Page 167 of The Head Game

“Sure. Let me get you a treat for him. One sec.”

August disappeared into the kitchen and when he returned, he offered Nico a small bowl.

“Are those peas?”

“Yes. I have to peel them though. It’s better for his health.”

Only August would peel each individual tiny pea for a fish. It made Nico smile. “You’re cute.”

August made a disgruntled noise and lifted the lid on the tank. “Here, drop them in one at a time.”

Marty swam to the surface and Nico dropped the pea in. Marty gobbled it up so Nico dropped the others in, one by one, until they were all gone.

With the food gone, the fish swam away, exploring behind the rocks, looking for more to eat.

“Not the most exciting pet ever, huh?” Nico observed.

“No. But relaxing to watch.” August closed the lid.

“Why’s he all alone?”

“The companion I bought for him didn’t make it,” August said. “I’ve considered getting him another but he seems happy enough on his own and all of the research I did said they’re often quite content as solitary creatures.”

Nico nodded, a yawn catching him by surprise.

August immediately took the bowl from Nico’s hand and put an arm around his waist. “C’mon. Let’s lie down. You should rest.”

“You’re such a worrywart,” Nico grumbled, but secretly, he didn’t mind when August arranged him on the sofa in the crook of his arm, tucked a blanket around them both, and turned on the game.

It was Nashville vs. St. Louis and Nico half-dozed as he listened to the commentators.

“I miss it,” he said tiredly. “So much.”

“I know.” August kissed the top of his head. “I miss reffing too.”

“Least we’ve got each other,” Nico slurred, thinking about what Dom had said earlier.

August’s grip tightened around Nico’s waist once before he drifted off.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“That was great,” Nico said happily as Blade Runner ended. “What’d you think, Auggie?”

“I enjoyed it,” he said.

This morning, Nico had done his PT exercises and August had worked out in his makeshift basement gym. Now they were having a relaxing day, watching movies.

Nico had insisted on doing a Rutger Hauer marathon. “You need to know his work,” he’d said stubbornly. “If you’re engaged to a Dutch person, you should know who Rutger Hauer is. Ladyhawke is a classic. We definitely need to watch Soldier of Orange. And how have you never seen Blade Runner? That is criminal, Auggie.”

August hadn’t had the heart to remind him they weren’t actually engaged.

With the winter storm blanketing the city in snow, there was little else they could do anyway.

Not that August was complaining. It made for a cozy day to curl up under a blanket and let the snow drift down, turning the whole world white and silent around them.

“God, poor Sky,” Nico murmured.

“Hmm?” August paused his search for Ladyhawke on the various streaming sites and glanced briefly over at Nico.

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