Page 8 of Interference

Simon and I had nodded solemnly.

In that moment, despite being intimidated as hell by the team’s brass, it had been easy to make that commitment. Simon and I got along great. We’d been so good at keeping our relationship from affecting the team that no one had even caught on for the first entire year we’d been together. The only reason we’d found ourselves in that meeting was because we’d wanted to do right by our team and be honest. We’d come out. For a few unnerving days, we were sure one or both of us would be traded, waived, or released.

Ultimately it was our coach who’d gone to bat for us, saying we were each too valuable to the team on and off the ice. And public relations had stepped in to say that being the first team in the League with an out couple on the roster would be a PR jackpot.

Both of those things were true… as long as we didn’t hit the skids or break up.

After our GM had put the fear of God into us, we’d gone public. It had done great things for the team’s image, and we’d found ourselves being called an iconic power couple. Though we hadn’t been the first players to come out in the League, we were the first player couple. We dated openly. We roomed together on road trips. We were often interviewed together for articles. There was even a social media page called Austin-Caron Engagement Watch, where people tried to predict when we’d finally get engaged. It was kind of hilarious, actually, how many cameras zeroed in on our left hands whenever we were out in public.

And then, last season, behind closed doors and far out of anyone’s sight, things had begun to come unraveled.

Now I was in some sadistic version of Purgatory. I couldn’t escape the exhausting charade of happy boyfriends in front of cameras and everyone we know. I couldn’t make any headway on actually getting back to being happy boyfriends with Simon. I couldn’t risk my career by letting either of those plates stop spinning.

I was so fucking done… but I couldn’t stop.

My phone pinged again, and I muttered, “Fuck. Now what?”

Simon: Whatever. We can talk in the car tomorrow.

I closed my eyes and exhaled. That was always his solution. If one of us couldn’t make a chat, or if we were FaceTiming and arguing about something, his answer was always to finish it in the car the next day. Because nothing helped us keep our cover like arguing in the car on the way to practice or a game.

Before I could reply, a door opened at the end of the hall. Dog tags jingled and nails clicked on the floor as Dr. Green and Wyatt returned to the reception area.

As soon as she came around the corner, Lily caught sight of the cats, and her tail started wagging furiously. She did her play bow again, dropping onto her elbows as her butt wiggled in the air.

Moose wasn’t remotely interested, but Bear crouched down like he was stalking her, tail swishing as he too wiggled his butt. I leaned down and scratched his back. “Let’s maybe not attack the dog, yeah?”

He ignored me and tried to run at her, but hit the end of his leash, nearly yanking my arm out of the socket in the process. Lily was delighted, bouncing and yipping to egg him on.

Wyatt and I both laughed as we reeled in our playful critters. He told Lily to sit, which she immediately did, though she was clearly disappointed. I just picked up Bear and held him on my hip, because it wasn’t like he was going to listen.

Moose, of course, was still on the chair, eyeing all of us as if he did not have time for the antics of peasants.

Gesturing at Lily, I asked, “How’s she doing?”

Wyatt’s smile fell a little, and his brow creased as he reached down to pet her neck. “She’s got a little skin infection on her hip.” He grimaced. “Probably something she picked up outside.”

“It’s a very minor infection,” Dr. Green clarified, and she handed him a small plastic bag. “The ointment will help with the itching and redness. There’s also an oral antibiotic just to make sure it’s gone.”

Wyatt nodded, looking a little pale at the prospect.

“Is she hard to pill?” I asked. “Because I can help. I’ve got experience getting pills down that one.” I nodded toward Moose, who glared up at me as if to ask, “How dare you, human?”

Wyatt laughed thinly. “No, no, she’s easy to pill.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “I’m just not sure I can afford both.” He slid a card free as he asked, “How much are they?”

She smiled. “I’m including it with the exam fee.”

He blinked. “You—really?”

Dr. Green nodded. Then her expression shifted as well, and she glanced at Lily with worried eyes. “It’s important to keep her—and especially the infected area—as clean as possible until it clears up.”

The shame and embarrassment in Wyatt’s face were impossible to miss, not to mention the worry. “I’ll, uh… I’ll figure something out.”

“How long is she on the antibiotics?” I asked.

“Ten days,” Dr. Green replied. “And I’d like to follow up with her in a week to make sure she’s improving.” She hesitated, then added, “If that’s possible.”

Wyatt opened his mouth to speak, but I said, “We’ll make it happen.”

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