Page 71 of Game Changer
“Yeah. Maybe.”
“Who knows? Anyway, did you see? The paparazzi got us the other night. Me and Gloria. We were getting dinner at the new Nobu—have you been there yet?”
“No.”
“Well, you have to. Anyway. We were leaving Nobu and the paps fucking got us. So our little secret is blown.” Carter shrugged. “Matter of time, I guess. Turned out to not be a big deal because one of the Kardashians announced she was pregnant yesterday, so no one gives a shit about us anymore.”
“Right...”
Carter launched into a detailed description of his Nobu meal, and Scott tried to listen, but mostly he thought about what Carter had just said. Carter had been trying to keep his new relationship a secret, but when that secret had come out it had just been another gossip column item. Just two celebrities who had started seeing each other. People said “huh” and moved on.
That would not happen if the paparazzi caught Scott and Kip together. Sure, they could go to dinner maybe. Once. If it started to be a regular thing, it would attract attention. And what if they were caught...touching? Holding hands?Kissing?There’d be no way Scott could deny—
“They have this miso caramel sauce that—You listening, Hunter?”
“Huh? Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I’m just...hungry. Kinda hard to hear about food right now.”
“Well, we’ve talked about hockey, we’ve talked about food, we’ve talked aboutmylove life. How aboutyourlove life?”
“No.”
“Seems like there might actually be something to talk about there.”
“There isn’t.”
Carter studied him, and probably didn’t miss the color in Scott’s face, or the way Scott couldn’t look him in the eye. “You’re the worst liar in the world, Scott.”
“I know.”
“You don’t want to tell me? Fine. I only want you to be happy. Guy like you should be with someone special.”
Scott smiled to himself. “I’m happy.”
“You bringing her to the Equinox Gala?”
“Areyougoing to the gala?”
“Yes, I’m going! Did you forget who I’m dating? Also, I amveryfamous and beloved.”
Scott laughed, but inside he fretted. He hadn’t been expecting any of his teammates to be there. That would only make things more complicated.
And, god, it wasn’t fair. He wanted to tell Carter—his best friend—that he was bringing his boyfriend to the gala. His wonderful, gorgeous boyfriend who made him feel lighter and happier than he could ever remember feeling in his life. He wanted to dance with Kip, and kiss him, and introduce him to everyone so they would know how lucky Scott was.
Instead, Scott said, “Maybe. We’ll see.”
Carter smiled. “I hope so. I can’t wait to meet her, man.”
Chapter Thirteen
Scott and Kip woke up together the morning after the trade deadline.
They’d had the television on all day, turned to a sports channel that was devoted to the trade activity. At times Scott had given it his undivided attention, and Kip had known to give him space. Most of the day, though, he had been happy to let Kip take his mind off everything.
And Kip had been happy to do that.
He had also been happy to distracthimselffrom the stress of waiting to hear back from the museum. The interview had gone surprisingly well. Both of the interviewers had seemed to really like him. By the end of it, everyone had been talking like he’d already got the job. He had left on a real high.
But he still hadn’t told Scott about it. Maybe he didn’t want to jinx it, or maybe he was just embarrassed about his pathetic attempt to improve himself. Scott’s level of success made everything Kip did seem kind of ridiculous.
