With a minute left I slid into charcoal-colored ankle boots and went to the living room. “Ready?”
Nikolay looked up from his phone with a frown. “You’re done?”
I nodded over my shoulder. “Go check it out.”
He and Elena shared a dubious look before heading to my room.
“No way.” I smiled when I heard Elena gasp. A few moments later they walked out. “Not bad, sis.”
I stood and faced Nikolay. “Told you.”
He gave a tiny smile. I might have confused the microscopic movement, but considered it a victory.
“Let’s get going.” He led us to the door where he picked up Elena’s jacket and held it out so she could slide into it.
I couldn’t resist. I covered my heart with my hands and sighed. “You two are just too much.”
He glared at me as he put on his own coat. “Do you ever stop?”
I beamed up at him. “Never.”
He shook his head and walked out. Elena giggled with me while we followed him to the elevator. I was determined to win him over. I just had to be myself and I’d wear down the brooding hulk. He might not love having more women around, but I could show him it wasn’t all bad…as long as I remembered to keep plenty of food available.
5
Derrek
I pushed through the crowd to the kitchen at Madi and Erik’s penthouse, waving and nodding to the few people that acknowledged me, to make a plate of the Thai food. When I looked around for somewhere to sit the sense of not belonging heightened. Almost the entire team was there and of course, the Pride was scattered throughout. I looked around for any of the other single guys or rookies but didn’t see Josh, Mikey, or Lance. Normally, I could fake it and sit with the guys. I could let their comments slide off me. But after my conversation with Coach I was tired. I was so sick of being left out, teased, and ostracized. I was here to support Elena and her sister, but that didn’t mean I had to endure a night of being harassed. It would be easier to keep from saying anything to the guys with a little distance.
The balcony was lit up, and I saw several heaters on, so I made my way outside and took a seat. I was the only one dumb enough to brave the cold, but it wasn’t too bad. There was seating for at least a dozen, and I figured people would begin filing out here soon enough. There just wasn’t enough room for everyone inside.
I finished the curry and was working on the Pad Thai when the music grew louder. I glanced over to see one of the doors open and a woman step out. She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her hands over the sleeves of her thick, puffy coat.
She sighed and looked around, freezing when she saw me.
“Hey.” I smiled in what I hoped was a friendly, non-threatening manner. Hanging out on my own in the dim light probably scared her.
“Hi.” She took a few steps toward me and gestured to the seat across from me. “This taken?”
“No.” I took her in while she sat down. Her long chestnut brown hair reached her waist and her dark eyes looked tired. My gaze drifted down to her full lips. They were dark pink and looked so soft. They curved into a smile. I met her eyes and realized she’d caught me checking her out.
“I’m Amelia.” Her voice was softer than it had been before. It made me lean forward so I could hear her.
“So, you’re Elena’s sister?” I shouldn’t have been surprised. She was just as beautiful as her sister. Now that I knew, I could see the resemblance. Although, she didn’t seem to have the same easy confidence her sister had.
“Yeah. I’m the new girl.” She sounded a bit annoyed, and I realized I’d managed to already say something wrong.
“Sorry, I was just making the connection. I didn’t mean to—”
She cut me off. “It’s okay. I’m being oversensitive.”
“I have an older brother. All growing up I was known as Bryce’s little brother. I know how annoying that is, and I shouldn’t have done it to you.”
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.