Page 31 of Pucking my Enemy Boss

“Not that you doubted yourself, right?” Lauren teases, nudging me with her elbow.

I smile, though it feels a bit forced. “I just wasn’t sure how he’d handle this. Kids are a tough bunch, especially for someone like him.”

Lauren’s gaze follows mine, landing on the group of men and kids outside. “You did good, Holly. Day one of the event is a success. Everyone’s pulling their weight, and that’s thanks to you.”

I let out a small laugh. “I don’t know about that. I just had to convince a few stubborn egos to cooperate.”

Lauren raises an eyebrow. “And how did you do that, exactly?”

“Experience,” I say with a shrug. “I’ve worked with enough celebrities to know how to handle them. You just have to figure out what makes them tick.”

“You’re right,” Lauren nods.

“What do you think makes these guys tick?” I ask, genuinely curious.

We glance down at the group again, letting our eyes linger on each of the men.

“Ryan Connors is all about legacy. He’s focused, driven by something—someone—he’s trying to surpass. He’s got that intensity that pushes him to be better, to leave his mark.”

“You seem to know a lot about him in particular?”

Lauren hums in agreement, then looks up and sees the teasing smile on my face. “No, no, Holly. It’s just, we’re a bit close but it’s all platonic.”

“Yeah,” I grin. “I was just agreeing with you that he’s definitely got that aura of someone with something to prove.”

“Liam Callahan,” she continues, “is the best young player on the team. Confident on the outside, but underneath all that bravado, he’s still a young man trying to find his place, dealing with insecurities. He’s got a lot of potential, but he’s not quite there yet.”

“You think he’s under pressure?”

Lauren nods. “He’s got a lot of eyes on him. That can be a lot of pressure for someone his age.”

“And then there’s Ethan Carter,” I say, my voice softening as I watch him lift a kid into his arms, spinning him around. The kid’s laughter rings out, and Ethan’s smile widens, just a fraction, but it’s enough to make my heart clench. “He’s ... complicated.”

Lauren chuckles. “Isn’t that the understatement of the year?”

I laugh along with her, but there’s a heaviness in my chest. “He’s jaded, traumatized, but there’s something good under all that ice. I just don’t know if it’s real or if it’s just another facade.”

Lauren follows my gaze, her expression thoughtful. “Now that’s one you know a lot about.”

“He’s my roommate after all?” I lift an eyebrow.

Lauren chuckles. “He’s been through a lot. Losing his brother like that ... it changes a person.”

“I know,” I say quietly. “But I can’t help but wonder if that good side is real or fake. I’ve seen it before—someone who can turn on the charm when it suits them, but underneath, they’re someone completely different.”

“Jake?” Lauren asks, her voice gentle.

I nod, the memory of Jake’s two-faced nature still fresh in my mind. “He’d be irritable, angry, completely uninterested in doing anything for charity. But as soon as the cameras were onhim, he’d act like he was the most benevolent man on earth. It was all an act, and I fell for it.”

“Ethan’s not Jake,” Lauren says firmly. “He’s not that kind of guy.”

“I want to believe that,” I admit. “But I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t trust who a man is in front of people who are out to judge him. Especially when it comes to things like this.”

Lauren reaches out, placing a comforting hand on my arm. “You’ve got good instincts, Holly. Trust them. You’ll figure out what’s real and what’s not.”

I nod, but the doubt lingers. I’m so confused about Ethan, about my feelings for him. The kiss in the locker room threw everything off balance. I called him a coward, but maybe he was right. Maybe staying away from him is the best thing for both of us.

The past week has been a blur of planning and meetings. I’ve barely seen Ethan, and when I have, we’ve kept things strictly professional. But that kiss ... it’s been haunting me. The way he touched me, the way he looked at me, it was intense, raw, and it left me wanting more, even though I know I shouldn’t.

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