Sam told Nik more—the boyfriend thing, the no condom thing, theI missed youand even theIthinkIloveyou.It took nearly another bottle of wine and a lot of ice cream to get through.
Then he threw up.Nik stood in the bathroom doorway, blinking at him and leaning against the jamb.He wrinkled his brow.“Mebbe you should ’ave more ice cream.”
Sam retched.Then he laid his cheek on the cool porcelain.“Think th’ice cream’s why I’m puking.”
“Oh.Could make you toast?”Nik closed one eye, possibly to focus on him.
“D’you think he loves me?”
Nik nodded solemnly.“I do.I thin’ he loves you.He’s just a dumbass bas’ard.”
Sam lifted his head, thinking about that.“So, you think he might ac-tu-ally call me?”he enunciated carefully.
Nik shrugged.“I dunno, Sam.”
“Possible, though, right?It’s possible.”
“Oh yeah, def.”Nik nodded so hard he almost fell over.
Sam lay down on the cool bathroom floor.The room was spinning, and he was afraid he was going to puke again.
“You jus’ rest there, Sam.I’ll get you a blanke’,” Nik said in a motherly tone—if Sam had a flaming lush for a mother.
In the morning, life sucked until Nik crawled to the store to get some electrolyte replacement elixir.Once Sam drank that, he began to feel like maybe he’d survive this hangover.Surviving the heartbreak was still debatable.
They went out for a gross, fat-laden breakfast.It was just like old times.Sam stared down at his eggs.“Why did we want to do this again?”
“Tradition,” Nik said dully.
“Let’s discontinue this one.”
“That’s what we said last time.”
Sam nodded, remembering now.“Okay,” he said.“Let’s not forget next time.”
“Agreed.”
Breakfast did help, though.Until Nik brought up the Exposed Innerds concert.Sam groaned.“I forgot that was tonight.”
“How could youforget?”Nik looked appalled.
Sam gave him a long look.
“Never mind,” he said, flapping his hand at Sam.“Well, so maybe when Ian meets us at the club tonight he’ll be ready to talk.”
“He’s not coming,” Sam said tiredly, running his fingertip along the edge of the table.
“He might?”Nik offered.
Sam shrugged.“Hopefully Dalton will, or else Miller won’t have a date, either.”
“Oh, if that happens and Ian doesn’t show, you can be Miller’s date.”
Sam gave him another look.
Nik smiled slightly.“Or not.”
“How’d you get Miller to go out on a date with Dalton after that party disaster?”
