Page 12 of Scoring Chance

Her lips quirked up. “This is the first time it’s happened to me. Elena was so much older that no one knew we were sisters. In high school, teachers never made the connection, and I didn’t have friends that knew her too.”

I let out a huff. “That must have been nice. Bryce was only one grade older so I was always living in his shadow.”

“I can’t imagine how hard that would be, Bryce’s brother.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What?”

She chuckled. “You never told me your name. I can see now why so many people would refer to you like that.”

I realized she was right and laughed. “Sorry, I’m Derrek.”

Her smile finally reached her eyes. “Well, Derrek, since you’re here I’m assuming you’re on the team.”

I nodded. “I am.”

“That’s pretty impressive. Is Bryce known as Derrek’s older brother now?”

“I don’t know actually. He’s an attorney at some fancy law firm. I doubt his crowd watches hockey. They’re more of the country club and horse racing type.”

She scrunched her nose. “They’re missing out.”

I tried to smile but her words were bringing up a lot of insecurities I worked hard at burying. We’d started out joking, but now I was having flashbacks to a time when I didn’t have my own identity. When no matter what I did to win my parents’ approval, it wasn’t enough. Even when I got drafted into the NHL at eighteen, it was overshadowed by Bryce getting accepted into Harvard Law School, early. My accomplishments never seemed to measure up to his. My parents were supportive of my career, I never would have made it this far if they weren’t, but it wasn’t as impressive to their friends as Bryce’s quick rise to the top. Who cared about the kid on the bench of NHL games when Bryce was changing laws and impacting the country?

“Why are you out here hiding?” Her voice pulled me away from my depressing walk down memory lane.

“I went from living in one man’s shadow to another.” I bit out the words.

The realization was a slap in the face. I never thought about it like that, but it was true. I was basically Olli’s little brother now. His backup. I went from having to stand out and prove myself against Bryce, to Olli.

Her eyebrows pulled together. “I’m lost.”

Me too. “I’m the backup goalie on the team. I only play when Olli’s injured or the rare times Coach gives him a break. I’m better than that, but no one will give me a chance.”

She watched me for a moment while biting her lip. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-one.”

“And how long have you been in the NHL?”

“I was drafted at eighteen, but I was on the farm team for Detroit until I got traded here at the beginning of last season.”

She gave me a half-smile. “So, you’ve been in the league for three years, active for one and a half?”

“Yeah.”

She bobbed her head as if thinking it through.

“What?” Her silence was driving me crazy. I needed to know what was going on in her mind.

“I’m just trying to understand your perspective,” she said gently.

“What do you mean?”

“I can tell you’re frustrated, and I’m trying to put myself in your shoes, but it’s tough.”

This was the first time someone listened to what I was saying and seemed to care rather than blowing me off. I was intrigued by what she would say next.

“What do you mean?” I set my uneaten food down on the seat next to me.