Page 7 of Puppy Pride (Pride Camp 2025)

Chapter Seven

Jai

“ I can’t believe I left these in the car.” I retrieved the bag of dog treats from my front seat. Fortunately the weather wasn’t too hot, so I didn’t have to worry about the treats overheating.

Arnav grinned as he held leashes for the two dogs. Demetrius had offered to clean the kitchen—one of my least favorite tasks.

Foster had tried to say something about guests, but I’d suggested Arnav and I could walk the dogs.

Demetrius said that sounded fair and perhaps Foster could sit on a stool at their kitchen island and tell him how to do things properly?

I figured the guy was pretty swift and could clean up a kitchen without direction—but this gave him a bit more alone time with Foster.

Even I, who could sometimes be a little dense, noted how quickly the men appeared to have…

bonded. I didn’t figure just their shared skin color was the reason.

No, Demetrius made Foster laugh. I hadn’t thought it all that unusual until Arnav, during our walk, explained that Foster was normally reserved and shy .

“Well, less so since I burst into his life.” Arnav was clearly pleased with himself.

“How did you meet?” Mission City was small enough for two gay guys to encounter each other. But although Arnav had always been out and proud—well, since he was twelve—Foster, by his own admission, hadn’t come out until Arnav had kissed him on the cheek in Fifties.

Arnav had winced and said he hadn’t meant to out Foster.

Foster assured him that he didn’t mind. You presented me with the chance to be myself. For the first time in my life. He’d said the words with a grin on his face.

That resonated with me. What would it be like if I could be my true self? With someone who accepted me?

“Okay…so I asked Foster if he minded me telling you our secret.” Arnav snagged the bag of dog treats.

“Oh God, these are Queenie’s favorites. And Taffy will eat anything Queenie eats.

So I’ll let you give them one. Just one.

I don’t want Taryn and Stephanie to come home to find their dog has gained a lot of weight. ”

“I think it’s great you have a lesbian couple living next door.”

“Well, you should meet Stephanie’s brother, Cooper. Holy Lord. You think I’m loud and proud? Cooper has me outdone by a mile.”

“Oh?” I snagged Taffy’s leash.

“Right? And then there’s Taryn’s brother Lachlan. Pretty much the complete opposite of Cooper. He’s an entertainment lawyer from Toronto. Great guy. Oh, I have to show you—” He handed me the bag of treats as well as Queenie’s leash.

Both dogs gazed at me expectantly.

Then Arnav held his phone for me to see.

I squinted. “Okay, you’re going to have to explain. ”

He grinned. “The women had an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding. So adorable. Stephanie was Alice, Taryn was the Mad Hatter, Lachlan was the White Rabbit, and Cooper—”

“Was the Queen of Hearts?” I squinted again.

“Yep. Now, that’s brotherly love.” He put his phone away. “I love my sisters, but I would never wear that getup for any of them.”

“But you would if one of your nibblets asked.” I used the non-gender specific term for nieces and nephews.

Arnav glared as he took Taffy’s leash. “You just had to go there.” He wagged his finger. “Do not tell Parvan. He’ll tell Minal, she’ll tell the other five, and somehow I can see myself wearing a sari.”

I grinned at the image. “You’d look good in a sari.”

He pursed his lips. “I’m going to save the witty comeback for another time. I’ll need it more if you coerce Foster and gang up on me.”

“Hey.”

“Hey, what? I seem to have been the butt of several jokes over dinner.”

His words had me hesitating for a moment until he broke into a broad grin.

“I would’ve said something if I actually minded. You seemed super stressed when you first arrived. And yeah, I should’ve mentioned I’d invited Demetrius. That was my bad.”

I wouldn’t have come, and I would’ve missed out on this wonderful evening.

“All good.”

Queenie eyed us. Well, and the bag of treats.

“They can have one each when we take them inside.” Arnav held up the poop bag. “I’ll deal with this in the garage; you go ahead through the front.”

“Sure. That sounds great.” Because I really didn’t want to deal with dog shit. Admit it, if you had a dog, you would totally scoop the poop.

Points for honesty.

Kennedy was bringing her therapy dog, Tiffany, to the camp tomorrow.

None of the campers had allergies nor expressed a fear of dogs.

The yellow lab had a placid nature—I’d met her twice—and I hoped offering everyone a chance to enjoy some canine companionship would be a good thing.

I entered the front door, closed it firmly, unclipped the leashes, then shooed the dogs. Encouraged them into the hallway toward the kitchen. Tried to get them moving.

Their gazes remained riveted to the bag.

I sighed. “Okay, let’s go.” I led the way to the kitchen accompanied by clacking nails on the hardwood.

Upon spotting Foster, who turned to watch us come in, I smiled. “You never have to worry about being caught unaware.” During the tour of the lovely house, I’d discovered—aside from some throw rugs—there wasn’t any carpeting in the place.

Foster, seated at the kitchen island, grinned. “You would be absolutely correct. I swear Queenie is extra loud. Especially around mealtime. Oh, are those dog treats?” He gestured to the bag in my hand. “Those are Taffy’s favorite and Queenie’s second-favorite.”

“How can you tell?”

Foster spelled out a word. Clearly the name of a dog treat, but I didn’t know that one and so was lost.

Queenie, however, was also lost. As in lost her ever-loving mind.

“Quick, give her one of those.” He grinned.

I ripped open the bag.

Both dogs stilled .

I pulled out two treats. “Okay, sit.”

Taffy plopped onto her butt.

Queenie did not.

“Uh…”

“Queenie, sit.” Foster’s voice carried a surprising amount of strength.

Nothing.

“Queenie, sit.” Arnav spoke as he came into the kitchen.

The dog eased to a sitting position.

Foster groaned. “How is it that you’re the softie when it comes to, uh, generous gifts, and they only listen to you?”

I gave the dogs their treats.

Arnav laughed. “Sweetheart, I think you answered your own question. They listen to me precisely because I’m, uh, generous—”

“You spoil them.” Foster arched an eyebrow.

“I know how to put misbehaving puppies in their places.”

Foster and Demetrius burst out laughing.

I stilled. They don’t know anything. They can’t know anything.

Because you haven’t… Shit. Yes, shit. Arnav and Foster had spoken to my mother.

Undoubtedly, she’d told them everything— Wait.

Just calm the fuck down. Arnav would’ve said something.

During the walk…he would’ve broached the subject.

We’d talked about several other personal things, so perhaps that logic applied.

“Dog treats are the best.” Demetrius met my gaze. “That was very generous of you.”

I swallowed my rising panic. “Arnav said not to bring anything…but he sent me a picture of the dogs. I wasn’t certain which to pick…”

“You made a good choice.” Demetrius smiled. “I find pups do what they’re told when they’re offered rewards. Treats.”

Heat crept up my neck .

“Arnav.” Foster gave his husband a little wave.

“Yes, my sweet.”

“Turns out Demetrius shares your love of pups.”

Arnav’s eyes lit. “Oh wow. You ferreted that out?” He cocked his head to Demetrius. “He doesn’t share that with everyone.”

Demetrius continued to hold my gaze. “So this house is a safe space. I admit to being surprised—”

I dropped the bag of treats. “I have to go.”

Incredibly grateful I hadn’t been asked to remove my shoes—I bolted for the door. I shoved it open and practically ran to my SUV. I was inside in a heartbeat and tearing out of there as fast as I could.

He knows. I don’t know how he knows…but he knows. Now Foster and Arnav know. And their house might be a safe space , but I can’t ever go back there.

When the light finally turned green, I hung a left onto Cedar Street and began the climb. Up into the hills of North Mission City that would lead me away from town and to the sanctuary of the camp.

You need to remember to breathe.

No one actually said that Foster was a pup and that Arnav and Demetrius were…

I struggled for the right word.

Probably because I’d never had…one of my own. I didn’t like Master , but would’ve accepted it. If I’d met the right person. I preferred Daddy. Which had all kinds of baggage attached to it. But I saw Daddies as benevolent and kind. Nurturers.

The opposite of my parents.

I’d met generous Daddies. Playful Daddies. Warm and loving Daddies.

As I continued the drive into the night, I blinked back tears. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid .

That nice Daddy told you not to call yourself stupid .

A memory long-suppressed.

All my time from the What’sUp Pup group had been shoved down. Put into a place in my mind—and my heart—where I never went. I refused to remember those idyllic nights when I went to Pup Night at the club and just enjoyed myself. When I could be free of all the stressors in my life.

High-powered job.

Demanding parents.

Cruel boyfriend.

Okay…to be fair. Gary hadn’t been cruel during the relationship. Only when he’d discovered my secret—and told the entire world, including my parents—had his true colors shown.

I’d never cheated on him. Never looked at another man.

Had I fantasized about a relationship with a Daddy rather than a coworker who preferred we refer to each other as roommates?

Yep.

If I could’ve found a full-time Daddy, I probably would’ve left Gary.

Which didn’t say much for our relationship. Which he’d absolutely torched when he shared my secret with everyone.

Thank God I’d gone in costume every night. Apparently WhatsUp Pup had closed and Pup Night had been folded into Club Kink. And guess who owned Kink? The benevolent benefactors of Pride Camp. Smith and Alessandra shared that news with me, just in case it became an issue with any of the parents.

To me, there was logic. LGBTQ folks came from far and wide—and flocked to Kink as their safe space.

The couple had seen that. Spotted the wounded souls who, had they received affirmation early on, might not have faced such trauma .

So Pride Camp was their attempt to provide a safe space for teenagers to figure out how they were going to face the world as a queer person.

If only…

Alas, regrets wouldn’t get me far.

I pulled into the lot at Pride Camp and sild into my allotted spot.

Lights from both the great hall and several dorm rooms were visible in the moonlit night.

Should I go over to say hello? No, I don’t want to intrude. I’d checked my phone repeatedly, but nothing from Grey, Makenna, or Cody.

Naturally, that prompted me to check again.

—I’m here if you want to talk about what happened tonight. Whatever it was, if I triggered it, I’m sorry. —

Arnav.

And a second text.

—Foster is sorry too. He doesn’t normally share certain parts of himself. I was surprised. —

Finally.

—Sleep well. —

Right, like that was going to happen.