Page 10 of Puppy Pride (Pride Camp 2025)

Chapter Ten

Demetrius

I grinned at Aaron. “Arnav and Foster told you I have a weakness for White Spot.” I sat in a booth across from the hotel manager and his husband, Noel.

“Far from it. We had our wedding reception here, so we’re a little partial.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Okay, that I didn’t see coming.”

Noel grinned. “I remember the first time I introduced him to Triple O’s sauce.”

Aaron groaned. “Died and gone to heaven.”

This, I couldn’t conceive. I loved it, but wouldn’t have been quite so effusive with the praise. “Nothing like that in…” I squinted, trying to remember where Aaron was from.

“California. ”

“Right.”

“Cataluma was known for strawberries, not amazing sauces.” Aaron shrugged. “And it definitely didn’t have this guy.” He nudged Noel.

“So you came north.”

“Love makes people do crazy things.”

I wasn’t going to argue with that. I’d seen a few people fall head over heels in love in the past. Hell, I’d been pretty close to that with Erlene. At least, that’s what I told myself.

Lindsay arrived in time to take our very-clean plates. “Dessert menu is there.” She gestured with her chin.

“I cannot imagine having room for anything else.” I rubbed my belly.

Noel handed the menu to me. “Get something to go. You can eat it later.”

The Grand Hotel was small, and although I could go down to the bar for grub, room service would’ve stopped serving by the time I returned. Already, the sun was touching the horizon.

We’d been here for more than an hour.

“Well then…” I eyed the menu. “Oh, New York cheesecake.”

“Blueberry, strawberry, or chocolate sauce?”

I licked my lips. “I had a blueberry milkshake yesterday at Fifties. Oh, sorry.”

She laughed. “They make great milkshakes. Their burgers aren’t bad either. Not as good as ours, mind…”

“No, for sure not.” I crossed my fingers behind my back. Honestly, I was grateful I wasn’t a food critic who had to choose. “I’ll take chocolate sauce.” I eyed the guys. “I should be able to eat it here.” We hadn’t even started talking about the reason we were here tonight.

“Great. And you two? ”

“Two slices of apple pie to go.” Aaron eyed me. “We can’t wait for blueberry season.”

“My favorite time of year.” I fingered my napkin as Lindsay took off.

The first portion of the meal had been the getting to know you better part of the evening.

I appreciated they hadn’t just dived right into the adoption stuff.

I’d said I was happy to share—which I was—but I preferred to know the people I was about to share my heart with.

“So I’d known Erlene for about ten years.

We met through work—and just…clicked. Not in a romantic sense.

She was dating a guy seriously back then.

Just, we had a similar outlook on life. I was single and occasionally seeing people.

She knew she wanted to be a mom more than anything.

Truthfully, I was still supporting my sisters through school and just trying to keep my head above water. ”

“Your twin sisters, right?” Noel squinted. “Imani and Malaya.”

“Yep. Amazingly smart. I’m not dumb, but I’m also not in their caliber of smarts.

Easy decision for me to focus on working while paying for their schooling.

” My sisters had always been my top priority—pretty much from the day Mom had brought them home from the hospital and explained what being a big brother meant.

More so after she, and then Nan, passed.

“I won’t comment.” Aaron offered a sympathetic smile. “I maintain my younger cousin Trey is way smarter than I am, and I was happy to take care of him.”

He understood.

“About the time my sisters got their footing, Erlene was diagnosed with cancer. Her husband died five years earlier. So she had two kids and no extended family.”

“She panicked, right?” Noel grasped Aaron’s hand. “Dad, for all his faults, panicked when Mom died. Kendra and I were teenagers, but he still didn’t know what to do. ”

“Panic’s a good word. And, since I loved her, it made sense for us to marry.”

The men exchanged a look I didn’t understand.

“And then the cancer went into remission.” Erlene wanted to let me go at that point, but I’d committed to her.

She was the one who suggested I go to Pup Night.

She understood that part of me. I’d never strayed, of course.

Never formed any lasting attachments. I’d simply taken the opportunity to enjoy myself with other Daddies and pups.

“But the remission didn’t take?” Aaron winced.

I shook my head. “It came back with a vengeance, and she was gone four months later. We didn’t really have time to prepare the kids.

Alaina was so damn young. Keegan older and therefore more aware of what was going on.

I wanted to, I don’t know, protect him? But he’s such a bright kid, and he figured it out right quick.

Erlene decided he could know what was going on.

I’ve worried Alaina might resent the fact she wasn’t in the loop, but it’s never come up.

We finally explained that her mom was dying. Then…the end.”

Noel blinked.

This is probably bringing back memories of his mom dying.

Aaron squeezed his husband’s hand.

Noel cleared his throat. “I had Kendra to take care of. My dad basically checked out, and I had a grieving younger sister. She, uh, went a little wild for a few years.”

“But is settled now and about to become a mother.” Aaron smiled. “Uncle Noel has a nice ring to it.”

“And Uncle Aaron.” He wrinkled his nose. “I just wish we could convince them to come north.”

“Javier has a business in Cataluma—”

“He could open a pot shop up here.” Noel pursed his lips.

I wasn’t going to step into the middle of what was clearly an ongoing debate. “So then Erlene died.”

“Ouch.” Aaron gripped Noel’s hand extra tight.

“I’d formally adopted the kids just a few months after we married—to make certain they were cared for. No one ever said anything when Erlene died, and the paperwork was all in order. Now, losing someone is fucking awful—” I cringed. “Sorry.”

Noel waved me off.

“—and suddenly I had two grieving kids and my own pain to deal with. Oh, and I was a single father. I work from home, so I was able to juggle things a bit until things evened out. The kids went back to school, and I thought we were doing okay.”

“Until?” Aaron leaned closer.

“Well, I mean, things are still okay . We’re making do. I got the kids into counseling until their therapist thought they were coping as well as could be expected. Then, just a few months ago, things went sideways again.”

“Oh?” Noel also leaned in.

“My boy was being bullied at school. It’s sort of a long story, but we’re in Mission City to get him some help. I only pray we can get things back on track. Or maybe find a different track…?”

Aaron cocked his head.

“He says he wants to relocate to Mission City. From East Van—the home he’s known his entire life.”

“Did it occur to you he might be wanting a fresh start?” Noel blinked his blue eyes.

“Or that he’s trying to escape more than just bullies?” Aaron’s contribution.

I frowned. “You mean like memories and stuff? ”

“Could be.” Aaron appeared to consider. “Life can be tough for kids. Sometimes a do-over, or something like that, is a good thing.”

“Okay.”

“Cheesecake.” Lindsay placed the plate before me as well as boxes for the men.

“Thank you. This looks amazing.” I was always grateful for whomever served me.

“My pleasure.” She surveyed the table, clearly gauging our drink levels.

“I’ll take a refill.” Noel grinned. “Thanks.”

“Cola, right?”

He nodded.

She took the empty glass and headed back toward the kitchen.

I poised my fork over the dessert.

“You go ahead.” Aaron linked hands with Noel. “We weren’t certain about becoming parents. I’m no spring chicken.”

I figured the guy was a year or two older than me, but I held my tongue about what a load of bullshit that was.

“With Kendra being pregnant, though, we’ve had a rethink.” He nudged Noel. “We’ll be named guardians should anything happen to Javier and Kendra. Of course, we never want that to transpire. We’re hoping they have happy and fruitful lives.”

“But it got us thinking.” Noel held my gaze. “What about kids who need a home? I know the government tries to keep families together, but things happen. And what about the kids who don’t have anyone? We could offer them a place.”

“We’re not picky about age.” Aaron met Noel’s gaze before turning his attention back to me. “Like, how about teenagers whose parents kick them out for whatever reason—”

“Being gay.” I forked another piece of cheesecake.

“—being gay.” He smiled, but his eyes held sorrow. “Or if there are younger kids, we’d be happy to take them as well. We’d prefer to think long-term, but if kids just need a safe place for a short period of time, and we can offer that, why would we not?”

“We’ve got a couple of spare bedrooms.” Noel shrugged. “We’ve considered making them more kid-friendly.”

“You two sound like you’ve got your act together.

” I mixed some chocolate sauce with the crust. “There’s no manual.

I mean you can read a million blog posts and books and all that crap.

But when you’ve got a kid who’s hurting, your instinct is to fix it.

Sometimes you can do that, and sometimes it’s not possible.

I love that you’re open to taking in any kid who needs help.

That’s a tough thing—especially when you know they’re not going to stay.

I thought—” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“—when Erlene recovered, I thought she might ask me to leave. She didn’t, though.

Even though we married because she was sick, we were committed to each other. To the kids. And that was that.”

Aaron nodded. “You’re a good man.”

“I did what needed to be done. Zero regrets. I didn’t grow up assuming I was going to be a father.

What with Mom getting sick—and then Nan—I had enough to deal with.

Getting my sisters settled in life was my priority.

Once that happened, I was open to what might come next.

Erlene came next and there’s nothing I would’ve done differently.

Now I just need to focus on the kids and what they want. What they need.”

Noel cocked his head. “What about you?”

“What about me?” I frowned.

“It’s just…I get about putting the kids first. But you’re still a person. Don’t you want to remarry? ”

I blinked. “Let me get the kids through university, and then I’ll think about it.”

Even as I repeated the words I said to anyone who asked about my personal life, the image of Jai flashed in my mind.

He might be someone who could change my mind.

But I had no idea if he’d want more than a Daddy/pup relationship.

Hell, I didn’t even know if he was in a relationship right now.

Huh. Maybe you should have figured that out before leaving him the treats?

Oops.

“Maybe Mission City could be a fresh start for you as well.” Aaron eyed me. “I’m certain we could find a nice woman to set you up with.”

“Or a man.” I shoved the last of the cheesecake into my mouth.

“Bi?” Noel’s curiosity was clearly piqued as he raised an eyebrow.

Mouth full, I merely nodded.

“Well, I’m pretty sure we could find a nice man to set you up with as well—our bad for assuming.”

I shrugged, swallowed, and grinned. “I’m actually pan. Not a ton of dating experience, though. First helping my sisters, then Erlene, now, the kids…”

“Well, neither of us are matchmakers.” Aaron grinned. “Oh, if you go to the library, be careful about sharing your single-and-available status with the librarian.”

Noel chuckled. “Loriana has been trying to set people up forever. She’s, uh, really bad at it.”

“Long red hair, lovely dark-brown eyes, married to a computer technician named Mitch who is just the sweetest guy.” Aaron smiled. “He’s a good guy who I’ve been happy to get to know. He’s like me—not from around these parts.”

“Yes, but once you move here, it’s really hard to move away.” Noel offered me a sheepish shrug. “Small-town living. You either find it intrusive and annoying or you love it.” He squeezed Aaron’s hand. “We love it.”

Their happiness carried me all the way back to the hotel. I wanted to call Jai to see if he got my gifts, but I wouldn’t. I still had almost two weeks.

Plenty of time to figure out how I felt about him.

And how he might feel about me.