For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,26

Even if that's just the person putting trees on the maps, you know? And I may have said something about my mods, and he may have tried out a few, and since he was here anyway, well, they're making a new game called Renegade..." She let that trail off. "Never mind. It's complicated."

"I'll give you a ride," he decided. "I can drop you off and Dad will be home later, so you can call him to pick you up."

Or she could just get Braden to give her a ride home. She just had to get there. "You sure?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. I mean, if some guy's willing to come this far to talk to my little brother, then I'd kinda like to meet him. Make sure it's all on the up and up."

"It's not like that," she insisted.

"Like what?" he asked, a sly smile taking over.

"You keep trying to make this into some gay thing, and it's not. Look, some of these gamers fly all over and never think anything of it. Hell, some of them make seven figures a year. The developers? They're always going from one place to another. I'm just the only person he knows in Montana, ok?"

"And would you tell me if it was something more? If you were checking this guy out - "

She punched him again. "Gross."

Tyler just held up both of his hands. "Ethan, just listen to me, ok? You never date. You don't talk about girls. All I'm saying is that if you were into some guy - this one or any other - then that's cool. If you're not into anyone, that's fine too. That's it, ok? I'm just worried about you."

"I'm fine!" she insisted.

"That's what you said a week before you tried to cut your wrists!" He stopped, closing his eyes as if he regretted that. "Look. I'm not an idiot, ok? Ever since you started going to those gamer things, you've been happier. That's why I'm all for this. I don't care if that's just because you found your tribe, or if it's because you have a safe space where you can be open about things. Maybe you're gay. Maybe you're not. I don't give a shit. You're still my little brother, and I'm just trying to make it clear that I like having you around."

She bit her lips together and had to look away. Those words were just too raw, too honest, and not what she'd been expecting. For a split second, she thought about telling him everything, but he'd said "little brother." Was her big secret too much for even Tyler to accept? Would he feel like this if he knew the truth?

So she deflected. "I'm fine, Tyler. I promise that I'm fine. It's just that these people don't make me feel like a loser because I'm not like you."

"I've never - " he tried.

"No, but Kevin does," she pointed out. "The others think it's funny as shit to pick on me. I was supposed to leave that bullying behind in high school, but nothing's changed! Don't you get that?"

"And this guy is cool with that?"

She forced out a laugh. "Believe it or not, I'm one of the cool kids at the PLG."

For a moment, Tyler just looked at her, some thought clearly working its way through his mind. Then, with a heavy sigh, he looked down. "Ethan, I read up on this guy, you know. When you said Deviant and Braden? Yeah, I hit Google, and you know what comes up?"

"Not exactly," she said, having a pretty good guess.

"He's gay."

"Bi," she corrected. "Andy's gay."

Tyler just tossed up his hands. "Same thing!"

"No, it's not," she insisted. "It also doesn't matter."

"Does if he's just here to hit on you. This is what guys do, ok? Gay ones, straight ones, and evidently bisexual ones! We find some lame excuse to bump into the person we're chasing, and you?" He gestured at her. "Ethan, you're not exactly screaming straight man. I'm just worried that maybe he's got the wrong impression. Or maybe it's the right one? Maybe you're into this guy and don't want to say anything? If that's the case, then cool. If it's not, I will beat the shit out of him if he pressures you."

"Oh, just because he isn't like you, your first thought is that he's some predator?" she snapped. "Fuck you, Tyler. I'm friends with straight guys, gay guys, bisexual guys - "

"Oh, know a few?"

"Braden and Knock," she shot back. "Never mind the