Chapter Eighteen
Kip waited just inside the front door of Scott’s apartment, his phone in his hand. Scott had been texting him constant updates all morning.
Scott: Heading to the airport.
Scott: Taking off soon.
Scott: Just landed.
Scott: In the car.
Scott: Crossing the bridge. Traffic heavy.
Scott: Almost there!
Kip looked at his phone, waiting for another update. Would there be one, or would Scott just walk through the door…?
He rolled his eyes at himself. This was so silly. They were grown men and they’d only been apart for nine days.
Another text came. Just pulled up. See you in a minute!
Kip ran a hand through his hair, set his phone on the coffee table, and went to the door. He was in his jeans and a new dark green Henley shirt that he’d bought yesterday—an early birthday present to himself.
The door clicked and opened, and Kip only had a split second to take in Scott’s smiling face before Scott was on him. Kip was pressed back against the wall, Scott kissing him hard and hungry while he held Kip’s arms with his giant hands.
“Happy birthday,” Scott said when they finally broke for air.
“Thanks. I missed you.”
Scott smiled, and kissed him again.
Kip felt weak with happiness. It was so good to have Scott’s huge, solid body surrounding him.
“You did it,” he said when they broke apart. “You won all six games!”
“I was motivated.” Scott cradled Kip’s face in his hands, brushing his thumb over Kip’s cheekbone. “You said something about a reward?”
“I never said reward. I said I’d give you whatever you need,” Kip corrected him.
Scott kissed him one more time. “You always do. But today’s not about me. It’s about you!”
“Does that mean I get to unwrap you?”
“Yes, please.”
* * *
“I’m starving!” Scott said. He was toweling himself off after the shower they had enjoyed together (and after the sex they had enjoyed together).
“Thank god,” Kip said. “Me too.” He frowned. “Um, you might not have much for groceries here.”
“Oh. Yeah, well, I was thinking…”
“Delivery?”
“Actually,” Scott said, “I was thinking we could maybe…go somewhere?”
Kip lit up. “Really?”
“Yeah, I mean…one lunch wouldn’t be too suspicious, right?”
“Right,” Kip said, a little less enthusiastic. What had he been expecting?
“So where do you want to go? My treat!”
Kip rolled his eyes but smiled. “I dunno. Doesn’t have to be fancy. You might know better than I do where you wouldn’t be bothered.”
Scott seemed to think about it.
“Get dressed,” he said. “We’re going out!”
* * *
The March weather was cold and damp and shitty, but Kip was so happy to be out of the apartment with Scott. They weren’t holding hands or doing anything else that would suggest that they were a couple, but just being out in the world with him felt surreal and wonderful.
Scott led them to a diner a few blocks from his apartment. They sat in a booth, grinning at each other over their menus.
“What are you getting?” Scott asked.
“It’s my birthday,” Kip said. “I’m getting a damn patty melt!”
“Good man.”
“And a milkshake.”
“That sounds amazing. What flavor?”
“Vanilla. Why mess with perfection?”
“Yup,” Scott said, closing his menu. “I’m getting the exact same thing.”
They ordered, and then Scott said, “You know… I was thinking we could maybe go somewhere this summer.”
Kip raised an eyebrow. “You were?”
“Yeah… Like, I told you I usually go away in summer, to places where I don’t usually get recognized. We wouldn’t have to worry so much,” Scott said in a hushed voice, leaning in, “about people seeing us together.”
“Right.” Kip frowned at the table. “Yeah.”
Scott started talking excitedly about some beach town in Spain or Italy he’d been to and didn’t seem to notice that Kip was starting to spiral.
I don’t want to hide our relationship anymore.
Is he even going to want me by the summer?
How long can I be in a relationship with someone in secret?
The server brought their food and Kip was grateful for the distraction.
“Man, it has been way too long since I’ve had a patty melt,” Scott said. He was so cheerful.
“It’s good,” Kip said, forcing a smile. “Thank you.”
There was no way Kip was going to let Scott take him on a luxurious vacation.
Between the hockey tickets, the tuxedo, and the time spent in the penthouse, Kip had already accepted way too much from him.
What could Kip possibly give him in return?
An all-expenses-paid trip to some five-star incognito gay beach resort would only increase the debt Kip was keeping a running tally of.
I’d rather he just take me to a diner again. And we can split the bill.
“So where are you going tonight?” Scott asked, before taking a long pull from his vanilla shake.
“Oh, there’s this pub, in the Village—the Kingfisher. I used to go there a lot, but I don’t go out as much these days. When I do meet my friends, though, it’s usually there.”
“Is it, like…a gay bar?” Scott asked in a low voice.
Kip laughed a little. “Yeah. It’s very much like a gay bar. But it’s chill. It’s just a pub with cute bartenders.”
“You’re meeting some friends there, you said?”
“Yeah, Elena. I asked Maria from work. And then some friends from college.” He leaned in with a playful smile and whispered, “Some gay friends.”
Scott rolled his eyes. “Fine. Make fun of me.”
Kip laughed again and kicked Scott under the table.
But he stopped laughing when he realized there was really nothing funny about Scott’s closeted life.
It was sad that he was nervous about going to a gay bar.
That he had never gone out with a group of supportive friends, or enjoyed flirting with a cute server.
He decided to try something even though he knew it wouldn’t work.
“I know all the reasons why you’ll say no,” he said, “but you should think about coming out with us tonight.”
“Oh. No, I—”
“I know. But going to a gay bar doesn’t mean you’re gay. It’s just a group of friends at a bar. It’s no big deal. It’s not like we’re going to be grinding into each other on a dance floor or anything.”
Scott seemed to consider it, but then shook his head. “Your friends would be wondering what I’m doing there. I mean, Elena knows, but…”
Kip deflated a little. Scott was right. Elena was one thing, but the others…
Scott would cause a commotion in the Kingfisher, even if everyone believed he was a straight guy hanging out with his gay friend. Even if no one knew who he was, he would attract a lot of attention. He kind of stood out.
“Well,” Kip said, “if you change your mind, I’ll text you the address of the bar.”
Scott looked like he was about to say something, but they were interrupted by two men who had approached their table, looking very excited.
“Hey! Scott Hunter!”
“Hello?” Scott asked.
“Holy shit! It’s you, right?” One of the men held out his hand. Scott gave a small smile and shook it.
“I’m a huge fan,” the man continued. “My opinion? You’re taking us to the cup this year. All the way!”
“I share your opinion,” Scott said, smiling politely at him.
The second man spoke. “Can we get a picture?”
“Sure,” Scott said, standing up. “No problem.” He gave Kip an apologetic glance, but Kip just waved his hand. He was actually enjoying this.
“Would you…?” the second man said, handing Kip his phone.
“Oh, sure. Of course.” Kip stood up so he could take their picture. Scott threw an arm around each of the men and they all smiled at Kip.
“Thanks, Scott!” the first man said. “You’re first-class, man. Lookin’ forward to seeing you hoist that cup for us. Enjoy your lunch, all right?”
“Thank you,” Scott said.
The men left and Kip grinned at Scott. “That was nice.”
“That was fine,” Scott said. “Sometimes it’s not so fine.” His eyes darted around the restaurant. “We should probably get going soon. It always starts with one and ends with a mob.”
They didn’t talk on the way back to Scott’s place. Scott’s jaw was clenched the way it always was when he was worried about something, and Kip knew exactly what was bothering him.
He hates that people saw us together.
Kip shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, and walked quickly to keep up with Scott’s long strides.
* * *
Scott was nervous. They were sitting on his couch, Kip stretched out at the opposite end with his feet in Scott’s lap. He was replying to a birthday message from his sister. Scott waited until he was done.
“So, um,” Scott started, “I, uh… I have a birthday present for you.”
“Oh?” Kip said.
“Yeah.” Scott pulled a slightly bent envelope from the back pocket of his jeans. He handed it to Kip, who sat up a bit and removed his feet from Scott’s lap. He eyed the envelope suspiciously, glancing at Scott over his bent knees.
Scott watched him open the envelope, and readied the speech he had prepared. He could guess how Kip was going to react.
“Are you… What?” Kip said, visibly stunned. He had opened the little card and was holding the paper that had been tucked inside. “No. Scott. Come on.”
“I’m not sure if I got the amount exactly right,” Scott said calmly, “but I want to pay off your student loans.”
“This is a check for fifty thousand dollars, Scott!”
“I know. I wrote it.”
“No,” Kip said again, shaking his head. “This is dumb. You can’t just give me fifty thousand dollars for my birthday.”
“I figured you would say that,” Scott said, “but the thing is… I can. Easily. And you know it.”
Kip was still staring at the check, dumbfounded. “It’s too much,” he said quietly. “Way too much.”
“You mean your loan is less than that?”
“Well, yes. That too. But this is nuts!”
“You said you don’t like your job. You said you want to move out of your parents’ house. I want you to be able to do anything you want to do. So if that money can help you get started, I’m happy to give it to you. More than happy.”
“Jesus,” Kip mumbled.
“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Scott said.
“Right. Um.”
“You’re uncomfortable.”
“Yeah.”