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There were a few comprehending grunts at that. Shouldn’t mess with a player’s sister.
“Yeah, hockey can be an incestuous spit pool.” Coach shook his head. “Zee Czerski to contend with too. Playing a top talent is always a problem. Playing against talent who knows our star’s every move, shit ton of a handicap.”
More grunts of sympathy.
Mikah didn’t need that. So what if Zee knew his every move? He knew his too, the disadvantage worked both ways.
“Thanks for making it tough on us, bros,” Kiernan said to Mikah and Liam. “You’re going to owe us a round.”
“You’re acting like your angry, fathead cousin doesn’t play for the Geels,” York, the new trade from Minnesota, said. “He shot a puck right at my face last year when I was watching their practice.” He tapped his replacement front tooth. “Dickwad.”
Kiernan chuckled.
Dude had crooked teeth. The dental work had been an improvement.
“Like I said,” Coach continued. “You’re all just a branch or two from falling off the same family tree. I know it, you know it. We’re not going to let this be a problem in our house. Are we, men?”
“No, Coach,” they said in unison and rattled their sticks on the ice.
But yeah, they all knew a problem was coming. Bianca’s brother was going to be a prick on principle. Kiernan’s cousin was always an asshat. And Zee. Zee had something to prove, given how the leaderboard was going, because he’d be eating the second-place spot with the Christmas ham, the way things were looking.
A flash of pink up ahead drew his attention away from Coach. Piper, holding onto the gate, stepped onto the ice. Her skirt swished around the top of her thighs.
His heart slammed against his jersey. What was she doing here? Coming to speak with him? He hadn’t been able to get her out of his damned head. Stop, of course, he could. He was a pro. He adjusted his thinking. He was at practice. Not cool.
His gaze wasn’t the only one swiveling to check out her legs.
Coach noted their stares, looked over his shoulder, and huffed out a sigh before turning back to them. “Czerski? You going to handle that?”
Coach thought he was whipped? “Why would you ask me to deal with the front office? Piper’s not my problem. This organization and their purity patrol were never my responsibility. Somehow, you’ve put it on my shoulders.” There, he’d established his independence, which they never should have questioned. After that social media from the Renaissance Festival, even his father had called getting in his business, wanting to know if Piper had put him up to the event. It was all bullshit. He was focused. Winner’s win. Workout. Practice. Game. Repeat. Winning formula right there.
“Someone’s got to take care of this.” Coach pointed to Ronan. “You’re the captain. Handle this.”
Ronan pivoted and faced the team. “Okay, men, you know what we have to do.”
Fuck.
“We’re not doing that,” Mikah said, his body tensing.
CHAPTER 28
Captain held his big-ass hand over his palm. “You know what we have to.”
“Mind games.” Kiernan gave him a wave with his hand flat like a piece of paper. “We’ve got you covered, bro.”
Was Kiernan warning him not to go rock because he’d be papered and lose? Or was Kiernan saying he should go rock? The back of Mikah’s neck heated.
Liam made a peace sign and snickered.
That was scissors, right? That meant his bros would each take one of the other signs. Was that what Liam was saying?
Rookie made a rock sign and bumped his chest over his heart. Okay, he had this, they were for sure signaling him to go with rock.
Coach pounded the side of his fist on his palm three times as he spoke. “Rock. Paper. Scissors.”
Mikah punched out his rock. Power.
His teammates stuck their hands out at the same time. Flat. Paper.
