Page 65 of The Head Game

“I know.” Nico could remember that much. “But I like calling you that.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty good at driving me crazy.”

“It’s fun.”

“For one of us.” August was smiling so wide, his eyes warm and light.

“You like it. You like me,” Nico said with a laugh. “You pretend you don’t but you do, August.”

“You’re growing on me,” he said drily.

“Are we …” Nico studied him. “I remember kissing you. A hotel. You have a great dick.”

Skylar let out a choked laugh. “Nics …”

“What? He does.” Nico protested.

“Yes, probably, but not everyone wants to hear about it,” Skylar said.

“They should.”

Nico couldn’t look away from August.

His face was very red but his eyes were so light, crinkling around the corners despite the stern set of his mouth.

Nico reached out and touched August’s face. “Hey, you look good when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Smile.”

“So you tell me.”

“You should know,” Nico insisted.

August squeezed his hand. “I’m relieved you’re okay. You had everyone worried.”

Nico sighed. “I like your smile so much. I think I like you.” But pieces of another memory surfaced and the happy, floaty feeling Nico had faded. “Hey! You didn’t call me.”

Nico frowned, trying to put together the pieces of something he’d remembered. There were weird fuzzy spots like some of the stuff in his brain was staticky like an old TV.

“I did call you,” August said. He was still stroking Nico’s head and it felt really nice. Nico leaned into the touch, closing his eyes with the pleasure of it. “We talked on the phone.”

“But I gave you my number and I thought you weren’t gonna call me back.” Nico pouted.

“I thought I might not. But I did.”

“And you came to the hospital anyway.”

“I did. I was worried about you.”

“Yeah?” Nico smiled. “I like that.”

“Well, don’t scare us again, okay?” August said.

“Was it bad?”

“Worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” August said firmly. “And I never want to see it again.”

---