Love Means Courage - Andrew Grey

everyone anyway?” Cliff finished up with the table and looked at his handiwork.
“Mari did, actually.” There were some parents who hadn’t wanted their kids to go to the party, but most of them had been great 227 Love Means Courage
and accepted both Cliff and Len as Geoff’s fathers.
    Len put the ladder in the equipment shed. When he returned, he saw Fred, Randy, and Steve walking out of the barn with huge smiles on their faces. “You guys all set?”

    “Yeah. I just need to go inside and change.” Steve had agreed to dress up as a “real” cowboy and let the kids each have a turn riding Misty. “I thought I’d lead them around the drive and use the bench by the barn to help them on and off.”
    “I’m manning the grill.” Fred unrolled an apron that said:
“Don’t kiss the cook, he’s taken.”
Randy laughed when he saw it. “And I’m on game duty.” They had plastic horseshoes and a cowboy-themed bean-bag toss. “Good.” Len headed inside and returned with the drink cooler.
“Let’s get the last of it ready.”
    They finished the preparations as the first of the kids and their parents began to arrive. Dan and Vikki arrived with Geoff’s cousins, Jilly and baby Chris, a few minutes later. Soon the yard was filled with five-year-old boys and girls running and playing. The phone rang, and Cliff answered it. After hanging up, he announced, “Geoff will be here in a few minutes, so everybody hide.” The guys helped the kids, and Cliff waited until Mari pulled into the drive. Geoff got out and looked around. Cliff gave the signal, and everyone jumped out and yelled, “Surprise!” Geoff screamed with delight and then raced across the yard to join his friends. Steve brought out Misty, and the party started, with kids playing games and riding the horse until the food was ready, which was followed by cake and ice cream.
    Then it was time for presents. Geoff sat at the table and opened 228
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    each gift, thanking the giver, just like Len had taught him. Cliff looked so proud. Len thought he was going to burst. Once he’d opened everything, the party died down, and parents began to arrive to take everyone home.
    Once the kids were gone, Len motioned to Steve, who quietly disappeared into the barn.
Cliff looked at his son. “Geoff, Len and I wanted to get you something special for your birthday.” Steve emerged from the barn. “You got me a pony!” Geoff was jumping up and down with excitement as Steve walked the small horse to where Geoff stood.
    “Yes. His name is Raspberry, and Len is going to give you riding lessons.” Geoff gave his dad a big hug and then raced to Len, throwing himself into his arms for a hug as well. Len carried Geoff to the pony and placed him in the saddle. Taking the reins from Steve, Len led Geoff and Raspberry around the yard as Geoff whooped and laughed.
    “Let me get a picture of the three of you.” Steve went to his truck and got his camera. Len held Raspberry’s reins, and Cliff stood near Geoff, all three of them waiting as Steve focused the camera. “Say cheese.” They smiled, and the shutter clicked—a family portrait.
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    ow available from Dreamspinner Press
The sequel to Love Means… Courage
    Geoff is in the city, living the gay life to the hilt, when his father's death convinces him to return to the family farm. Discovering a young Amish man asleep in his barn, Geoff learns that Eli is spending a year away from the community before accepting baptism into the church. Despite their mutual attraction, Geoff is determined not to become involved with him, but Eli has discovered that Geoff shares his feelings and begins to court him, neatly capturing first Geoff's attention and then his heart.

    Their budding relationship is threatened by closed-minded, gossipy relatives and the society at large, a whole new world to Eli, and he must decide whether to return to the community, his family, and the world and future he knows or to stay with Geoff and have faith in the power of love.
    Also Available from Dreamspinner Press

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    ANDREW GREYgrew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation. Andrew's hobbies include collecting