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The two of them had got along instantly, and Matt hadn’t minded his presence. He was surprised later when he found he didn’t mind the man kissing him either, shoving his steady fingers into the waistline of Matt’s pants. And he sure as hellhadn’t minded what followed, with Davis on his knees, the two of them hidden in the shadows of a shed.

Nick nodded after a moment. “Right, Davis. I wasn’t even close.”

Matt squinted across the table. “Why were you even thinking about that in the first place? Like, what the hell sparked that weird trip down my memory lane?”

Nick shrugged again. “I don’t know, just popped into my head and wouldn’t go away. I didn’t talk to anyone about it if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Matt hadn’t been worried, only confused. Other than Davis and himself, Nick was the only person who knew what had happened that night unless Davis had told anyone. It had been a brief interlude that Matt had never revisited. That night didn’t bother him, as he’d gone about his life unchanged afterward.

“And you guys say my brain goes to weird places,” Matt said.

“It does, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t have our moments.”

“Or you’re just as weird as you guys make me out to be, and you’re only now getting around to telling me.”

Nick snorted, gathering up their empty plates and silverware. “Sorry, but no one will take your place as the weird team member.”

“Even Aidan?”

“Hard contender, but you still keep your crown.”

Matt sighed heavily. “The king of fools is still a king.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Aidan he needs to show proper respect the next time we see him,” Nick said as he took their plates to the kitchen.

Matt snickered, relieved the previous conversation was over. It was weird enough thinking about that night after so many years. It was made even stranger by Nick bringing it up. While Matt didn’t always know what was going on in Nick’s head, itwas rare that he couldn’t understand where a sudden thought came from. Nick had no rhyme or reason to bring up such an old, buried memory.

The worst part, the one he wouldn’t admit if he were drugged and put under interrogation, was the clarity of Davis’s face in Matt’s mind. He didn’t know if he remembered the face as clearly as he thought or if he was simply filling in the gap with more recent memories.

Because, bizarre and awkward as it was, he remembered someone who looked eerily like a young Nick.

NICK

Tapping out the last of the report, he scanned it. Normally, he would have looked through his work carefully, making sure everything was properly worded and accurate. His mind was elsewhere, namely on his last conversation with Matt. He wouldn’t bother bringing his wayward thoughts back on track, either. So long as there weren’t any huge errors or terrible misspellings, he would accept it for what it was and call it a day.

All he had to do was submit the final report, and he would be free and clear. Well, until he had to come back a few days after Christmas anyway. Surprisingly, General Winter had immediately approved his and Matt’s leave request and given them a few extra days. The trickier task had been finding plane tickets at such short notice.

With a heavy sigh, he sent the report off, hoping there was nothing terrible he’d missed. More than likely, General Winter wouldn’t be too eagle-eyed, considering he’d been distracted. And if he did find a problem, hopefully, it would wait until Nick was out of range of any cell phone towers.

The last thought made him wince as he remembered he hadn’t specified that to the General. While it was understood that leave meant you could go and do what you wanted so longas it was legal, it also came with the caveat that you could be recalled at any time. That would be trickier when he and Matt would be cut off from the outside world once they reached the lodge.

Grabbing his coat, he gathered his things and left his office. He locked the door behind him and peered into the main waiting room by the General’s office. It was dimly lit, with the secretary’s desk vacant. That wasn’t a surprise, as the man handling it, whose name Nick once again couldn’t remember, never stayed past his designated time. The doorway to the General’s office was lit from within, though, the door cracked open in silent invitation.

Marching forward, he pushed the door open just in time to hear a soft giggle from the other side. Nick froze, unsure how to proceed now he was already halfway through the door. He knew the sound hadn’t come from General Winter by the pitch, but that left only one other option.

Before he could decide to retreat, the door continued to swing, and he considered it a traitor. Which meant he had a full view of what was happening in the room. General Winter sat in his customary spot behind the desk, leaning back. His shirt was undone, and instead of the armrests, he was holding onto a pair of slacks-covered calves. The legs in question belonged to Christian, sitting on the edge of the desk, facing the General, his normally carefully kept hair flying in every direction.

And then the door squeaked because, of course, it needed to cement its status as a villain. General Winter’s pale eyes darted toward the door, widening slightly at the sight of Nick. Knowing there was no graceful way out, Nick winced apologetically, raising his hand in greeting.

“Engel,” the general greeted, voice rough. “Didn’t know you were still here.”

Christian turned, his cheeks flushed, but Nick didn’t think it was from embarrassment. “What is it with the people working here that they always stay late?”

“Because they believe in a job well done, you were the same,” General Winter told him, adjusting his collar.

Christian looked at Nick, smirking. “That’s what he tells people anyway.”

“He did, in fact, sing your praises...professionally speaking,” Nick told him.