Icebreaker by Deirdre Martin Page B

that jumped out at you when you talked to them?”
    “How come none of them seemed to know anything about you personally, apart from the fact you’re Canadian?”
    “There’s nothing to know.”
    “I find that hard to believe. Everyone has a backstory. I need to know yours.”
    “Good luck with that,” said Adam, taking a slug of beer.
    “Can I point something out?”
    “Sure.”
    “I know we’re not in a professional setting right now, but I am your attorney. There’s no reason to be antagonistic. I’m on your side.”
    Adam looked grim. “Right.” He rolled his beer bottle between his hands. “All right, since we’re on the same side, what’s your backstory? You need to know so much about me? How about you tell me a little bit about you?”
    Sinead’s guard immediately went up. “It’s not necessary for you to know about me in order for me to do my job.”
    “True, but I think it only fair. A quid pro quo.”
    Sinead hesitated, and then acquiesced. If this banter was the way to get him to trust her, then what was the harm?
    “I like jazz,” she said.
    “You can do better than that.”
    “I love kids.”
    Adam dropped his guard momentarily as his face lit up. “Really? So do I.”
    Sinead tried hard to hide her shock, but obviously she was doing a poor job of it: Adam looked insulted. “Why do you look so surprised?”
    “I’m not,” Sinead insisted.
    Adam changed the subject. “What else have you got on me?”
    “You’re pretty demanding.”
    “It’s my job.”
    “Even off the ice?”
    Their eyes caught and held. Sinead saw something behind the steeliness but couldn’t quite put it into words.
    “I’m divorced,” she told him.
    Adam’s expression softened. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
    “Don’t be. He was a jerk.” Sinead’s heart was pounding. She was a private person. Why was she revealing something so personal so quickly?
    She sipped her martini. “Your turn.”
    “I love The Three Stooges .”
    “More than kids?” Sinead teased.
    “No,” Adam said without hesitation. “But I’ve sworn allegiance to the Stooges . I’ll always be a fan.”
    “I’ll try not to hold that against you.”
    Adam smiled.
    “ You can do better than that,” Sinead continued. She put her drink down on the bar, folding her arms in front of her chest expectantly. “I’m waiting.”
    “I was engaged once,” he revealed.
    “Really? What happened?”
    Adam shrugged. “Just didn’t work out. We wanted different things.” He turned his attention to the TV, an obvious signal he didn’t want to discuss it further.
    Sinead made a show of checking her watch. They were dancing a little too close to flirting for her liking, even if it was under the guise of trying to get more comfortable around each other as attorney and client. The problem was, she was enjoying it.
    “I should leave. Much like Oliver, I still have a ton of work to do, too.”
    “Do you ever slow down?” Adam asked.
    “Not pertinent to your case.”
    The urge to flee was overwhelming. Sinead could easily imagine herself spilling her guts to him. Stick to business, she told herself. Stick to safety .
    “We’ll talk again soon,” she told him. “In the meantime, if you can think of anything—”
    “That would be helpful to the case, call you,” Adam recited in a monotone. “Got it.”
    “Good night,” Sinead said.
    “ Night,” Adam replied, turning back to the TV.
    Sinead walked out of the pub somewhat shaken. Adam could be charming. Still guarded, but charming. She found herself wishing he was a bonehead; he was stirring up feelings in her she hadn’t had in a long time, and it was worrisome. From now on, she was going to play it strictly professionally. She had to.

6

    Adam was annoyed with himself. There were rituals he needed to perform before every game to ward off potential injury and increase the odds of a win. First, he needed to put every piece of equipment on, as well as his uniform, from left to