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Cherokee did more running, getting to the office to find Bernie and True staring off at the wall in their defeat. “Get that old bus going, Bernie. Between that and personal cars, we’re convoying it to Denver.”

“We don’t have the money for that,” True said, then corrected himself. “Not that it matters.”

“I’ll pay for the gas.”

“For what? Why would we take everyone to Denver?”

He told them quickly everything, down to the fact Jovian didn’t want them to know.

True stood slowly from behind the desk. “Chaps? He’s doing this at Chaps?”

“That’s what they said, yeah.”

“My own brother works there! Why the hell didn’t he tell me?”

“Do I have to repeat that Jovian was worried this wouldn’t work, and he didn’t want anyone to be disappointed?”

“Still! Oh, fuck it. Let’s go. Bernie, is that old bus even going to work?”

“By the time I’m done with it, it will. I’ll run and get Daryl. He’s great at fixing cars, he’s a damn mechanic. You all go get the word out.”

In front of the camp in the Mess Hall an hour later, True gave the announcement about the event and what it was about.

It was the first most of them learned that the camp was in trouble.

“We were going to tell you all, obviously. We just hoped for a miracle. Looks like we got one, in the form of Jovian Masseretti.”

A lot of them laughed, some cheered, and some looked like they couldn’t believe it. He knew all those reactions well.

“We’re all heading up to Denver, but if that isn’t your thing, you’re more than welcome to stay back here.”

There wasn’t one person who didn’t want to go.

Bernie and Daryl worked on the bus for almost three hours that afternoon, giving the others enough time to change into clubbier clothes. Cherokee changed too, three times, wanting to look his best and not remembering in the least what most wore to clubs, especially kink clubs.

He finally settled on a pair of black jeans that were less scruffy than his others and his camo muscle shirt.

Messing with his hair in his bathroom mirror, he suddenly smiled. Out of the blue, it just showed up on his face, and he knew what…or rather whom, had placed it there.

“You little shit. I love the fuck out of you.”

He got back to the camp to see everyone lining up for the bus and rushing into the parking lot to go with friends. Everyone was going. That worried him about the camp, so he called a neighbor of his from the office phone.

“Jake, hey. I’ll up my watermelon side of the next trade by three if you come and babysit the camp today and tonight. Just keep the critters and any looters out.”

“Sure! But I’ll take three watermelons and a bushel of them cukes. I’m dying to make some pickles.”

“You’re on. I have a great crop of cucumbers this year.”

After letting True know about the deal, True said, “That’s wonderful. Now, I have another favor. Bernie and I, we’re going up alone. Will you drive the bus up for us?”

“Sure! But why are you all heading up alone?”

“It’s a surprise. Now, don’t go to the club early. In fact, everyone agreed to stop and eat before we get there. You all decide where to go.”

On a bus, the drive was long. The winding roads of the mountain pass were treacherous in a big vehicle like that, but damn beautiful. There were few talking, most of them choosing to stare out the window at the views.

The high road made it possible to see for a hundred miles. The entire area was wild, mountainous, green. Cherokee looked up into the mirror when he could to see the looks on all the faces.

They stopped at a diner outside of Denver, everyone filing in the doors, excited, talking up a storm. There were just enough tables for everyone, and the waitresses were happy they’d be serving more than the few of their regulars who’d left as soon as the crowd had showed.

Cherokee also threatened everyone with full-pack ten-mile hikes if they didn’t tip well.

The darkness outside once they left the diner only made the entrance to the city more satisfying. The lights twinkling on the horizon once they came over the little hill before it. He felt his stomach doing flips and the butterflies taking flight just knowing he was about to see Jovian.

Plastered to windows on both sides, the campers that came from rural towns were fascinated with all the life the city held long after the times when their small towns were shut down for the evening.

Cars of every shape and color driving close by, the tall buildings they passed lit like it was Christmas.

The sounds, as well, from the open windows, horns honking, music blaring from different vehicles, and once they got off the five-lane highway that ran through the city, and turned to smaller areas, there were voices that could be heard from cars.

Loud laughter, an argument, they passed all of it. Cherokee knew then why he loved the mountains.

“Hey, Coach, how close are we?”

“My GPS says two miles.”

Kathy came up next to her boyfriend and said, “Why? Are you anxious?”

“Sure! I got out of survival camp tonight. I’m ready to celebrate. Oh, sorry, Coach.”

Kathy laughed and dragged him to the back and Cherokee laughed, too. He wasn’t sorry a bit.

The club came into view, a five-story brick building set off by itself amongst industrial companies and warehouses.

It was the perfect place for such a club.

The atmosphere before a person ever arrived got them in the right mood.

Iron, steel, wood, the strong materials that people constantly strived to become.

The parking lot was packed, and it was early, only eight thirty. If Cherokee remembered, clubs never got hopping before ten at night, but there they were, an hour and a half earlier than that, and already, there were people lined up to get into the doors.

Cherokee stood and announced, “Okay, everyone, I know this is a club. It’s not the woods, but you’re all still my responsibility.

Buddy up! If that buddy is a romantic partner, fine, but take a friend or two and do not separate from them tonight!

I’m not kidding, I will make you hike so much your feet with fall off, or swim for hours, if you can’t hike. ”

They laughed and agreed, so he felt better about letting a bunch of small-town people into a big city club. He couldn’t even imagine what their impressions would be.

He waited until everyone was off the bus, and he checked to assure no one was sleeping. After locking the doors, he headed in behind the others and waited for at least fifteen minutes before the line moved enough for him to get through the doors.

The two in front of him told their names, and that they weren’t members, so they got an orange wristband. He understood that was the way the club was keeping track, so when it was his turn, he told the big, gorgeous African American bouncer, “Cherokee Dixon, not a member.”

He jumped when he heard the name and leafed through some papers under the computer monitor in front of him. “Dixon, yeah, I got this memo thing.”

He pulled it out and looked at the paper, then at him and said, “You’re VIP tonight, sir.”

“VIP? I’ve never even been here.”

“I got orders from Gary and the drag queens.”

“Drag…” he thought about it then realized that was the big mystery. “Clit and Final?”

“Yeah, them. Love their shows, man, damn!”

He got his white wristband and was told he could go anywhere in the club, but the major attractions were on the fourth floor, one everyone, including non-members, was welcome.

Heading with the crowd, he made it to the elevators, keeping his eyes peeled for Jovian, but another big, gorgeous African American man came running over to him, and stopped him before he could get on one of them.

“Hey, Cherokee, right?”

“Right,” he said, and then recognized him as True’s brother. “Gary.”

“Yeah, yeah, I met you that couple times when True and Bern first got involved with the camp. Come over here, and let me holler at you.”

They went to one of the few free tables, off in a corner of the room, and Gary called over a waiter, a cute, red-haired guy of around twenty-five. “Get me a special and Cherokee?”

“Water, thanks.”

“Good to keep hydrated.” He stared at Cherokee with a smile and said, “So, you’re the one.”

“The one?”

“That tamed Jovian.”

“Oh,” he said, laughing. “I don’t think I tamed him.”

“Well, you showed him he had a heart. Close enough. I’m gonna tell you, when he first asked me about doing this? I thought he was some pod person, some clone. I never in my life imagined Jovian would want to do this, let alone pull it off.”

“When he’s determined, well, you can see.”

“I do. I want to tell you, he swore me to secrecy, but I was gonna say something to my brother. I get Jovian didn’t want credit, but this is so big.

There’s not a doubt he’s saving that camp now.

The old owners have already committed to matching whatever’s made and, more than that, to make up any difference, in case it runs short of what you all need.

So far, by what the bouncers have told me, we’re gonna make it and then some. ”

That wasn’t just a relief, it was more pride for his boy. “I’m really happy about that. It’s a good thing, the camp.”

“It is. If it can help someone like Jovian, it shows what powers it has. True wanted me to keep you down here for a while. She’s starting off the show, a surprise for Jovian, and True figures you could show yourself at the same time.

Jovian’s up there, making everyone nuts, picking at this and that, trying so hard to make everything perfect.

True and Bernie, they wanted it to be perfect for him, too. ”

“Just let me know when.”

“Not long now. I’ll give you the passcode for the VIP elevator and you can head up without waiting in line. Just push the button for the fourth floor.”

“Thanks. Do you know where Jovian will be?”

“He’s stationing himself in the back of the room, so he can nitpick anyone not doing what he wants them to.”

“Wonderful,” Cherokee said, laughing.

He drank his water while watching a man with three pups, all on leashes, kneeling on the ground by his feet as he spoke quietly with another man.

He saw lots of leather, lots of latex in the time he was at the table, including a lot of very pretty twinks sending flirting glances his way that, formerly, would have turned his head.

Well, Cherokee Dixon was off the market.

He went up in the elevator when he was supposed to, and he searched the crowd in the back of the room, in the back and center of two stages. It was standing room only on the floor and a loud buzz of hundreds of conversations made it hard to even think.

Cherokee didn’t mind, though. He was a man of instinct. When he saw Jovian, he smiled, especially seeing the stress on his baby’s face. He was so worried, so driven to help the camp, that he was tense all the way through his body, so much so it was obvious just looking at him.

He made his way around the room, moving in front of one stage, keeping in the center of the crowd to keep Jovian from picking him out of the other faces. Jovian was checking his phone over and over, likely knowing the time was coming to start the shows.

Cherokee stopped ten feet from him, keeping himself hidden by the line that trailed from the bathroom, and he watched as the lights lowered, the crowd’s thunderous applause roaring through the room.

As the spotlights came on, pointed in the center of the stage, two people soon came into view. Two people he knew well, or at least, their alter egos.

They were dressed to the nines in blue and red, respectively, long flowing gowns, both with blond wigs, and fake diamonds all up and down their arms, hanging from their earlobes and thick necklaces around their necks.

“Hey, y’all! How are you?” Clitoris Starling said to the crowd, and they answered with a cheer that likely could be heard in Wyoming.

Once it died enough for her to continue, Clit said, “I’m Clitoris Starling, and this is my partner in all things dark and naughty, Final Vaginal! Give this bitch some applause!”

Instead of watching the stage, Cherokee’s eyes were on Jovian. His jaw dropped hard, and his eyes were round, showing his utter shock.

“We wanted to come and thank our benefactors, because, well, my partner and I run the Pride Camp that you are all here to give a helping hand to! Come up on stage, Jovian Masseretti!”

Jovian didn’t move a muscle. He was too surprised to move, so Cherokee finally went to him, and leaned in to whisper, “Go up to the stage, baby boy.”

Jovian swung around, seeing him with even more shock.

“Hi. You’re not on the survival camping trip. I think you’re in trouble,” he said, then kissed him and in that moment, the spotlight turned to them, effectively ending the kiss.

“What are you doing here? I didn’t want you to know!”

“Well, your friend ratted you out and they’re all here, the entire camp. Get up there, hurry, and we’ll talk later.”

After giving Jovian a little push, his boy finally moved and he made it up the few steps to the stage, taking hugs from both drag queens.

Final got the mic while Clit was talking to Jovian and hugging him more. “We wanted to thank Armand Bueller, the owner of Chaps, Travis and Lonnie Walton, the former owners, all the staff, the other entertainers and you all, who are making it possible to keep our camp going.

“This camp, it means so much to the people that escape there each summer. To have a community surrounding them, maybe for the first time in their lives, is very special. If we’d have lost it, they’d have a few places they could go.

“So, thank you all, but our special thanks go to the one that got this night started, with his heart, with his connections, and hard work. He came to the camp because Clit and I, and Clit’s brother Gary, forced it on him.

Well, he showed us that a dog can learn a few new tricks.

Jovian, come over here and take some fucking thanks! ”

Cherokee watched from the floor as Jovian took the mic from Final, who kissed his cheek, then wiped the lipstick off before leaving Jovian to the cheering crowd.

Something Cherokee never thought he’d see was Jovian at a loss for words, but as tears ran down his face, he looked out at the crowd, stunned silent.

Cherokee knew his baby needed him, so he climbed the stairs and stood next to his boy, whispering, “Just talk about the camp, baby. Just talk about what a good thing it is. Everything else doesn’t matter.”

Jovian turned to him and whispered, “Stay by me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”