Page 117 of Game Changer
“’M fine. You have your own car?”
Scott laughed. “Yes. I don’t use it very often, but I own this one. It’s, um, easier, to use a service. Not having to worry about parking and stuff.”
“Mm,” Kip said sleepily. Parking or car ownership was not a thing he had ever had to worry about.
They drove in silence for a minute, and then Scott said, “Did you have fun?”
“Yeah. Yeah. My friends are awesome.”
“Good. Sorry I couldn’t be there.”
“S’okay.”
“No, I...” He sighed. “Never mind. We can talk about it when you’re not...”
“Talk about what?”
“Nothing.”
Kip could see the way Scott’s jaw tightened, even through his hazy vision. “I love you,” he said.
Scott relaxed a little. “I love you too. Even when you’re shitfaced.”
“Not shitfaced. Just a little tipsy.”
“Mm.”
“Thank you,” Kip said, concentrating hard at making his words as clear as possible, “for picking me up. Didn’t have to—”
“Of course,” Scott said. “I was glad Elena texted me. Not sure how she got my number—”
Kip waved a hand. “Fuck knows. She finds out everything.”
“Well, I’m glad she texted me. Made me feel...like what we have...”
Kip was losing the thread.
Scott stopped at a red light and looked at him. “I know it sucks keeping things secret. It sucks for me too. Tonight was really hard for me.”
“Scott...”
The light turned green.
“Anyway,” Scott said, turning his attention back to the road, “it was nice to get that text from Elena. Made it all seem more real.”
Kip placed a hand on Scott’s thigh. “It’s real.”
Scott’s lips quirked up. “Yeah,” he said. “Now let’s get you to bed.”
* * *
“Good morning,” a blurry Scott-shaped blob chirped. “Glad to see you’re alive.”
Kip blinked and rubbed his eyes. He was parched.
“Here,” blurry Scott said, and handed him a glass of water. Kip gulped it down.
“Thanks,” he said, handing the glass back.
