudged Nate’s shoulder. “C’mon, rabble-rouser. Cheer up.” He gestured toward the emptying campground. “You wouldn’t want to live like this full-time, would you? I mean, it was fun, but daymn! Those kids wore me out.”

“More than Josh wears you out?” Nate asked with a sly grin.

Colin smirked. “Well … no one does that .”

Nate chuckled, shaking his head, while Joshua groaned and rolled his eyes.

They said their final good-byes, exchanging quick hugs and promises to see each other soon. Then, with their luggage packed into the trunk, Colin and Joshua climbed into the car. Colin sighed as he adjusted his seatbelt, rolling his shoulders.

“Ready to go home?” Joshua asked, resting a hand on Colin’s thigh.

Colin exhaled, watching as their friends drove off, then he turned to his husband. “Always. But you know what?” His lips curved into a small, thoughtful smile. “I think a tiny part of me is always going to be here.”

Joshua’s fingers tightened around his. “Yeah. Same here.”

With one last look at Camp Pride, Joshua started the engine, and they pulled onto the winding road that would take them home—back to their life, their love, and whatever new adventures lay ahead.

The End