Page 64 of The Husband Game

They flailed and went down on the ice. Even from here, Charlie could see the other guys laughing about it and he caught the rise of amused voices as they chirped the guy on the ice.

After they’d run through the drill a handful of times, Nico buzzed by, purposely stopping fast and spraying ice at them.

They were protected by the glass but Birdie still hollered. “Cut it out, asshole!”

Nico grinned and skated off, unrepentant.

“Tell me about Nico,” Charlie asked.

Birdie laughed again, this time louder. “Oh, God. He’s … well, he’s kind of our disaster boy but we love him anyway.”

“Disaster in what way?”

“Drama, drama, drama with that one, 24/7.” She rolled her eyes but her tone was fond.

“Ooh, juicy. Keep going.”

“He’s Dutch but he grew up here in Canada. His dad was an NHLer and he wanted Nico to follow in his footsteps. He’s not a bad guy, but ugh, he’s one of those men who … never grew up, you know? He divorced Nico’s mom and married a younger woman and all that.”

Charlie made a face. “I know the type.”

“But like, even if Nico does sleep with half of Toronto and is constantly living this fabulous Instagrammable life where he jets back and forth to Europe whenever he gets the whim—and, you know, the season allows—he is a total sweetheart.”

“Hmm. Did I correctly pick up on some bi vibes there?”

Birdie giggled. “That’s putting it mildly. Nico is about as equal opportunity as you can get. Pan all the way. Rumor has it he and the pretty French-Canadian guy who got picked up by Evanston were more than just a D-pair on the ice sometimes.” She gave him a knowing little wink.

“Gabriel Theriault?” Charlie asked, surprised.

He wasn’t surprised they’d hooked up really, but since Charlie had met Gabriel, he’d been so madly in love with the team’s assistant coach he hadn’t had eyes for anyone else.

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know for sure, but that’s what they say.” Birdie shrugged.

“Damn, I’d have liked to get in the middle of that,” Charlie said with a dreamy sigh. Neither of them were really his type but they both had a very compelling energy to them.

“I mean, before Dustin, of course,” he tacked on, so it wouldn’t sound like he was the kind of guy who’d be unfaithful to his husband.

Birdie laughed. “I get you. I’m happy with Colton but believe me, I wouldn’t have turned that down if I was single either.”

“So we’ve established Nico’s a bit of a man-slut but tell me more about his playing.”

“He’s fucking good,” Birdie said with a sigh. “He’s on the top defensive pair with Matty now and they were killing it together last season, but Nico’s been a little all over the place. He’s one of those guys who is so naturally talented it’s sickening but he’s never put in the work.”

“Fascinating.”

“He and Matty are like … total opposites. Matty is constantly grinding it out. I think that’s why they’re playing so well together now.”

“Oooh.” Charlie grinned, waggling his eyebrows. “Another off-ice d-pairing there?”

Birdie snorted. “Oh God no. They’re like brothers. Definitely none of that kind of chemistry there.”

“Ahh, too bad.”

“Well,” she said thoughtfully. “Felix Hale and Jonah Brewer are super close. They grew up together.”

“Jonah is …” Charlie googled him and squinted at his phone screen. “Oh right, the super-hot Korean-Canadian guy.”

“Yup. Felix is still out in British Columbia now but he’ll be back soon, I think. Anyway, his family lived next door to Jonah’s grandma so the boys grew up together. Played together for years until they got drafted and now that they’re back together, it’s like they picked up where they left off and are pretty inseparable.”

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