Swoon Worthy Wednesday: Derek Fitzpatrick from Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Synopsis: After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Fall in love with Derek Fitzpatrick

Description: Over six feet tall. Dark hair that he keeps under a beanie (even in the extreme heat). Deliciously muscular with a shield of arrogance that he wears like a second skin. Sarcasm is his preferred language.

Hobbies: Pulling pranks on his unsuspecting victims.

Likes: Eating healthy, running,  and annoying Ashtyn.

Sneak Peak

Bonk walks up to the counter. He notices me sizing him up. “What’re you lookin’ at?” he asks as if he’s some deity unworthy of my gaze. He’s obviously taking the local celebrity thing seriously.

Time to have some fun . . .

“I just . . . wow! Matthew Bonk in the flesh.” I take his hand and shake it with an overabundance of enthusiasm . “It’s a pleasure finally meetin’ the famous receiver from Fairfield High.”

 “Thanks, man .” He pulls his hand away. “Who’d you say you were?”

 “Payton Walters,” I tell him, reversing the name of one of the greatest running backs of all time. The dude is clueless. “I was wonderin’ if I could get your autograph for my girlfriend. She’s a huge fan o’ yours, man. You’d earn me some serious brownie points if she knew I met you.” I grab my napkin and hold it out as the doting waitress eagerly appears and provides a pen. “Make it out to Sugar Pie.” I peer over his arm as he straightens out the napkin. “It’s what I call her.” “Whatever floats your boat, dude.” Bonk makes the napkin out to Sugar Pie and signs it: Matthew Bonk, #7.

“Can I take a picture of you?” I lay on my thickest southern accent. “Sugar Pie’ll shit a massive cow pie if I show her a picture of you holdin’ up the napkin with her name on it.”

 Yankees often assume people with southern accents are stupid. What they don’t know is that we use our accents to our advantage when we find it useful. Like now, because Bonk is posing with the napkin as I take a picture with my cell.

“Listen, buddy, I got to get back to my friends,” he says as he hands back the napkin and asks the waitress for a drink refill.

“No problem.” I grab his hand once again and shake it hard. “Thanks, man!”

He walks back to his friends and I hear him tell them what a dork I was. After I pay for my sub, I follow Bonk and his buddies outside. They’re standing by the Jeep. One of the guys mentions Ashtyn and suggests they break into the Fremont locker room and hang the leftover tampons on the lockers.

When they realize I’ve followed them, they look at me like I’m an alien from another planet.

“That picture I took was blurry,” I say apologetically. “Can I trouble you for just one more? I swear my girlfriend will pee in her Daisy Dukes when she sees I got a picture of you holdin’ your signature.”

Bonk rolls his eyes and laughs, but doesn't protest as I hand him back the napkin with his signature. He leans on the back of his car as if he’s a stud and holds up the napkin. It couldn’t be more perfect , except . . . “Can y’all get in the picture with him?”

The guys are all too willing to pose for the camera.

Mission accomplished.

You can find Wild Cards on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. You can also visit the Wild Cards website to see exclusive videos and content of your favorite characters from the book!