Free Devoted by Sierra Riley Page B

mascot from a competing university. It was a thrill he really couldn’t explain. Something that bound him to Jake just by virtue of their shared experience.
    “Do you have vows prepared, or would you like me to provide them?”
    “We’re terrible with that sort of thing,” Jake said, covering for them both before Russ had the chance to feel guilty again.
    Russ gave him a grateful smile, and the judge started reciting the standard lines, eventually reaching the vows.
    “Jacob Anthony Larson, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, forsaking all others, ’till death do you part?”
    Those words on their own had never meant much to him, but he realized now how much they applied to him and Jake. Jake had been there for him through all of those things. And he liked to think he’d been there for Jake, too, though he knew he was running on a huge deficit now.
    “I do,” Jake said, and there was a note to his friend’s voice that Russ just couldn’t place.
    “Russell David Callaghan, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, forsaking all others, ’till death do you part?”
    Russ held his breath. His heart thumped loudly in his chest again.
    “I do,” he said, far more easily than he would have expected.
    “Do you have the rings?”
    Russ looked toward Jake, who withdrew one of his hands to reach into his pocket.
    “I have them.”
    He produced two simple gold bands that definitely didn’t look new. It took Russ only a moment to realize where they were from, and his chest tightened. These were the bands that had belonged to Jake’s parents. Bands Jake had fought tooth and nail to get back.
    “Are you sure?” He found himself asking.
    Jake nodded, handing him one of the rings. It felt heavy in his palm, the weight pressing down on him in more ways than one.
    “I’m sure.”
    “Then Jacob, if you’ll repeat after me:”
    The words trailed off in Russ’s mind, jumbling into a haze. This was a big deal. That importance he’d felt earlier wasn’t just in his head. Jake using these rings was huge.
    But Russ didn’t know how to ask exactly what it meant. This wasn’t a real wedding, but maybe Jake saw it as a commitment nonetheless. He was pretty serious when it came to loyalty.
    Before he could question it further, he felt a ring being slipped on his finger. It didn’t quite fit, and Russ let out a soft breath. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed, or relieved. As he slipped the other ring on Jake’s finger, finding it a little too tight, he still hadn’t decided.
    “By the power vested in me, by the state of Missouri, I now pronounce you legally wed.”
    A whoop sounded from the crowd. A crowd that only consisted of two people: Ray and James. But Ray was loud enough for an entire courtroom full of people, and both men were on their feet.
    “Don’t be stingy now,” James said, and Russ realized what they were waiting for.
    He was standing at the front of the courtroom, a wedding band on his hand, newly married. There was only one thing left to make it official.
    He and Jake had to share a kiss as newlyweds.
    He’d imagined what it might be like to kiss Jake before. He hadn’t thought about it in years, but it surfaced in his mind now. His mouth suddenly felt dry, his palms sweaty. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest.
    Back in college, his imaginings had been just that. He’d never gotten up the courage to do it. Partly because he thought it would be a dick move to ask his gay best friend to tolerate his exploration, and partly because he’d been with Carrie by that point.
    But now, he was faced with the sudden reality of Jake leaning in toward him. His friend’s eyes were cautious, but that familiar pale blue helped to calm Russ’s nerves.
    It was Jake. They were going to laugh about this later, and it