Page 292 of The Lies We Play

“Never,” Halston says.

The word comes fast.

Too fast for the man who measures everything.

Then he leans forward and presses his forehead gently against mine.

“Never,” he says again, lower this time. “You’re mine. Ours. We’re yours. This is stupid logistics.”

“It’s the government deciding there can only be one signature,” Liv says. Her voice is careful now, but not fragile. “If I’m offering to sign, it’s because I know how important hockey is to you. Your career. The league isn’t ready for a famous player coming out as queer. You’ve said that before.”

“This is us marrying,” Halston says. “The three of us. Even when only two signatures can be on the license.”

“But then I wouldn’t be next of kin,” I say.

The words come before I can stop them.

The fear underneath them arrives worse.

If something happened.

If there was a hospital.

If a door closes.

If someone asked who I was, and the answer had no box.

I stop myself because the thought is ridiculous until it is not.

“Sorry,” I say. “I’m just afraid they wouldn’t let me near either one of you because I’m not family. Because I don’t have a relationship that matters on paper.”

“Fuck, Creed,” Halston says.

His voice is loud.

Strangled.

Furious in a way, I understand too late is not at me.

“Our relationship matters. You matter to me. I love you so fucking much.”

Liv takes my hand, and for half a second, I want to pull away.

Not because I don’t want her.

Because I do.

Because I'm not fragile, except right now I feel like there is a place inside me I didn’t know existed, and someone has pressed a thumb into it. It fucking hurts too much.

“On the document, you are nowhere,” Halston says.

“Liv and I sign the marriage license. Two witnesses sign—you’ll be one of them. The license is filed with the city. The codicil triggers. The trustees become advisory. The trusts come to me. Whelan sees a wife. Whelan sees a household with a wife. The rest—us—is none of their fucking business until you are ready.”

I glance at Livia. “Are you ready to let your parents know you’re married?”

She nods.

No hesitation.