Page 29 of Scoring Chance

I held up my hands. “I cannot be responsible for all of them.”

The women laughed, and I caught Amelia watching me with a small smile. I winked at her and went to the living room to set out the folding chairs.

10

Amelia

I could feel their eyes on me the second Derrek walked away. I took my time lining up the cans and bottles I pulled from the fridge making sure they were perfectly organized and the labels faced out. Once I ran out of excuses, I peered up at them. Madi was smirking, but Emma and Kendall looked concerned.

“What?” I whispered looking between the two of them.

Kendall shook her head, and Emma moved forward until she was inches from me. “I want you to be careful.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Of what?”

She tilted her head, giving me a look only a mother could create. “Derrek.”

Elena warned me the team and some of the women had a hard time with him. Derrek was, unfortunately, well aware of it as well. I was hoping they were both being dramatic, but apparently not. I wished for his sake things weren’t as bad as they seemed.

“What about him?”

Kendall stepped closer so she and Emma had me boxed in. “He’s a bit volatile.”

My eyes darted between them, waiting for them to tell me this was a joke. A weird initiation. “Meaning?”

“He can be really hot headed sometimes. He got in a fight with one of the guys last week. Elliot shoved him, and Derrek lost it.” I didn't know about a fight but it didn’t surprise me. I heard how the guys talked to him. Derrek told me how much it got to him. He was simmering, right under his boiling point at all times.

“He’s not very mature either. He has a lot of growing up to do,” Emma added.

None of this was about me, but I felt personally attacked. Derrek and I were just starting to get to know each other, but already I felt protective. He didn’t have anyone in his corner. No one stood up for him when everyone jumped in on bashing him.

“I do too. I’m only a year older than him.”

Kendall cocked her head, giving me an incredulous look. “It has nothing to do with age.”

“We just want you to be careful. He’s handsome and can be very charming, but he doesn’t have the best reputation,” Emma offered with a sad smile, as if it was something that couldn’t be helped.

I fought with the need to defend Derrek and not wanting to upset the women that had so readily accepted me into their close group. I loved them and appreciated their friendship, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stand back and let them rag on him.

“This,” I waved my hand in a circle between the three of us, “is what perpetuated his reputation.”

Both of them looked surprised by my words.

“Yeah, he got in a fight with one of the guys. Did any of you bother to ask him why?”

I waited for a response, but they just glanced at each other, remaining silent.

“He’s not as oblivious as you guys might think, or hope. He’s all too aware of what the guys say behind his back. He knows most of you don’t really like him. He’s barely tolerated by most of the team. Wouldn’t that drive you crazy after time? Wouldn’t you act out at the first chance? Were you guys at that practice? Was he being antagonized before the guy hit him? Do you think that just maybe that was all he could handle? That one shove could have been his breaking point. He shouldn’t have gotten in a fight, I’m not condoning that, but has anyone ever stopped to think about it from his perspective?”

They shared another look, and Emma spoke up. “He’s been cocky since he got here. The guys got sick of it.”

I almost snorted. “He’s cocky? That’s the problem?” I sent each of them a look. “You’re saying Erik doesn’t like how cocky another player is? Erik Schultz? Or Olli?” I threw up a hand. “Wyatt? None of them are a tiny bit arrogant?”

Madi made a sound behind them, and my eyes met hers. She was covering her mouth but I could tell she was smiling. I grimaced. I had just insulted her husband a bit, but it wasn’t like I was stating something shocking. Erik had a reputation in the league for his attitude.

I shook my head. “They’re NHL players. Of course, they’re cocky! They’re the one percent that made it to the professional level and stayed there! That’s a big freaking deal.”

Emma pursed her lips and Kendall seemed to finally hear what I was saying. “I guess you’re right.”