by Ariel Tachna
“Still not a publicity event,” Linc grumbled.
“Don’t let one person spoil our evening, okay?”
Linc took a deep breath, trying to release the irritation. “You’re right. I’m here with you after a great game and another win, and I shouldn’t let anything get in the way of that. So, if you’re busy with your family tomorrow afternoon, do you have time to get together on Monday?”
Kit grinned at Linc. “For tutoring or for a date?”
“Can it be for both?” Linc asked. “Tutoring followed by a date?”
Kit pursed his lips. “I work at Alltech until five, so it would have to be after that, but it’s my night to cook. If you want to come to my place, you can meet Phillip and Ephah, and possibly their girlfriends, have dinner with us, and then we can work on some physics when we’re done eating.”
Linc tried to remember Monday’s schedule. Practice in the morning, class, he usually lifted with Pete around four, but he could see if Pete was free earlier or lift by himself. “I think so. Can I text you tomorrow to let you know for sure?”
“Sure. There will be enough either way.”
Linc laughed. “You haven’t seen me eat.”
Kit winked. “You haven’t seen me cook. Phillip jokes I make enough to feed Captain America and Thor… after a battle.”
“Marvel fan?” Linc asked.
“We both are, and we’ve dragged Ephah along.”
“Just the movies or the comics too?”
“More the comics than the movies, although I love the movies and TV shows too. Dad had a collection of the comics, and Mom gave them to us when we were old enough to read them. We don’t have much from him—he was killed in action before I was two—but that’s one tangible thing to go along with the stories from Mom and Uncle Thane.”
Kit tilted his beer to his mouth and finished it, leaving Linc squirming in his chair as he watched Kit’s throat work. Get your mind out of the gutter!
“Do you want another one?” Linc asked.
“I shouldn’t. I drove since it’s late, and it would be a half an hour walk home. It wouldn’t do to ruin our date with an accident or a ticket. I can drop you off somewhere, if you want. No rush, of course. I can get water if you want to stay for a while.”
Linc finished his own beer. “No, we have practice tomorrow, although not as early as usual. I don’t want to drag in there hungover. They’ll give me a hard enough time for not coming out with them tonight. I don’t want to give them anything else to razz me about.”
They flagged down the waiter and paid for their drinks. Kit bundled up in a peacoat that looked well-loved. He wondered if that had been Kit’s dad’s too, but he didn’t ask. Instead he pulled on his own jacket and took Kit’s hand as they left the restaurant. When they were outside and away from all the people in the restaurant, he leaned down and kissed Kit with more enthusiasm than he’d dared when he arrived.
Kit returned the kiss, flicking his tongue across Linc’s lips. “You’re too tempting for your own good. We’re standing on the street where all I can do is give you a quick kiss.”
“Maybe I’m trying to convince you to ask me to come in when we get back to your place.”
Linc thought about his single dorm room with barely enough room to walk around the extra-long bed. Not to mention the common areas they’d have to walk through to get there. “I’m not sure there’s any more privacy at my dorm than there is on the street. A closed door, maybe, but a lot more busybodies around. We’d be better off going to your apartment.”
Kit snorted. “Yeah, with Phillip, Ephah, Zoe, and Marisol there. We’ll save that for an evening when I know they’re both out on dates.”
“As long as it’s not a game night or during travel to an away game, I’m in,” Linc said. Anything to get them out of the public eye for a bit.
“Come on. I’ll take you home, and I’ll see you Monday night.” Kit took Linc’s hand, his skin warm despite the cold air, and led him down the street away from campus.
“Lord willin’, the creek don’t rise.” Linc twined their fingers together, happy to be out with a kind, gorgeous man who didn’t care about his celebrity or the risks to his own privacy being seen with Linc could bring. That might change tomorrow, but for now, he’d take what he could get.
Kit drove a cute little Toyota Prius, clearly not new, but well maintained. “Hand-me-down?” he asked as he climbed into the passenger seat and pushed it all the way back to make room for his legs.
“No, Uncle Thane drives pickups because of the construction, and Uncle Blake has had the same car for as long as I’ve known him. I did some research when I bought my car to find one that would give me a decent driving range and the smallest carbon footprint possible. I looked at electric cars too, but it’s still hard to find charging stations for them if I have to drive out of town. Although with all the research going on at Alltech, we might have a sustainable biofuel soon that could replace petroleum-based gasoline entirely while also recycling more carbon dioxide from the air through the algae ponds.” Kit flushed a little in the low light as he started the car. “Sorry, I tend to get excited when environmental issues come up.”
Linc leaned across the gear shift to kiss Kit firmly. “Don’t apologize for being excited about something. Everyone needs a passion, and I want to share yours just like you share mine.”
Kit flushed even more. “Thanks. Phillip and Ephah give me a hard time about it sometimes. Because I go overboard, according to them. But there’s no such thing when it comes to protecting the environment. Otherwise where are we going to live in the future?”
“They trippin’,” Linc replied. “Don’t let ’em get you down.”
“I don’t, but it’s nice to talk to someone who gets it.”
Linc leaned back in the seat so Kit could drive. “You can talk to me about anything or nothing at all.”
Kit’s smile was blinding even in the intimate darkness of the car.
LINC let himself into his dorm after finally letting Kit leave. They’d made out in the car for a bit, but sedans weren’t really designed for that kind of intimacy.
“’Bout time you got back,” Pete said as Linc walked into the front lounge. “You been on Twitter recently?”
“No, I was out with Kit, as you know since you went with me to meet him.”
“You’ll want to take a look.”
That didn’t sound good. “Why?”
Pete handed Linc his phone. On the screen was a picture of him bending to kiss Kit. Kit’s features weren’t clear enough to be recognizable to anyone who didn’t know it was him, but the image had hundreds of retweets already, and it had only been online for half an hour. “Well, shit.”
“They don’t know his name, but it’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes him. And even if they don’t, someone will ask you about it when we do the press conference for the next game. You need to think about what you’re going to say.”
“I’m having dinner with him on Monday at his place,” Linc said. “I’ll talk to him then about what he’s comfortable with me saying. But I’d better warn him about the picture on Twitter in case his brother or friends see it. Are you coming up?”
“Yeah.” Pete followed Linc up to his room. Linc texted Kit quickly, but while the text showed as delivered, it didn’t show as read. Linc tossed his phone on his desk and flopped on the bed. Pete flipped the desk chair around and straddled it, then leaned on the back. “So, hot date last night, best game of the season tonight, then drinks with him and caught kissing outside the bar. When did you meet him again?”
“Wednesday.”
“And today is Saturday. You’re moving pretty fast there, Joyner.”
“Your point?”
“No point, just making sure you know what you’re doing.”
Linc scrubbed at his scalp. “What am I supposed to say? I know it ain’t been a week. We’ve kissed a few times. If I was anyone else, nobody would notice or care. It’s only a thin
g because I’m me and it’s basketball season. And that’s not fair to Kit or to me. But there ain’t a damn thing I can do about it.”
“Move to BFE and raise goats?” Pete suggested.
Linc barked out a laugh. “If I’m gonna do that, I may as well go back to Hodgenville. Plenty of work on the farm down there, except then they’d have to feed me. And Kit’s a city boy. He’d go crazy down on the farm.”
“You could find something to do in Lexington—or some city anyway—that wasn’t basketball. That’s what’ll happen to most of us.”
It could happen to Linc too, although he’d had enough interest from NBA scouts that he didn’t expect it to unless he didn’t put his name in for the draft. “I don’t know anything besides basketball, and I ain’t asking Kit or anyone else to let me leech off them. I’mma stand on my own two feet and provide for my family.”
“I never doubted it, man. Just don’t sacrifice your happiness to do it.”
If only it were that simple.
Chapter Nine
“GUESS what the newest Twitter hashtag is,” Phillip said the moment Kit walked into the apartment.
“Hi, Phillip. How was your evening?” Kit asked sarcastically, not in the mood to deal with Phillip’s crap. He’d had a wonderful time with Linc and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and dream about what they might get up to if he could ever get Phillip and Ephah out of the house long enough.
Phillip rolled his eyes at Kit. “You didn’t guess.”
Kit huffed. “What?”
“Who’s that guy.”
“What? Look, Phillip, I’m tired. I just want to go to bed. You can tell me all about the latest Twitterverse blowup tomorrow.”
“No, you really need to see this now,” Phillip insisted.
“Fine. Show it to me.”
Phillip handed over his phone. Kit stared at it blankly for a minute before he realized what he was seeing. Someone had snapped a photo of him and Linc kissing, and speculation was rampant about Kit’s identity and the nature of their relationship. Kit handed the phone back. “Yeah, not dealing with that tonight. Just don’t feed the trolls while I’m asleep, okay? I’ll talk to Linc tomorrow before we go to dinner, and we’ll decide how to handle it and what we want to say.”
“I wouldn’t say anything,” Phillip said, looking hurt. “I mean, I love a good Twitter meltdown as much as the next guy, but I wouldn’t throw you under the bus to get it.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have suggested you would. But now I really am going to sleep, okay?”
Phillip patted his shoulder and let him go. Kit pulled his phone out of his coat pocket to plug it in. Seeing the text from Linc waiting, he opened it.
Picture of us kissing on social media. I’m sorry.
Not your fault, Kit texted back. Going to bed. Talk tomorrow?
Call me any time. Linc’s immediate reply made Kit smile. He didn’t want Linc to worry on his account, but it was also reassuring to know he wouldn’t have to deal with this alone.
WHEN Linc got back from morning practice the next day, he picked up his phone to call his mother. His teammates had given him hell about the Kinc hashtag, as the internet had dubbed them once someone had identified Kit. Kinc. How the hell was he supposed to explain that to his mother? Maybe he’d leave the internet jargon out and simply tell her he had a new boyfriend.
He pressed the Call button and waited for her to pick up.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Momma.” He stretched out on the bed and made himself comfortable. It was going to be a long call.
“Morning, sugar. You played so well last night. Just don’t get cocky. It ain’t a good look on you.”
“I know, Momma,” he replied. “I got other news for you too.”
“A draft deal?”
Linc’s chest tightened at the reminder of everything that was riding on him being drafted. “Not yet. It’s too soon for that. It’s personal news. I started seeing someone.”
“Well now, that is good news. Another basketball player?”
“No, my physics tutor. I met him last week when I went to get help, and we sorta clicked. I mean, he’s a great tutor. He managed to beat physics into my head, but it’s more than that. He don’t look at me and see a basketball star. He looks at me and sees me.” Linc fiddled with a loose thread on the edge of the bedspread as he waited for his mother’s reply.
“This better be the boy in the photo online everyone was asking me about at church this morning.”
So she’d heard about that. He hadn’t been fast enough, but she’d have scolded him something fierce if he’d called her before he had to leave for practice.
“Yes, Momma, that’s him. His name’s Kit. You’ll like him. He’s kind and funny, and he appreciates family.”
“That’s good. What’s he think of being splashed all over the internet?”
“We ain’t had a chance to talk this morning, but last night, he didn’t seem bothered. He was cool with it when someone asked for an autograph while we were out last night.” A lot cooler than Linc had been, but it was all still new to Kit.
“Good. You keep this one, y’hear, baby? Anyone what can deal with all them photos and not run away screaming is a good one.”
“I know, Ma. I’ll bring him home, but it might could be a while.”
“I know that, love. You just keep doing your best and making us proud. Everything else can wait.”
“I love you, Momma. Hug everyone for me.”
“I love you too, Lincoln. Go call your boyfriend.”
“Yes, Ma.”
She chuckled and disconnected the call. Linc scooted down farther in bed so he was lying almost flat. Despite what he’d told his mother, he wouldn’t call Kit yet. It was still early, and he might want to sleep in. If he hadn’t heard from Kit by noon, he’d call then. Otherwise he’d wait for Kit to call him.
KIT slept late the next morning, a luxury he rarely had time for. He stretched, a smile on his face as he thought about Linc and having him over for dinner the next day. He’d have to tell Ephah and Phillip about that at some point, but right now, he wanted breakfast.
He wandered into the kitchen, got his cooking playlist going, and pulled out everything he’d need for breakfast. As he expected, the smell of bacon sizzling in the pan brought Phillip and Ephah out of their rooms. Marisol came in a few minutes later, wearing a pair of Phillip’s sweats and an oversized T-shirt.
“Need some help?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m good.” She always offered, which he appreciated, but the kitchen really wasn’t big enough for two people. It might be a three-bedroom apartment, but it was definitely a one-butt kitchen. He flipped the bacon and cracked the eggs. He’d scramble up some cheesy eggs and stir-fry some mushrooms and peppers if anyone wanted to add them. Marisol would take the peppers, Ephah would take the mushrooms, and it was anyone’s bet what Phillip would take. Some days he piled his eggs with everything in the house. Other days, he just wanted cheese.
Which reminded Kit—he had an avocado he needed to use.
He checked the bacon again, then sliced and peeled the avocado.
When the bacon was done, he drained the grease from the skillet and poured the eggs in. They crackled in the remains of hot grease. If he hadn’t slept so late, Kit would have made omelets to order, but if he did that, they wouldn’t be hungry when they went to Blake’s and Thane’s for dinner at two, and not being hungry for Blake’s cooking was a crime.
He dished the eggs into a bowl and set it in the oven with a damp paper towel over top to keep them warm and moist while he sautéed the mushrooms and peppers separately. When everything was ready, he set it all on the counter between the kitchen and the eating area. “Come and get it,” he called.
He filled his own plate as Phillip and Ephah descended on the food like a plague of locusts. “Hey, leave some for Marisol,” he scolded. “Or do I need to tell Uncle Blake to beat some manners into your thick heads again?”
They glowered at him, giving Marisol the chance to sneak in front of them and serve herself. Kit left them to it and went back into his room to call Linc while he ate. He answered on the first ring. “I hope you weren’t sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring.”
“No, I just got off the phone with my mom,” Linc replied. “I figured I’d better let her know what was going on before someone told her about it—or worse, asked her for comments. She’s gotten used to the celebrity shit mostly, and she never cared that I’m gay, but she doesn’t like to be ambushed with news or questions. She wants to hear it from me first. And it’s gotten worse since last night.”
“Worse how?” Kit asked. His mind raced as he tried to imagine scenarios that Linc would deem “worse.”
“Someone identified you in the pictures, and we now have our very own hashtag.”
Kit found the idea funny, honestly, but Linc sounded too bitter for Kit to show his amusement. “What is it?”
“Kinc,” Linc said. “K-I-N-C, like Brangelina, only with our names instead.”
Kit snorted despite himself.
“Kit.”
“Oh, come on, Linc. Don’t tell me you aren’t at least a little amused by the name, if nothing else.”
“Not really. This is my life they fuckin’ with, and I don’t like being the butt of nobody’s joke.”
Kit sobered at that. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of it. I’m not used to thinking about things like publicity. I mean, sure, my uncles might see it if someone snapped a photo of me doing something stupid and put it on Facebook, but in the long run, nobody would care.”
“Unfortunately too many people care about what I do in my off time,” Linc said. “I’ll probably get questions about it. What are you comfortable with me telling them?”
“What are you comfortable telling them?” Kit replied. “This isn’t just about me. We’re in this together.”