Page 4 of Power Play with My Brother's Irish Friends

“You need a change of scenery.” He devoured another line of steak and cheese, ignoring the crackers completely. “And I have a brilliant idea.”

“Austin, your brilliant ideas usually involve beer and the weight room. I’m not arm-wrestling you for the squat machine.” I headed into the kitchen for a glass of water.

Austin followed, his sneakers squeaking on my freshly mopped floor. “Hold on. Hear me out.” He cut in front of me and set the empty platter on the counter. “Since you’re between contracts and not tied down to the city, I have a friend.” He stopped and waffled his hand back and forth. “Friend of a friend. A teammate.”

“Austin.” I made his name a warning, drawing out the consonants.

“I know, I know.” He patted my shoulders and turned aside to delve into the refrigerator. He talked while pilfering a soda and a beer. “You’re a highly sought after publicist and you don’t treat friends for free. Got it. Loud and clear.”

“But?” I took the soda from him and popped the tab, drinking half of it down while he straightened.

“This guy could really use your help.” He made a perfect pout with his lower lip. “And it would be a real help to me and the team. He’s new. He’s Irish, and he’s struggling to keep from ruining our rep because he’s used to how things work there and not here.”

“You guys have your own PR team. Why ask me to come?” He’d never, ever asked for PR help. His team had one of the best reps in the business, and I was okay staying out of his way.

Austin remained silent long enough for a shiver of fear to creep down my spine. “There’s a condition on his contract.” He drained the beer, threw the bottle away, and scrubbed a hand over his head and down the left side of his face.

I saw his exhaustion then, the bitter ring of hopelessness in the gray eyes so like mine. He’d taken Dad’s hair color, while I’d gotten Mom’s. People always thought we lied about being siblings, especially once Austin started working out and bulking up while I remained thin and petite. “What’s the condition?”

Austin kept his face expressionless, but I’d known him my whole life, so I saw the single twitch in his eyebrow that said he knew he had my attention. But nothing prepared me for the words he uttered. “His contract is dependent on turning this PR nightmare around.”

I groaned long and low while sinking into the couch and pulling my knees up to my chest. “You know how I hate the bullship politics of clauses like that.”

Austin crossed to sit beside me and patted my knee. “I know. It sucks a big one. But the truth is, this guy is legit.”

“So are you.” I sat forward and made him look at me. “What’s the real deal here? You’ve never advocated for me to take on a teammate before. What makes this guy so great?”

Austin tapped his toe on the white rug beneath my antique coffee table. He rucked up the rug, then smoothed it down again, his concentration locked into the systematic movement. “He could be the guy we’ve been needing. The one who can get us all the way to the Stanley Cup.”

Holy shit balls. I blinked at Austin. “The Stanley Cup? Seriously? He’s that good?”

“We are that good. We’ve been tearing up the ice since he showed up. He’s a beast on skates. A real bruiser. Not much class, but he’s given us the oomph to carry a season all the way.” Austin stood and paced. He set his hands on his hips, dropped them. He faced me and laced his fingers together behind his head. “I don’t ask lightly. But it seems mutually beneficial. If nothing else, come meet the team, talk to him, and see what you think. Consider it a vacation. If you say no, no hard feelings. You can stick around and kick up your heels for a while.”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had anything even close to a vacation. It was an interesting ploy to get me all the way to Washington. “If I say yes.” I held up my hand, palm facing him to stop the shout of triumph. “If I say yes, it’ll only be because you beg me for a favor.”

“Hugely.” He held out his arms as wide as they’d go. “Massive favor.”

I shook my head. “Nuh-uh. Not that. Beg me like that time we were kids and I had the last bag of Skittles and you wanted them.”

Austin’s jaw clicked together, and a snort fluttered his nostrils. “You’re pushing it.”

“A girl likes to know her brother still needs her sometimes.” I crossed my arms and nestled into the corner of the couch.

“Fine.” Austin sank to his knees, clasped his hands in front of him, and widened his eyes. “Will you please do me this huge favor and come see my guys in Washington?”

“Of course.” The laugh that tore free from my tight chest felt amazing. “I’d do anything for you, you know that.”

“I hate you sometimes.” He used the coffee table to push back to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go to your favorite steakhouse to celebrate.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” I shoved my feet into a pair of stylish ankle boots that matched my slim-fit jeans and blazer and grabbed my purse.

I’d pick Austin’s brain about this teammate of his and start building a plan for how to get him on the PR straight and narrow.

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