Page 32 of Breaking the Ice
“Might’ve been easier for you to go coach someplace else,” Zach said, even though he didn’t exactly sound that enthusiastic about the idea. “Less history, someplace else.”
“No, it wouldn’t have been,” Gavin said. “I would’ve been . . .well, it wouldn’t have worked, anyway.”
Zach was quiet. Gavin almost wanted him to ask if it was becausehewas here, but surely he’d made that clear enough this morning.
“Well,” Zach finally said, “the morning’s clear tomorrow. You wanna go to the rink?”
“Just the two of us?”
“Bet you haven’t had skates on in forever,” Zach said.
And no, he hadn’t. He’d barely even worn them when he’d coached in Seattle.
“You don’t need to,” Zach added hurriedly. “I know coaches don’t typically—”
“And when have Ieverbeen a traditionalist?” Gavin asked archly. “You came to me because I’m not. Because I might see a way forward that nobody else does. We can get on the ice. Then watch some tape.”
“You already watched everything I sent you?”
Gavin chuckled. “Yeah, you know I did. It wasn’t that many games. Why did Nichols take so long to put Jones and McCoy on the same line?”
“I wasn’t coaching here then,” Zach said, by way of explanation.
“Oh, come on, you have a theory,” Gavin said.
“Do I?” Zach sounded downright amused now. “You must know me really well.”
Gavin’s grip on the phone tightened. Was Zachflirtingwith him?
Oh God.
His heartbeat shouldn’t be accelerating just at the thought of it.
“I do know you,” Gavin said earnestly. He was shitty at flirting anyway.
“Uh, I think . . .I think he listened too much to Mal arguing. And then he bought into how Elliott was playing on the second line. He couldn’t see the path forward, therightpath forward.” Zach sounded adorably awkward now. Enough for Gavin to believe thatyes, he had been flirting. And even though Gavin should hate it. Should shut this down. It was late and he was tired and maybe for ten minutes, he didn’t have to fight this.
After all, this whole conversation was harmless. It wasn’t like they were even in the same room.
“He should’ve at leasttriedit,” Gavin complained.
“He should’ve,” Zach agreed. “So you’re definitely going to put them on the same line, then?”
“Well,yeah,” Gavin said. “And Ivanov, too, as the center. He grounds them.”
“Not McCoy?”
“Are you kidding me? When Jones pushes him, it’s like he finally forgets about all the shit he’s not supposed to worry about.”
“What about Finn?”
Gavin sighed. “Did Morganhaveto fucking open his mouth?”
“I think you already know the answer to that.”
“Jesus fucking Christ. Save me from hockey dads.”
“I’d save you from anything,” Zach said earnestly.
