“How’s your nan?” Robert asked, his expression falling into something more serious when Niko’s head shot up. “She still doin’ okay?”
Niko nodded rapidly, like the motion would shake the tears away before they had a chance to fall. “I was going to stay with her over break, but she wanted me to come here. She told me that she was fine, and that I was needed elsewhere.”
Robert knocked his knuckles on the center console, his weathered face showing so much grief it was palpable. “Mommas know best, Neeks. Don’t beat yourself up too much.”
August felt like he was supposed to do something, but he wasn’t sure what. He hadn’t grown up in a physically affectionate family, so comforting someone wasn’t second nature to him.
Still, he touched his hand to Niko’s back, applying pressure so he knew he was there.
Niko turned to him, blinking to cover up his shock before giving August an approving smile.
There, he did it. That wasn’t so hard.
“Your nan wouldn’t want us to be sittin’ here, crying over her,” said Robert. “I’ll keep her in my thoughts, and you enjoy your Christmas with the boys.”
“Thanks, Pops.” Niko smiled and took another drink of his hot chocolate. “Who’s all coming? No one was willing to confirm on the group chat, and I was in a rush to get this guy moving, so I never saw the answers.”
Robert chuckled and shook his head. “I think Ryan and his boyfriend are joining Max for Christmas—”
“They’re not boyfriends,” Niko interjected.
“Yup,” Robert said, laughing. “And the rest of the Toronto guys had plans, but Arlo and Étienne are coming for sure, which means Sébastien won’t. Jin showed up yesterday and has already made a mess of the house, so Harrison might kill him before Christmas is over.”
August knew who these guys were, but it was weird to think he would be hanging out with them in a casual setting. He blamed the adrenaline for getting him to where he was now, but he was starting to sincerely regret his choice.
He sat quietly and half-listened to what Robert and Niko were talking about, but he needed a minute to process and recenter himself before he had to face what was happening. He was about to talk to people who didn’t know him, and that meant he had to think of things to say about himself.
What could he say, though? August had a boring life other than his hockey career. Who needed to hear about that when they all did the same thing?
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed while he pondered his life choices, but when the door on the opposite side of him opened and unleashed a chilly gust of air inside, August knew he had been thinking for too long.
“Move,” said Fraser, yanking on Niko’s jacket like he was prepared to rip him out of the vehicle. “I call dibs on the middle so I can see the road.”
Niko grumbled a response that August couldn’t hear, but then he was gone, swiftly replaced by Fraser, who leaned into August’s side.
Killinger took the driver’s seat, his movements jerky and uncoordinated as he lifted his left leg and slammed the door shut. He was hissing and squeezing his eyes shut, like he had hurt himself on the walk over.
“Too cold?” Fraser asked, sitting up so he could shove himself between the front seats.
“It’s fine,” said Harrison in a tone that hinted it wasn’t fine. “Let’s get back to the house before any more snow falls.”
Niko grabbed Fraser by his jacket and pulled him back into his seat, gesturing for August to hand him the seatbelt so he could lock the fidgeting man in place.
“You get yourself inside as soon as we get home, and I’ll start on dinner,” Robert told Killinger. “You can help me once you’ve warmed that old rust bucket of yours up.”
August flinched when he realized what was bothering Killinger. He had forgotten about his leg injury, which had been awful according to social media.
He was distracted by his line of thought and Killinger’s aggressive reversal out of the parking spot when Fraser took his hand, holding it tightly like Niko had in the airport.
“I was scared Niko wouldn’t be able to convince you to come, but I’m glad you agreed,” said Fraser, offering him another one of his sunny smiles. “And thanks for making friends with him. He’s a bit of a recluse.”
Friends? August hadn’t made friends with Niko—not even close. Sometimes, he thought Niko hated him because he was such an asshole.
“And I’m sorry that Bash gave you shit your second game in. He can be an aggressive asshole, but I swear he’s cool.”
Niko scoffed. “The real asshole Park. You have him handled?”
Fraser crossed his arms. “He behaves around Harrison.”
