Page 170 of Cheap Shot

Sebastian waved in the direction of the windows. “The room-darkening curtains? I thought you were done with that shit now that the migraines are under control.”

Nicky winced. “Sorry, habit.” He picked up a remote, hit a button, and they quietly whirred open.

“Oooh. Fancy,” Sebastian teased.

Nicky laughed. “I know, right? Came in handy when I could hardly stand upright from the pain though, that’s for damn sure.”

“I bet. You are feeling better now though, right?”

Nicky hesitated.

“Nic …” Sebastian warned, his stomach twisting uneasily. “It’s me you’re talking to. Don’t you dare to lie to me.”

Nicky sighed. “Come have a seat. You want anything to drink?”

Sebastian plopped onto the stylish sectional. “Coffee?”

The grimace on Nicky’s face told Sebastian everything he needed to know.

“Uhh shit. I don’t have any on hand. I had to cut it all out when I was trying to figure out the migraine triggers, and I didn’t even think about the fact that you’d want some.”

“No worries.”

“I could order one and have it delivered?—”

“Oh my God, no. Absolutely not. Just give me some water.”

“I have herbal tea?”

“Eww,no,” Sebastian said with a laugh. “Just water. Please.”

When Nicky returned with two waters, he took a seat on the sectional near Sebastian. “So the truth is, the migraines aren’t one-hundred-percent under control. They’re better, but sometimes …”

Sebastian lifted an eyebrow at him. “Sometimes they’re still kicking your ass?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Are they impacting your playing again?”

“Not yet.” Nicky sighed. “Hopefully they won’t. It’s just … disheartening, you know? I’ve worked so damn hard to get back here and the thought of hockey being taken away again?—”

Nicky’s swallow was audible.

“Hey, I get that,” Sebastian said. “It feels like such a fucking platitude to say that I hope you’re able to get this figured out but …”

“No, I get it. Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” Nicky shook his head, then pasted a smile on his face. “What about you? What’s new with you?”

Sebastian knew a deflection when he heard one, but he went along with it. For now.

“Uhh. Well, the Boston shop is starting to take off. I hired an in-house event planner that I’m really excited to work with.”

He and Krista had just nailed down the details and finalized her contract a couple of days ago.

“That’s not something you have in New York, is it?” Nicky asked.

“Not yet,” Sebastian admitted. “Once I see how it does in Boston, I may consider it though.”

“How’d you find the designer? I know you were having trouble with hiring for a while there.”