Page 73 of Scoring Chance

I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed it. “That sounds amazing, Amelia.”

She relaxed and when we stopped at a red light, she leaned across the console toward me. I turned my head just in time to capture her lips. She sighed and leaned back with a smile. “I’ve been waiting four days to do that.”

I knew I was smiling like a hopeless fool, but I didn’t care. Knowing she missed me as much as I missed her was comforting. “You know, I think having you there tonight was my lucky charm.”

She giggled. “That was all you.”

I shook my head. “No, Amelia. Knowing you were there and that you believe in me was the motivation I needed to stay focused and kill it tonight.” I glanced at her and smiled. “It’s been so long since I’ve known I had someone in my corner cheering me on.”

She leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’ll always be cheering you on, Derrek.”

I parked behind the restaurant and went around to open her door. Once she was out, I pulled her in for another kiss. Her arms drifted up to my shoulders, wrapping around and lowering me to her.

I smiled against her lips and ran my thumb along her jaw. She sucked on my bottom lip before deepening the kiss again.

“Get a room!”

The call broke us apart, and I glanced over my shoulder to glare at Grant and Olli walking by. They both laughed and waved. I shook my head and looked back at Amelia, loving the blush on her cheeks.

“So, they all know,” she said with a sigh.

I chuckled. “They knew when I got to practice on Saturday. I’m pretty sure one of the wives spread the news.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Madeline Romney Murray.”

“Oh no! Full name.” I took her hand and fought the laugh that was begging to escape. When we walked into the restaurant and headed back to the room they normally reserved for us, cheers broke out.

I glanced down at Amelia to see how she was handling our reception, but she was clapping while smiling up at me.

“Here’s our night’s MVP.” Hartman stood from his seat in the middle of the table and the cheering grew louder.

My cheeks ached from smiling, but I couldn’t help myself. This was the first time in over a year and a half that the guys were supporting me. No one threw out backhanded compliments or jabs. There wasn’t a single glare being aimed at me.

I stepped forward, accepting the open seat between Amelia and Erik. “Thanks guys.”

If I told them how much this meant to me, I knew I’d lose control and get emotional which was the absolute last thing I wanted to do after finally gaining their respect.

Hartman waved his hands getting everyone to quiet down. “I know we’ve been tough on you and we haven’t always been fair, but I speak for the rest of the team when I say thank you for giving us your all. Thank you for stepping up and leaving your ego at the door. It’s an honor and a pleasure playing with you.”

I glanced around and smiled at all the guys nodding their agreement. “Thank you, guys. You don’t know how much that means.”

Amelia squeezed my leg under the table. One person knew, and I couldn’t believe she stuck around. I would be grateful every day that the woman I’d never deserve saw something good in me and decided to fight to get me to see it too.

I leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Thank you, Beautiful.”

She turned with wet eyes and kissed me gently on the lips. That set off another round of cheers. She ducked her head against my shoulder while I laughed. I took a mental snapshot of this moment. I wanted to remember everything about what I felt, who I was with, and the amazing woman in my arms.

I’d never understand how I got this lucky, but I would never take it for granted .

24

Amelia

Three weeks later

Nikolay stared down at the menu like it held the answers to the universe. I watched him, waiting for him to explain why we were here, alone.

When he called and asked me to meet him for lunch, I thought he meant him and Derrek or him and Elena. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever picture the two of us together without our usual buffers. I was tempted to call Yula just to have an ice breaker.