“How many are coming?” There was enough food to feed ten men, and Elena was still bringing up the rest.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Four or five. He wants us to get to know each other off the ice.”
“So, it’s not the normal group?”
A knock interrupted before he could respond. I opened the door, and Elena shuffled in. “I locked your car. Hope you have your keys.”
I rolled my eyes. “I have them. Thanks for checking first.”
She smirked and shoved the box on the counter. “Everyone should be here in about ten minutes. We’ll get this set up if you want to change.”
I looked down at my jeans and polo. “Something wrong with this?”
Nikolay shook his head and continued setting out the food. Elena pursed her lips, giving me a look that reminded me so much of our mom I almost laughed. “You look great. You always do. I was just giving you a warning in case you wanted to put on something other than your work uniform.”
I turned away from her and back to Nikolay. “Who’s coming?”
“Josh, Derrek, Jones, and Malkin.”
I only knew two of those guys well. I guessed Coach was really mixing them up. “Is Colby coming?” Malkin’s fiancé was one of my favorite women from the Pride.
“Yeah,” Elena replied while setting out plates.
I nodded and went to my room. I changed into an oversized cream sweater and black leggings. It was one of the rare days my hair wasn’t up in a ponytail so I left it down and called it good.
The doorbell rang as I walked out but Elena answered before I could. Josh, one of the rookies, walked in. He had long blonde hair and a slight Scandinavian accent. I hadn’t spent much time around him, but he seemed nice if a bit young.
“Hi Nikolay. Elena.” He gave Elena a side hug and nodded to his teammate. He stopped when he saw me and smiled. “Hello Amelia.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised he knew my name. The team was terrible with gossip. “Hi Josh. Nice to officially meet you.” I offered my hand, and he shook it while holding my gaze.
He was handsome, in a macho Viking way, but I just wasn’t interested. There was nothing there when he touched me. Not like there was with… I shook the thought away. Just because I felt something didn’t mean he did. So far, we’d kept things in the friend-zone, and I had to be okay with that for now. He had more important things to deal on the team, and I was still adjusting to living here.
The door opened again and Noah Malkin walked in with Colby. They slid off their coats and greeted everyone. Colby noticed me and hurried over. “Hey I missed you this week.”
She pulled me into a hug, and I squeezed her back. “I know. I wish I could get away for practices, but it’s too hard.”
She nodded. “Same with Madi. At least you guys can make it to games.”
“True.” I looked around as Derrek and Jones walked in together. Jones was a defenseman on Nikolay’s line. At least, last time I paid attention he was. He was another large man, but his short brown hair, styled to the side, and his black rimmed glasses made him much less intimidating than Thor, I mean Josh. He looked like Clark Kent, if Clark Kent never missed a gym session.
“Hi, I’m Zach.” I blinked and shook his hand.
“Sorry, I’m so used to people calling you Jones. That caught me off guard. Sometimes I forget you guys have first names.”
He laughed, a deep lovely sound. “I’ll respond to either.”
I nearly swooned. He was far too handsome and charming to be allowed to wander through public. He should be contained in the arena behind the glass and his helmet.
“Good to know.” Wow, what a clever response Amelia. Go sit in the corner.
“Hey.” I looked over Zach’s shoulder to see Derrek glancing between us. I took a step back and smiled.
“Hi Derrek.”
Zach shot me a smile before walking toward Nikolay. The distance helped me come down from dreamland, and I shook it off. Derrek wasn’t difficult to look at either, and even better, he was someone I could trust. We’d become friends without much effort, and he’d become a fixture in my life without me even noticing.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and smiled when he pulled me against his chest. This felt too good, too right. He was supposed to be my friend, but my body didn’t agree. “Miss me?”
I looked up without releasing my arms and rested my chin on his chest. “I did.”
His lips turned up in a coy smile. “Can’t survive two days without me?”
I pursed my lips, failing to come up with a comeback. I survived just fine. I just happened to notice his absence and not love it. I pushed away from him and headed into the kitchen. “I went my entire life without you just fine, sir.”
He raised an eyebrow in challenge. “But how much better is it now?”
I laughed and shook my head. “Who inflated your ego?”
He shrugged.
“Thanks for coming everyone,” Nikolay said with a loud clap. “Even though this was organized by Coach, I am happy to have you guys here and to get the chance to know you all better.”
Elena smiled at his side. “Go ahead and take a plate and help yourselves. Drinks are at the end of the bar.”
The guys didn’t need to be told twice. Josh, Zach, and Noah got in line, and I followed behind with Colby.
She sent me a questioning glance then looked in the direction of Derrek. “You two looked cozy.”
She whispered the words but I still looked around to make sure no one overheard. We weren’t exactly being discrete, but I wanted a chance to figure out what was happening between us before the rest of the team felt the need to give their opinions.
“We’re friends.”
She smirked. “Yeah, that’s what I said when Noah and I started dating too.”
I shook my head. “No really. That’s all we are.”
“Right now.”
I didn’t argue that as we walked along the island, loading our plates with delicious smelling curry and noodles. I followed her to the table and took a seat across from Josh and Zach, leaving an empty seat next to me. Just in case.
“Anyone sitting here?”
I looked up and smiled at Derrek. “Nope.”
He slid in and soon Elena and Nikolay sat down. I was expecting an awkward, forced conversation since this wasn’t a group that normally hung out, but things flowed easily.
Josh and Noah played together in the Junior Majors and shared a few funny stories about their high school days. Zach told the story of the first time he met Nikolay and their misunderstanding over Zach trying to tell him where the showers were.
I enjoyed the guys’ banter, listening rather than participating. Colby offered some commentary about her first days with the guys, and Josh laughed the hardest since it was the first time he was hearing these stories from before he was on the team.
“I don’t think anyone had as hard of a time as Derrek though.” Josh laughed and gave him a pointed look. “It’s like the team hated him the moment he got off the plane.”
I narrowed my eyes and checked Derrek’s reaction. His jaw was clenched tight, bulging as he kept his mouth shut.
Zach shook his head, looking disappointed. “It’s been a rough go, hasn’t it?” He stared at Derrek with sympathy.
Derrek nodded once, but Josh cut in. “Rough? He’s the team dunce. I swear every time he opens his mouth he pisses off at least one person.”
I looked to Nikolay hoping he would back Derrek up, but no one said anything. I watched Derrek’s fist tighten on the table as my annoyance turned to frustration. Why wasn’t he standing up for himself? Why weren’t any of the guys calling Josh out for being rude?
My eyes met Elena’s and I willed her to say something. I was the outsider of the group. I wasn’t on the team or really in the Pride. This wasn’t my place, but I wasn’t going to sit here and let Josh rag on Derrek. Not after everything he told me about how hard it was for him on the team. I knew he was maki
ng a conscious effort to do better, but how could he do that if people wouldn’t forgive and forget.
Josh was oblivious to the tense silence. “I mean, it’s a good thing you’re goalie. The guys would have slammed you into every wall if they could.”
“I know the feeling.” I glared across the table, and Josh looked shocked.
“Oh yeah. He piss you off too?”
I narrowed my eyes. “No, actually. Derrek’s been kind and genuine since I met him. He made me feel welcome here and made sure I was included.”
Josh didn’t look convinced. “Well, that’s the difference between being a hot girl and one of his team mates. He doesn’t need to impress us.”
I swallowed, taking a moment to calm down, but his words sparked a fire in me. “Would you please stop and think about what you’re saying? Now you’re not just insulting him, but you’re insulting me.”
He looked around the table, as if I was crazy and he needed confirmation. Nikolay’s eyes held a fire that warned him to keep quiet. I waited for him to say something, anything, but he remained silent.
I’d never been so disappointed in him.
Derrek’s fist was still clenched and I waited to see how he’d react. I didn’t want to overstep. I knew fighting someone else’s battles wasn’t a good idea. I hated when people did that to me, but I couldn’t sit back and let him take it either. He might be making an effort to think before he spoke, but I wasn’t.
“Look, I’m sorry. I didn't mean to insult you,” Josh said looking somewhat admonished.
“What about Derrek?”
He looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to apologize to Derrek?”
Derrek’s hand dropped under the table and he grabbed my knee. He was telling me to stop but I couldn’t.
Josh looked uncomfortable. “I guess.”
“No, you need to. Derrek’s made mistakes, we all have, but he’s working on doing better. Can you say the same?”
Zach whistled low. “She’s got a point. Aston’s been making an effort lately. I haven’t heard him say anything that wasn’t supportive or complementary in a week or so. I think it’s time we let go of the past.”
I shot a look to Nikolay. He might be the strong and silent type, but he was also a leader on the team. He needed to set an example.
His eyes held mine and his shoulders dropped. “Jones is right. Derrek, I can tell you’ve been trying lately, and we all appreciate it.”
Josh looked between Nikolay and Derrek several times before shaking his head. “You’re right.” His eyes locked on mine for a moment before moving onto Derrek. “I shouldn’t hold onto the past. You’ve never said anything wrong to me, but I went along with everyone else. That isn’t what being a good teammate is.” He sighed. “I’m sorry.”
I peered over at Derrek’s shocked expression. He recovered quickly and nodded. “Thanks man.”
The conversation moved on to safer topics and eventually Derrek moved his hand from my knee. I couldn’t tell if he was upset with me or not, but I sat there counting down the seconds for the meal to end so I could talk to him. As soon as everyone started clearing their plates and moving into the living room, I grabbed his hand and tugged him into my room.
As soon as the door shut, I spun around. “I’m so sorry.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “For what?”
“Overstepping. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. You don’t need me or anyone to fight your battles, but I couldn’t just sit there and let him go off on you like that.”
His eyes softened and he pulled my hands into his. “I’m not mad, Amelia.”
“You’re not?” The words were barely a whisper.
He took a step closer until our hands were pressed between our chests. “Not at all. I was trying to listen to my coach and not react. I was trying to be the bigger man. I didn’t expect you to stand up for me, but you did.” His eyes held mine and he slowly smiled. “It’s been a long time since someone did that for me.”
I frowned. “That’s not okay.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I really appreciate you trying to see the best in me.”
I blinked, my eyes falling to his lips. I wanted to kiss him. Every fiber of me wanted to close the distance, but the vulnerability in his eyes stopped me. This was a real moment for him and I didn’t want to cheapen it with a stolen kiss. Was I even ready for that? I didn’t want to get hurt again, and I knew if I gave in I’d give him the power to crush my heart.
“I mean what I said. You made me feel welcome and included from the moment we met. You made yourself comfortable in my life without me noticing.”
His lips quirked up. “Do you mind?”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
“Good because I don’t plan on giving up my spot any time soon.”
My head spun with his words. I wanted to ask him to explain exactly what he meant. Did he see me as a friend or something more? Was what I felt reciprocated? Was I losing my mind?
Yeah, probably.
13
Derrek
Hartman and Olli approached me as I finished tying my skate. I glanced up and took in their stern expressions with a groan. What had I done this time?
“Hey, guys?”
Hartman nodded once while Olli cocked his head. “I heard Josh gave you a hard time at the group dinner last night.”
Great. This wasn’t exactly a conversation I wanted to relive, especially not right before practice. I was already in my head today. This wouldn’t help.
“Yeah, but we figured it out.”
Hartman nodded. “I heard.”
I looked between the two of them wondering what their goal was.
“We just wanted you to know we’ve seen the effort you’ve been making. We appreciate it,” Olli offered a genuine smile.
“Thanks.” This was getting too close to talking about our feelings for my taste. “Should we get out there?”
I went to move past them. Hartman looked like he wanted to say something else, but I didn’t give him the chance. I walked out of the locker room and through the tunnel to the ice. Coach Abrams was standing behind the bench when I passed and gave me a nod as his only acknowledgement. I shook my head and glided over to my goal. This day was weird and having Coach out here was adding to it.
Coach Rust stepped onto the ice and called drills while I cut into the ice and warmed up. I started push, stop, recovery practices, moving to each corner of the crease, dropping to my knees and blocking before going to the opposite corner.
I ran through my own drills, mirroring Olli on the other end, while the rest of the guys warmed up near the center. Coach blew the whistle and they spread out a bit. Schultz and Malkin slowed to the area in front of me.
Schultz caught my eye with a smirk. “I heard you’ve got a crush.”
I narrowed my eyes and glanced at Malkin. He shrugged and hit his stick against the ice a few times.
“What are you talking about?”
Schultz’ grin widened. “You like Elena’s sister?”
I kept my expression neutral. I shouldn’t have been surprised they finally caught on. The guys were like sharks to blood when it came to girls and relationships. I swear all the guys that were engaged or married wanted the rest of us to join them so desperately that they felt the need to insert themselves where they weren’t welcome.
“They looked pretty cozy last night,” Malkin said in a teasing tone.
I ignored them but it wasn’t like I could leave. They trapped me in my zone.
“Amelia’s a great girl. Madi loves working with her,” Erik said as he eyed me. “I know Nikolay thinks of her as a sister. You’ve got quite a few of us to get through.”
I was well aware. Madi was protective of her therefore Erik was, plus Elena and the Russian. Not to mention, I wasn’t even certain I’d won Amelia over yet.
“She’s too good for you, Aston,” Malkin said with a shake of his head.
The Pride made a huge difference.
We might not have been available all the time, with long practices and constant travel, but at least the women were always there for each other.
It was one of the few things that made me not feel so guilty for wanting Amelia in my life. I couldn’t give her my undivided attention for seven, or more, months of the year, but I could offer a permanent position with the Pride.
Amelia deserved normal, but I was a selfish man. I wanted her and after watching her take my side last night I knew I needed to let her know.
“Who’s too good for Aston?” Murray came to a stop in front of us.
Malkin answered him, and the three of them turned to watch me. “He’s right. You’re not worthy.”
I sighed and looked up to the ceiling. “I’m well aware.”
I didn’t need them to tell me I wasn’t good enough for Amelia. She was beautiful and kind and went out of her way for people. She was also still hurting from her ex’s betrayal. I couldn't push her before she was ready or I’d risk losing her.
Schultz slapped his stick on the ice. “Ha! He admits it.”
He looked like a kid in the candy store. Great, it was a matter of minutes until the entire team knew.
“I’d never deny it, but I would appreciate if you held off on spreading the news until I have a chance to talk to her.”
He narrowed his eyes and glanced at Malkin and Murray before nodding. “Fine. You’re little secret is safe...for now.” He let out an evil chuckle and skated away.
Murray shook his head and followed him as the whistle blew again. We started running plays and my attention zeroed in on the puck. Everything else could wait.
Scoring Chance (Utah Fury Hockey Book 9) Page 9