Christopher "Kip" Grady

Christopher "Kip" Grady is a juice bar barista in New York smoothie shop Star+Berry. His first appearance is in *Game Changer* which tells the story of his relationship with New York Admirals star forward Scott Hunter.

**KIP GRADY**
Current: Graduate Student

Kip lives in Bay Ridge in Brooklyn with his parents to save money for his college loans. He is interested in working in museums in New York and maybe eventually in Europe. He gets into NYU's master's program at the end of *Game Changer*.

## PAST

He graduated from NYU when he was twenty-two with a history major. Kip has never been on a plane.

## FRIENDS & FAMILY

#### KIP'S FAMILY

**George and Margaret - Kip’s Parents:** Kip lives with them during Game Changer. George taught high school history and English. He figures out about Kip and Scott when he sees Kip's reaction to Scott getting injured at a game vs. the Scouts. Both meet Scott towards the end of the novel.

**Megan - Kip’s Sister:** Almost four years older than Kip. Lives in Williamsburg. Described as being more into novels while Kip liked history. She and Kip have a good relationship though they have drifted apart a bit. She is worried about him in Game Changer. When she finds out about Scott she texts "Um… WHAT?!"

**Andrew - Megan's Boyfriend:** Lives with Megan. They want to adopt a puppy together.

#### KIP'S FRIENDS

##### Elena Rygg:

* Kip's friend from high school. Helped him realize he was gay when he didn't feel attraction to her. Is a cybersecurity engineer at Equinox Tech, one of the fastest-growing IT companies in the country that also has a box at the Admirals Stadium. Does not cook. Very perceptive.
* Lived in Tribeca with an apartment overlooking the Hudson River and loves having an apartment to herself. She moves to the West Coast for her job at the end of Game Changer.
* Kip describes her as "hands down, the smartest person [he] knew. Besides being brilliant and funny, she was also stunningly beautiful - an unusual combination of her father's Norwegian height and bone structure, and her mother's Lebanese dark hair and olive skin."
* She went to the Equinox Gala with Kip and helped him with his tuxedo. Hooks up with glamorous movie stars and backup dancers.

##### Maria Villanueva:

* Works with Kip at Straw+Berry. Lives in the East Village with three roommates. Eventually switches to working at a Starbucks in Midtown but considers the Police Academy.
* Becomes Kyle's roommate in Common Goal. Even at the end when Kyle is considering moving out, he plans to not tell his parents and let Maria live in his 2br Chelsea apartment rent free.
* Still working at Starbucks but is in school for Human Services at a local community college. She got into the Police Academy but turned it down.
* Described as 5'1" and curvy.
* Very into Matti Jallo, who by the end of Common Goal seems to have a crush on her
* Seems to be close to her family, bringing Kyle to Thanksgiving and taking phone calls from mom.

##### Shawn:

* Friend of Kip Grady's from college. They fooled around in college, nothing too serious. But he had a thing for bad boys with tattoos and an air of danger about them. He tries to get Kip a job at the Museum of the City of New York.
* Described as "handsome, all dark skin and soft eyes and a warm smile. He was also an impeccable dresser, always looking like a J. Crew catalog model".
* Also friends with Chuck and Jimmy from college, and meets Maria at Kip's birthday party at the Kingfisher. He asks Kip about the pictures of him and Scott at the Met and doesn't buy that they're just friends.
* When he finds out about Scott he texts "You. Fucking. Bitch. You lying fucking bitch. We're getting lunch together. SOON".
* *Speculation* - Scott mentions that Kip lost friends as a result of their relationship in Role Model and this may be a reference to Shawn.

##### Chuck and Jimmy:

* Kip's college friends, first referenced in Game Changers: "He hadn't meant to drink so much last night, but Chuck and Jimmy had been in town and he hadn't seen those guys in months". They both work in Boston in… finance? Insurance? Business something? They wear suits to work.
* Chuck is described as "Big, burly, and bearded." Jimmy is described as "Short, slim, and looked about 7 years younger than he actually was."
* Also friends with Shawn from college, and they meet Maria at Kip's birthday party at the Kingfisher. Seem to just be friends since Jimmy speaks about hooking up with an accountant when comparing most recent sexual activity.

1. ↑ pg. 27, *Game Changer*
2. ↑ pg. 30, *Game Changers*
3. ↑ pg. 305, *Game Changer*
4. ↑ pg. 5, *Game Changers*
5. ↑ pg. 6 *Game Changer*