Page 104 of The Puck Stops Here
He shook his head and she reached out, wrapped her hand around the beer bottle and eased it from his fingers.
‘You gonna tell me I should know better,’ he said, his voice gruff, eyes stormy. ‘With a father like mine…’
‘No. I’m going to tell you to quit being so hard on yourself. You’ve spent your life in your brother’s shadow. You’ve spent your life looking up to him, idolising him, letting him take the lead rather than trusting yourself with it. I don’t think you’ve ever taken the time to truly appreciate what you’veachieved. Or questioned what you want going forward.’
‘I’m where I am because of him.’
‘No, you got here because you were just as skilled, just as strong, and if you were to speak to anyone on your team, like I have, you would see that you are his equal. That you are someone to be admired and adored on his own merit. And if you were to tell yourself this the night before a game, instead of drinking this, you might find those screaming doubts become whispers that eventually die out.’
He gave a choked laugh. ‘Quite the poet, aren’t you?’
‘Not according to my old English teacher.’
‘And how do you suggest I silence that voice in my head when burning calories through exercise is totally ill-advised the night before a game?’
Her eyes drifted over the room, looking for inspiration – both twins had made it clear they lacked hobbies – but if she wasn’t much mistaken there was a games console tucked into the wall.
‘Who’s the player between you and your brother?’
He smirked, his eyes dark and teasing. ‘I thought we’d already covered that conversation in the interview, but if you want to bring up sex as a?—’
She barked out a laugh, killing the idea before Delia’s book could take hold. ‘I meant the games console!’
‘Pity.’
She purposefully ignored him. ‘I told you it was one of my coping strategies way back when. Maybe it could work for you too.’
He glanced at the console. ‘It’s mine.’
‘Play it much?’
‘Sometimes.’
‘Favourite game?’
He gave her a funny look. ‘This is where I’m supposed to say something cool, isn’t it?’
‘Says the guy who’s already confessed to watchingTitanicby choice…’
He chuckled. ‘I’m pretty retro in my tastes.’
‘Howretro?’
‘LikeStreet Fighterretro.’
Now she grinned. ‘Favourite character?’
‘Easy. Ryu.’
‘Too obvious.’
‘Alright then, Twinkle Toes, who’s yours… no wait, let me guess. Chun-Li.’
‘Every time.’
‘I’m sure we’re playing into gender stereotypes here.’
‘Nonsense, she’s a kick-ass character and has earned her right at the top. She’ll wipe the floor with Ryu any day of the week so long as these babies are at the helm.’ She fluttered her fingers at him.
