Page 32 of Pucking my Enemy Boss

“I can see the gears turning in your head,” Lauren says, breaking into my thoughts. “What’s going on in there?”

I sigh, crossing my arms tighter around myself. “Just thinking.”

“About Ethan?” she guesses.

“Yeah,” I admit. “I don’t know what to make of him. One minute, he’s pushing me away, the next, he’s ... I don’t know.”

Lauren gives me a sympathetic look. “He’s been through a lot, Holly. But he’s not a bad guy. He’s just guarded.”

“I know,” I say. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”

We fall into a comfortable silence, both of us watching the scene below. The kids are having a blast, and the players are doing their best to keep up with their energy. It’s a good start tothe event, and I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in how it’s all coming together.

But even as I focus on the success of the day, my thoughts keep drifting back to Ethan. He’s the one who’s got me tied up in knots, the one who makes me question everything I thought I knew about myself, about relationships, about trust.

The way he’s interacting with the kids, so genuine and unguarded, it’s hard to reconcile that with the man who’s been so closed off, so distant. I want to believe that this is the real Ethan, that the man who’s laughing with the kids is the same one who kissed me with such intensity in the locker room.

But I can’t shake the fear that it’s all an act, that when the cameras are off and the kids are gone, he’ll retreat back into that cold, impenetrable shell. That he’ll shut me out just like Jake did, leaving me feeling used and discarded.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts. I need to focus on the event, on making sure everything goes smoothly. But it’s hard when my mind keeps wandering back to him, to the way he makes me feel—both exhilarated and terrified at the same time.

As the event winds down, the players start to gather the kids for a group photo. Ethan lifts one of the smaller kids onto his shoulders, making the boy laugh with delight. The sight makes my heart swell, and I can’t help but smile. He seems a good man underneath all that baggage, but it’s hard to let go of the fear, the doubt, the memories of the past that keep resurfacing, reminding me of how badly things can go wrong.

Trusting someone again, especially someone like Ethan, feels like walking a tightrope without a safety net. I did it once with Jake and I was burned—badly.

An hour later, I find myself walking alongside Ryan Connors, the team captain, as he helps me and my team finish setting up the area for the hospital’s meet-and-greet and signing event.Ryan’s in high spirits, teasing me relentlessly, his questions firing off one after the other like he’s on some kind of mission.

A mission that I’d bet has a lot to do with Lauren.

“So, Holly,” he says, a mischievous grin on his face, “how close are you and Lauren, really?”

I was right. Took him about five questions to get to the reason why he approached me.

I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “We’re good friends. Why? You interested in her or something?”

He lets out a bark of laughter. “Me? Interested in Lauren? No way. I’m just trying to figure out her weakness so I can pay her back for that prank she pulled on me.”

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh? What did she do?”

He groans, running a hand through his hair. “She swapped out my protein powder for powdered milk. I didn’t realize until I was halfway through a workout and started feeling ...weird. It was so embarrassing.”

I burst out laughing, picturing the scene. “That’s brilliant! I’m not sure if I should be helping you find her weakness or joining her to prank you. The second sounds more fun.”

Ryan narrows his eyes at me, but there’s a playful glint there. “You wouldn’t dare. Besides, you’re supposed to be on my side. We’re the good guys here, remember?”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I don’t know, Ryan. You seem to be doing just fine on your own. Besides, I like Lauren’s style. She knows how to keep you on your toes.”

He chuckles, giving me a mock serious look. “You’re dangerous, Holly Bennett. I’ll have to keep an eye on you.”

“Same goes for you,” I retort, nudging him playfully. “But seriously, if you’re so curious about Lauren, why don’t you just ask her out?”

Ryan’s expression falters for a split second before he recovers with a grin. “Who says I haven’t?”

“Oh, really?” I challenge, arching a brow. “And how did that go?”

He shrugs, trying to play it cool. “Let’s just say she’s a tough nut to crack. But I’m not giving up that easily.”

“Well, good luck,” I say, my tone genuine. “You’ll need it.”

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