Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin Read Free Book Online

in a professional capacity,” said Michael. “Maybe after hours, she’s—”
    “Can it,” Ty interrupted, looking steamed. “He’s here to bring us the Cup. He gets into a relationship—”
    Michael groaned. “Jesus Christ, will you change the script? You’ve been spouting this crap for years. Being involved with someone has never affected anyone’s play. Happy players make good players.”
    Adam stifled a laugh. They were bickering like an old married couple.
    “Admit it, Ty.”
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Ty muttered. “I guess if he finds a girlfriend, it’ll be okay.”
    “Uh, guys, could you not talk about me like I’m not here?” Adam asked. That had happened at the meeting, too. Was it something about him, or were Ty and Michael so enmeshed they sometimes failed to notice the presence of anyone else?
    “Sorry,” said Michael. He reached for a breadstick, broke it in two. “How’s it going with Saari? You tear him a new one for being late?”
    “Oh yeah. Little prick actually had the balls to tell me to chill out.”
    Ty shook his head in disbelief. “These young guys now . . . Can you imagine ever saying that to your captain? Jesus Christ.”
    “No shit,” said Michael. “If we’d ever talked to you that way, maintenance would have found our body in the Dumpster the next day.”
    “Damn straight.”
    “He wasn’t happy when I pointed out a few mistakes he made on the ice against Philly,” said Adam.
    “Arrogant kid,” said Michael. He turned to Ty. “You know who he reminds me of? Paul van Dorn.”
    Ty nodded in agreement. “Yup. But we got him to toe the line, didn’t we? And that’s exactly what’s going to happen with Saari.”
    Wine was brought to the table. Michael raised his glass high. “To Adam. May the season end with him skating the Cup on home ice.”
    “I’ll drink to that,” said Adam. He wondered if Sinead O’Brien ever let her hair down and drank a glass of wine now and then. Probably not. She seemed the workaholic type, no play. Too bad Michael was right: she was a very attractive woman. Not that it mattered. The important thing was that she got Dobbins to drop the case. He steered his wandering mind back to present company, intent on enjoying the evening.

    Midway through what was turning out to be an outrageously decadent meal, Michael’s brother, Anthony, sat down at the table to shoot the breeze with them.
    “Food okay?” he asked.
    “Quit fishing for compliments, you loser,” said Michael.
    “It’s amazing,” said Adam. “I spent years in Florida. You couldn’t get Italian food like this.”
    “ ’ Cause this is the real thing, bro,” said Anthony. “You must have been able to get some amazing Cuban food, though.”
    “Totally,” said Adam.
    He noticed Anthony kept staring at his brother’s head. Michael noticed it, too. Finally, Michael snapped, “What? What are you staring at?”
    “What the hell did you do to your hair?”
    “Nothing. I went to Mario, as usual.”
    “You look like Shemp from The Three Stooges .”
    “Fuck you,” Michael said to Anthony. “This is why you have no friends; you insult everyone.”
    “I have friends,” Anthony protested.
    “Name one.”
    Anthony rattled off four names.
    “They’re all chefs who are as batshit as you,” Michael countered. “Name one non-chef friend.”
    Anthony glared at him. “Bite me, Mike.”
    “At least I don’t look like Moe,” said Michael.
    Anthony shook his head sadly. “Pathetic comeback. Totally pathetic.” He stood up. “Adam, it was nice to meet you. Ty, it was good to see you again. Mikey, you’re not even worthy of uttering the name of Moe.”
    Anthony returned to the kitchen.
    Michael touched the top of his head worriedly. “Do I really look like Shemp?”
    “Nah, you don’t,” Adam assured him. “He was just yanking your chain.”
    “He’s such an asshole,” Michael uttered under his breath.

    Dinner finished, Ty and Michael left to go home to their