Page 169 of The Head Game

“Sounds good.” August felt a weird tightness in his chest. He wasn’t sure if he liked having Nico here. It felt … too real or something.

He suddenly remembered Daniel in this space, the happy domestic life they were building together, and he couldn’t let himself muddy that all up with the strange thoughts of Nico he’d been having lately.

“Hey, you okay, Auggie?” Nico pressed against his back, long and warm, pinning August against the sink.

August swallowed a hysterical laugh, remembering a similar position in Nico’s kitchen a few weeks ago, when Nico had thought they were really engaged.

Why was August feeling all tangled up about it now?

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said hoarsely.

“You’re not acting fine,” Nico said. “Are you thinking about the hearing?”

Grateful for the excuse, August nodded.

It was true enough. He was.

Partly because once it was over, he and Nico would have to have a talk about how they’d end this whole fake engagement.

Nico had been posting more pictures of their time together too, which was killing August.

Cute moments that made August feel like he was living in a parallel world where they were actually together.

Stupid. Ridiculous. He knew what kind of guy Nico was, and that didn’t include settling down.

August needed to get his head on straight again. This was temporary. It had always been temporary.

“I’m sorry.” Nico’s lips were warm against the back of his neck. “This sucks for you.”

“Yeah.” August released a shuddering breath. “It does.”

And he had no idea which thing he was referring to.

* * *

“Oh my God, you’re so big!” Nico crowed as Skylar stepped in the door of August’s house a few days later.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s good I’m feeling secure about my appearance at the moment because that is not something you tell a pregnant woman, Nico.”

“But you are,” he protested. “The baby is huge.”

“And if I ever wonder why we broke up, you are always thoughtful enough to remind me,” she said with a groan as she took off her coat.

“Love you too.” Nico took the coat and kissed her cheek. “Seriously though, how are you feeling?”

“Big, cranky, ready for this shit to be over with. Shouldn’t I be asking you that though?”

“Ehh, about the same,” Nico replied. “And don’t you have like … three months to go?”

“Yes, don’t remind me.” She placed her hands on her lower back, stretching.

“You want to sit down?” Nico asked.

“No. I sat in the car for an hour while I drove to this godforsaken town. Why does August live here? There’s like … nothing to do.”

Nico shrugged. “It’s affordable, I think.”

“Oh right. Normal people have to worry about that shit.”

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