Page 75 of Rainbow Kisses

I looked out the window again, tracing the pretty, snow-covered hills. “How? It’s not like you can beat him into submitting to your will.”

“Interesting solution, but yeah, not gonna happen.” He paused, his gaze turning sharp. “I’m considering asking Brian to come on as an assistant coach.”

Oh. Oh wow. My brain snapped, crackled, and popped with that information, ideas pinging all through my brain, but all of them leading to one constant refrain: If Brian took the job, he’d be here all the time.

Is that what I want?

Is it what Brian would want?

“I’d hoped having Brian here would let him and Rebel work out their beef, which would clear the way for Brian to join us.”

I had so many questions, I didn’t even know where to start, except to say, “Damn, you’ve given this a lot of thought.”

Rowdy gave me the most Rowdy smile ever. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

For years, Rowdy had embraced the role of small-town hockey god. No fucks given for anything except hockey, parties, and getting laid. And then he’d met Tressy and Krista, and it was like he’d morphed into this stable, business-minded guy who thought about things like the mechanics of the business and the ramifications of bringing his best friend and his brother’s nemesis into the family team.

“I had no idea you were considering Brian for a coaching position.”

He shrugged. “Maybe you just had other things on your mind.”

And there was the snark I expected from my older brother. I flipped him off again, though my heart wasn’t really in it, and my brain was doing some gymnastics of its own. If he took the job, he’d stay in St. David. And we would work together every day.And we’d live happily ever after, like in that book I was telling Brian I’d read.

Which was a fantasy, of course. Nothing ever worked out so easily. There were always snags.

“Rebel would have to sign off on this.”

“Yep.” Rowdy nodded. “And if he won’t, it could push him away. It could push Brian away too.”

“It’s a no-win situation.”

“Unless they get their shit figured out.” Rowdy’s gaze slid to the window again, but I don’t think he saw the pretty landscape. “I’m not sure Brian’s Dance of Contrition is going to heal that rift completely.”

No, I didn’t either. Shit.Shit.

Hell, I wasn’t even sure Brian would want to stay after the season was over. I mean, that’s what I wanted. What I was hoping for. And if he took the job Rowdy was offering, he’d be here all the time.

But…did he want to be here all the time? Hell, we’d just started…well, I couldn’t even call it dating. Did having sex every chance we could constitute a relationship?

And with his sister getting out of rehab, she was going to need help and support.

“What are we going to do?”

Rowdy looked straight at me, dead serious. An unusual state for Rowdy. “We’re gonna talk to Rebel and Rocky. We’ll tell them today that we want to talk and that they should come prepared.”

“When?”

“How about Monday?” Rowdy’s grin returned. “Over lunch.”

This time I didn’t even bother to give him the finger. He had to know it was implied.

“Monday it is.”

“Hey,I didn’t expect to see you today.”

Brian walked through my front door Friday afternoon, carrying a bag from Luigi’s that smelled amazing. Fresh bread and marinara. I took it from him with a smile

“I wasn’t sure I was going to be here today, but then I said, fuck it. You give me more incentive to play than any fucking extra practice.”

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