Page 27 of The Head Game

Ugh. Who’d have thought August’s stupid nautical peacoat would be so damn recognizable?

But as much as he wanted to lay all of the blame on August and his ugly coat, Nico was the one who unbuttoned it to get his hands on August. And if he hadn’t knocked his toque off, exposing his dark hair …

If, if, if …

If Nico had kept walking instead of stopping to goad August, they wouldn’t be in this mess either.

He could have hooked up with some random person unconnected to the league and saved himself a whole lot of trouble.

“Look, it’s nothing you’re going to have to worry about.”

“That’s what they all say,” Kate muttered.

“It’s not going to be a problem,” he insisted. “I swear.”

“They say that too.” Her shoulders slumped. “Look, Nico, I can’t make you tell me who he is. I get you’re trying to protect this guy and that’s admirable but I genuinely believe it’s going to be much worse for both of you if we don’t have some kind of strategy to manage it.”

“I get it but there’s no way I’m going to out him. I’m sorry, Kate. You know I don’t mean to drive you crazy.”

She gave him a tired lopsided smile. “I know you don’t. And yet, you’re so very good at it, aren’t you?”

He shrugged and returned her smile. “It’s who I am.”

“Lucky me.” She tapped the nameplate on her desk. “But before I let you go, I want to go over one thing. What does this say?”

“Kate Foster – Vice President of Communications and Public Relations,” he parroted.

“And is it my job to wrangle you guys and keep you from PR disasters?”

“No.”

Technically, that job belonged to the Director of Public Relations. Which was Kate’s former job, not her current one.

She continued. “The PR department does answer to me and you know I trust the people who work for me. So why do I step in like this sometimes?”

“Because you care about the team and the organization,” he parroted. This was not the first time they’d had this conversation.

“And you guys! Don’t forget that part. I still don’t know what I did to deserve dozens of wayward children but you’re my wayward children and I refuse to let you screw up your careers when I can stop it.”

Kate was only about ten years older than Nico and there were a few players like Dominic Olson who were older than her, but they all deferred to her like she was some terrifying combination of a smoking-hot mom and Atilla the Hun.

Atilla the MILF.

“I know,” Nico admitted. “And I really am not trying to screw up my career or make more work for you.”

Her expression softened. “I know, Nico. Somehow, you draw situations like this to you. It’s quite a talent you have. Just … please try to be careful. Please make better choices. Not only for my sake or your own but because you are part of a team. You have many other people relying on you as well.”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised. Which wasn’t always great but he couldn’t offer any more than that.

“Thank you.” Kate rose to her feet and he took his cue and did the same.

She gave him a searching look as they walked to her office door. “If I figure it out and guess correctly, will you confirm or deny who the man is?”

“No.”

She closed her eyes for a moment like she was praying for strength.

“Please. Think on it, Nico,” she urged. “If you change your mind—”

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