Read Online Power Play by Deirdre Martin - Free Book Online

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    â€œYeah, Lonnie?”
    Lonnie swallowed nervously. “Do you think you could—if it’s not too much trouble—get Monica’s autograph for me?”
    â€œI can do better than that: I can have her come down here one day to meet you guys.”
    â€œOh, yeah!” Ulf high-fived Eric, with everyone on the bench following suit. It amazed Eric how you could never get tired of hearing the phrase “You rock” from your teammates. Just wait until they saw what he could do on the ice. He’d be a bona fide Blade in no time.
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    â€œStanley!”
    By now, Eric should have been used to Jason’s giant Newf drooling all over him the minute he walked through his brother’s front door, but it still got to him. Why Jason didn’t put one of those dog bibs on Stan was beyond him.
    â€œStan, lie down!”
    At Jason’s command, Stanley lumbered back to his dog bed, grumbling. The bed was large enough for two small children to sleep on comfortably. Delilah’s three dogs had barely lifted their heads at Eric’s entry, and for that he was glad. One dog greeting him he could handle; a four-dog welcoming committee was a bit much.
    â€œHey, Delilah.” Eric ambled over to the couch, leaning over to kiss his sister-in-law on the cheek. For a long while, Eric wasn’t Delilah’s favorite person, having stolen her father’s fiancée out from under his nose. But it all worked out for the best: Delilah’s parents had reconciled, and the fiancée, mackerel-brained Brandi, was history. By the time Jason and Delilah tied the knot a few months back, Delilah had forgiven Eric and even seemed fond of him.
    He momentarily diverted his attention to the TV. Delilah appeared to be watching some show on cougars; in fact, three of them were tearing apart an antelope with glee. Charming. Again Eric wondered where Jason’s head was at; Pardon the Interruption was on ESPN right now. What was wrong with his brother? Jason claimed Eric spent too much time glued to the tube. Easy for him to say; he didn’t live alone.
    Delilah smiled at Eric. “Good to see you. Do you want to stay for dinner?”
    â€œThat would be great.” Delilah was turning out to be a decent cook.
    â€œWhy don’t you just move in?” Jason grumbled.
    â€œHey, that’s not nice,” Delilah chided. “Eric’s not here that much.”
    Which was true; Eric was making a concerted effort to give the newlyweds their space. But this visit had been Jason’s idea, not his.
    â€œ You’re the one who invited me over,” Eric pointed out. He grinned impishly at his brother. “You’re dying to hear all about Monica, aren’t you?”
    Delilah’s ears pricked up. “Monica who?”
    â€œMonica Geary,” said Jason. “Apparently she’s deranged and asked Eric to accompany to her some party last Friday night.”
    Delilah sighed. “My mom once told me she’s gorgeous in person. They were at the same sample sale, and my mom almost took out one of her eyes with the hat she was wearing.”
    â€œWhat was it, three-cornered?” Jason asked. He regarded his brother dubiously. “So? Are you really seeing her again?”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œWow.” Jason slowly shook his head. “That’s amazing. Though it is kind of cool we’ll all get to meet her—assuming your relationship lasts beyond a week, which I doubt.”
    â€œOh ye of little faith and immense jealousy.”
    â€œYeah, right.” Jason perched on the corner of the couch, brushing aside his wife’s curly hair so he could press his lips tenderly to the nape of her neck. “I’ve got all the woman I need right here, Bro.”
    Eric’s eyes darted away. He was glad his brother and Delilah were so affectionate, but sometimes it made him feel like a third