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‘Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œWell, take heed. If it turns out Halti Boy likes you and you like him, too, what have you got to lose?”
    Delilah swallowed. “My heart.”
    â€œYou’ve already lost it to animals. Don’t you think it’s time to broaden your horizons?”
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    â€œDon’t worry about the traffic. We’ll be in Brooklyn soon.”
    Michael Dante turned around to explain to Jason why it was taking them longer than expected to get to Dante’s, the restaurant Michael co-owned with his brother, Anthony. Earlier in the day, Jason had to suppress a grin when Michael and Ty invited him to join them for dinner. It was a ritual for the captain and head coach to take new guys out individually for a meal and pep talk.
    Sometimes Jason still couldn’t believe he was in New York playing for the Blades. Back in North Dakota, he and Eric used to lie awake in their room at night, fantasizing about who they longed to play for. Eric had a hard-on for playing for Boston. But Jason always dreamed about playing for New York, in “the world’s greatest arena.” Under Gallagher’s stewardship, the team had won two Stanley Cups. Jason wanted to be there when they won the third.
    Michael grumbled something under his breath that made Ty chuckle. “I hope you don’t talk like that in front of your kids,” he said.
    â€œI do, but usually it’s in Italian, so it doesn’t matter.”
    Jason leaned forward. “How many kids do you have, Cap?” He wanted to show them that he wasn’t nervous, even though he was. It was the right question to ask; if it were possible to bottle and sell the look of pride transforming Michael’s face, Jason would be set for life.
    â€œTwo, with one on the way.”
    â€œHow old are they?”
    â€œDominica’s six, little Anthony is four, and the baby is due in January.”
    â€œMichael’s trying to start his own hockey team,” Ty ribbed.
    Jason glanced between the two men. “Your wives work together, right?”
    â€œRight,” said Ty. “They run their own company, FM PR.”
    â€œThough Theresa’s dropped down to part-time, what with the kids and all,” said Michael. He glanced back at Jason. “You looking for a publicist?”
    Ty shot Michael a warning look. “That’s the last thing he needs.”
    â€œI was making a joke. Relax, will ya?”
    Ty grunted and looked out the window.
    â€œHow ’bout you, Coach?” Jason’s voice sounded a little too chipper to his own ears, so he toned it down a bit. “You’ve got one kid, right?”
    Ty nodded. “Patrick. He’s five.”
    â€œShoulda named him after me,” Michael put in.
    Ty just rolled his eyes.
    Jason sat back. The rapport between the two men was comforting. He knew from watching them at practice that they had immense respect for each other, but it was nice to see they were friends as well. In Minnesota, the new coach and longtime captain could barely stand each other. The effect on team morale was devastating. Jason was convinced it was the reason the Mosquitoes hadn’t made the playoffs in two years. Loyalties were divided when everyone’s attention should have been focused on winning.
    â€œSo, has your big brother been showing you the sights?” Ty asked.
    Jason frowned. He knew the conversation would get around to Eric eventually. It always did.
    â€œBigger than me by three whole minutes,” Jason muttered.
    His gaze caught Ty’s in the rearview mirror. Ty looked surprised. “I didn’t know you two were twins.”
    â€œYou been living under a rock or what?” said Michael, weaving in and out of traffic like a lunatic. Ty shot him a withering glance before resuming eye contact with Jason.
    â€œEric’s a great hockey player,”