Page 177 of Game Changer
Scott joined their little circle, draping a heavy arm across Kip’s shoulders. “Are these guys bothering you?” he asked with a sloppy grin. It was possible he’d had a lot of champagne already.
“We’re just trying to figure out how a guy this great ended up with a mess like you, Hunter,” Carter joked.
“I don’t know either, but I’m sure glad he did,” Scott said, and he kissed Kip on the cheek. Kip turned bright red. He glanced at Carter and Bennett, expecting them to be looking away, but they were both just smiling at them.
Scott dipped his head to speak directly into Kip’s ear. “They’re kicking out everyone who isn’t on the team, but I’ll see you at home, right?”
“Definitely. But I don’t expect you anytime soon. It’s your night. Have fun, okay?”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you.”
And then Scott had kissed him quickly on the mouth. It was just a peck, but it was no small gesture, given where they were standing.
Kip practically floated all the way home, replaying the last couple of hours in his head and dreaming of the future.
* * *
Kip spent a few hours back at home staring at his phone.
He had received alotof texts that night.
Maria: Aaaahhh!!! What the FUCK???!! That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen?????
Shawn: You. Fucking. Bitch. You lying fucking bitch. We’re getting lunch together. SOON.
Kyle: First of all, congratulations and I am happy for you. Secondly, holy fucking shit!
Megan: Um... WHAT?!
He’d also gotten texts from people he hadn’t talked to in months. There had been a couple of missed calls from his parents. He would return them tomorrow.
Elena had left the game at some point, but she had texted him.Congratulations. You boys just made history.
A second text said,Seriously, though, I almost cried.
Kip kept watching the same video over and over again. It was the interview Scott had done on the ice, immediately after they’d kissed. It, along with many photos and screengrabs of them kissing, had gone viral.
“Sure, yeah,” Scott had told the interviewer, who had asked him if he wanted to comment on what everyone had just witnessed. “I was just celebrating a little with my boyfriend.”
“I don’t think that the world was aware that you’re...”
“Gay? Yes, I’m gay. I was planning on making some sort of official announcement, but what the hell, right? Everyone is here now.”
The interviewer had been silent a moment, seemingly stunned, before she blinked and said, “And...are you... Is there anything you want to tell us about him?”
“Absolutely. He means the world to me and I love him.”
Kip grinned like an idiot every time he watched it. Scott’s voice was so steady. So confident, like he had no regret at all. No looking back.
Kip tried not to pay too much attention to what social media was saying about it, but a glance told him that there seemed to be more people who were thrilled than who were disgusted. Definitely a lot of shock on both sides, though.
“This is going to be fucking nuts,” Kip muttered to his phone. Starting tomorrow morning, his life was going to beverydifferent.
But tonight he was at home, madly in love, and so fucking happy. He was proud of Scott for so many reasons.
He watched the interview again.
