Page 21 of Scoring Chance

I thought back to when he was having problems with Addi. I shook my head. “I was trying to make him feel better. Trying to find a positive when he was upset about Addi.”

Coach looked down at the desk, then back at me. “Did you stop to think that maybe it wasn’t the best thing to say?”

Looking back, yeah, I probably could have said something better. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out.”

“Maybe not, but things like that can come back to haunt you.”

“I thought Grant was over it—”

“Grant wasn’t the one who told me about it. It bothered someone else enough that they remembered.”

I cringed internally. It hadn’t been a smart thing to say, especially now that I knew Addi and Eli. I liked both of them, a lot, and I would never say something like that now.

“You’re right. That was pretty bad.”

“You told Nikolay after he saved Elena from falling in the frozen lake that he should ‘milk it’ and try to get sponsorships out of it.”

I cringed internally, but didn’t let it show. “It was good publicity.”

He saw right through me. “But do you see how that could come across as insensitive and a bit inappropriate?”

Elena turned out to be fine, Nikolay was the one that actually went into the water. “I guess I could have at least asked how they were doing.”

He almost cracked a smile. “At least.”

I wasn’t a fan of owning my flaws, but Coach was right about me not really caring how other people take what I said. I don’t consider their feelings and it’s driving me to this situation. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own world and only seeing how bad I feel that I’ve ended up making things a lot worse. Not just for me, but for the team and the Pride. I’ve been too defensive, waiting for the next attack that I strike without thinking. I had to stop.

“You’re right. They’re right. I’ve said plenty of dumb things, and I’ll work on being more aware of that.”

“That’s all anyone could ask.”

“But I’m not the only one who has messed up.”

A small smile curled on his lips. “I’m well aware. The other guys have been spoken to as well. They’re in strict order to watch what they say. We expect the older guys on the team to lead by example. Everyone is going to be responsible for improving team camaraderie and morale.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “How did you know about what they were saying?”

“I don’t think I should reveal our sources.”

I narrowed my eyes. “It’s the Pride, isn’t it?”

He chuckled. “Let’s just say, there are people out there that don’t like how you’ve been treated either.”

My first thought was Elena, but I knew better than to underestimate any of those women. None of them would stop to think about the consequences of going behind their men’s backs and talking to the coaches if they felt there was something that should be addressed.

“Thanks for talking to me and giving me a chance to fix things.”

“You truly are a talented goalie and a good person. Sometimes we just need a push in the right direction.”

I thanked him and stood to head back to the locker room. I put on my gear and walked onto the ice for the last hour of practice. I kept my focus on blocking shots and making it a challenge for anyone that got close. I knew the guys wouldn’t take it easy on me right before a game, and I returned the favor.

“Nice save, Aston,” Hartman called as he passed me.

The praise made me feel better, and I finished off the drill on a high note. The whistle blew, and Coach Romney called us in. “That’s it for today. Everyone go home, ice, eat, and be back here by five.”

I headed back through the tunnel while most of the guys stayed on the ice to cool down. I was almost to the locker room when I stopped in my tracks.

“Amelia?”