Page 125 of Game Changer
“A bit. Not really. Maybe.”
Kip sat up, grinning wider now. “I’ve never seen you drunk before.”
“Not that drunk,” Scott muttered. “Just...had a good time.”
“Mm.”
Scott pulled off his shirt and pants, and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Kip watched the door, waiting for him.
“Go back to sleep,” Scott said again when he returned. “You have work tomorrow.”
It was true. Kip had to get up for work way too soon.
Scott got into bed and quickly kissed Kip on the cheek before turning off the light. Kip frowned into the darkness, wanting to say something but not knowing what. And the middle of night when your boyfriend is at least a little drunk and you have to go to work in a couple of hours probably wasn’t the best time.
“Congratulations on the win,” he said finally. “I’m really proud of you.”
But Scott was already asleep.
* * *
It hadn’t helped that a couple of weeks ago there had been an Admirals team dinner where wives and girlfriends were invited to attend. Part of Kip had wanted to argue that a private event like that, where Scott would be amongst the people he considered to be his family, could be a perfect opportunity to introduce him. Maybe coming out didn’t need to be a big deal. Maybe Scott could just...show up with Kip. Let his teammates draw their own conclusions.
He didn’t bring this up with Scott, and Scott never even hinted that he might bring Kip along. Instead, he’d only apologized when he told him about the dinner. He had told him he wished he could bring him, but that was it.
Kip had been a little low ever since.
A customer had left one of the free newspapers they give out in subway stations on a table at work. A photo of Scott, jubilant after one of the two goals he’d scored last night, filled the front page. When Kip glanced at it, he felt both guilty and emotional. He was an asshole. His boyfriend was a fuckingheroand he was an ungrateful jerk who expected Scott to jeopardize everything he had worked for his whole life? For him?
He looked at Scott’s exuberant face on the cover of the newspaper and was filled with the gut-wrenching truth that there was no way this thing with Scott would possibly last. How could it?
This was the exact headspace that Kip was in when Maria said, “So... I have to tell you something.”
“Oh?”
“I put in my notice.”
It took Kip a moment to register what she had said. “Shit. Really?”
“Yeah. Um, my friend got promoted to manager at one of the Starbucks in Midtown, and they were hiring...”
“Oh.”
“I’ll still have to get up at ass o’clock, but the pay is better and there are benefits, you know? Health insurance.”
“Yeah. No, yeah. That’s great. Good for you.” His enthusiasm was beyond forced.
“Aw, Kip. I’m sorry. I should have given you a heads-up. I just didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure.”
“No, it’s fine. Don’t be. It’s fine! I’m happy for you. Really.”
“Hey,” she said brightly, “if they’re ever hiring again, I’ll put in a good word for you. If you want.”
“Oh, sure. Yeah. Maybe. Thanks.”
“I probably won’t work there for too long,” Maria said. “I’ve been thinking about...police academy.”
“Seriously?”
