Page 97 of The Head Game

August closed his eyes and leaned against the heated leather headrest of Nico’s very nice Porsche hybrid.

August was waiting in the parking lot outside the rehab center. He’d driven Nico to the door but he’d insisted on going in by himself. He wasn’t having dizzy spells and he was an adult so August hadn’t argued.

His parents would have, which was undoubtedly why Nico was so strongly in favor of August shuttling him to and from appointments.

Now, August had time to kill and many, many phone calls he desperately needed to make.

Nico hadn’t felt up to being on his phone so August was dealing with the brunt of the texts from Skylar and Nico’s team. There was a group chat he’d been added to that was constantly pinging with messages, pictures, videos, and memes.

Most were for Nico.

August had resigned himself to the role of Nico’s social secretary for the time being, but Matty had also started sending ref jokes his way and Skylar kept confiding stuff about her family to him.

August appreciated the overtures of friendship but it hadn’t left him with much time for dealing with his own family, like Jules, who had been blowing up his phone since Nico’s accident, demanding explanations about what the fuck was going on.

August winced. Yeah, it was time to face the music.

He took a deep breath and hit the call button.

When the call connected, the first words out of Jules’ mouth were, “Holy fucking shit. You’re fucking engaged to Nico Arents?” The disbelief in Julius’ voice was palpable even through the phone. “How could I not know?”

“Well, whatever bullshit you like to believe about twins, we don’t actually share a mystical mental connection.” August rolled his eyes.

“Only because you refuse to accept it.”

August grumbled, annoyed. “That doesn’t exist. There is no way you could possibly know things unless I tell you about them.”

“Ugh, you’re so closed-minded. Seriously though. What is going on with you, man? Why haven’t you been answering your phone? It’s been forever since we last talked and you were freaking all of us out. Mom and Dad kept calling and texting and then this gossip shit came out and you still weren’t answering and …”

August rubbed his head. “I didn’t mean to worry everyone. I’ve been a little wrapped up in this Nico stuff.”

“Wait, dude, start at the beginning because I am totally lost right now.”

“I fucked up,” August admitted with a sigh. He leaned his head against the seat rest. “That night in Evanston.”

“Huh. So you really were caught getting a blowjob from Nico Arents in an alley?”

“Ugh,” August groaned. “No! It wasn’t a blowjob! It was a kiss and he dropped his phone.”

Julius snickered. “Suuure.”

“Do you think I would, in a million years, have sex with someone in a public place?” August asked, incredulous.

“Well no, but I had no idea you’d make out with Nico Arents in an alley either. Damn, bro, who would have thought you could get a guy like that, eh?” Julius sounded impressed.

August let out an annoyed huff. “Despite what you think, I am not completely lacking in that department. I was with Daniel for almost a year.”

“Sure, but Daniel was … I dunno.”

“There was nothing wrong with Daniel,” August protested, surprised that talking about him didn’t sting the way it had a few weeks ago. It was more of a dull ache now.

“That’s debatable. And either way, he wasn’t Nico Arents, that’s for damn sure.”

“This is all highly irrelevant.”

“No, not really. It’s prime making fun of you shit, which you know I’ll never pass up on.”

“Anyyyway,” August said, his annoyance growing by the second. “Yes, Nico and I hooked up that night.”

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