Page 35 of Pucking my Enemy Boss

—Holly

Ryan’s still on the phone, reading off some of his captaincy plans, but I’m barely listening. “I’ll call you back,” I say abruptly, ending the call before he can finish his protest.

I stare at the note for a long moment, feeling the frustration bubble up inside me. It’s ridiculous, how much I’ve started torely on these scraps of paper just to know what’s going on with her. I drop the note back on the counter, my appetite gone.

I make my way to the coffee machine, the need for caffeine pulling me from my thoughts. I grab the first mug I see—David’s favorite blue one. My hand freezes as I stare at it, memories flooding back. It’s been two years, but sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday that he was sitting across from me, grinning like an idiot, talking about his latest adventures at the hospital.

In my mind, I can see him there, sitting at the kitchen table, holding this very mug, a teasing grin on his face as he sips his coffee.

“Come on, Ethan,” David would say, his voice full of that infectious enthusiasm he always had. “You need to lighten up. Life’s too short to be so damn serious all the time.”

I can almost hear his laughter, and see the way his eyes would crinkle at the corners. But the memory twists in my gut, a sharp reminder of everything that’s been lost. If David were here, he’d probably tell me to send the money to Uncle Frank’s family, to take care of them like he always wanted.

But I’m not David.

And I’m so damn tired of pandering to people who never gave a damn about us in the first place.

I shake my head, pushing the memory away as I set the mug down. The sadness that settles over me is heavy, a familiar weight that I’ve carried for too long. I need to get out of here, to clear my head, to do something that’ll stop the thoughts from spiraling any further.

I grab my gym bag and head out the door, determined to sweat this out. The drive to the gym is quick, and I’m on the treadmill in minutes, pushing myself hard, trying to outrun the ghosts that cling to me.

The steady rhythm of my feet hitting the treadmill is comforting, the burn in my muscles grounding me. But mymind keeps drifting back to Holly, to how she’s been slipping away from me. I can’t ignore it, can’t pretend it doesn’t matter, because it does. More than I want to admit.

Ryan walks in a few minutes later, surprised to see me. “Well, well, look who decided to show up,” he teases, dropping his bag on the floor.

I grunt in response, focusing on my pace.

He hops onto the treadmill next to mine, glancing over at me. “So, you’re here. What happened to staying home?”

“Changed my mind,” I say shortly, not in the mood for a deep dive into my emotional turmoil.

Ryan doesn’t buy it for a second. “So, what’s really going on, Ethan? Don’t tell me you’re here because you missed me.”

I huff, adjusting the incline on the treadmill. “You wish. No, I’m here because I needed to get out of the house.”

“Is your pretty housemate that annoying?” he asks with a smirk.

I shoot him a glare. “You have no idea.”

Ryan chuckles, shaking his head. “Man, you’re more invested in this than you’re letting on. You’re usually great at ignoring things that bother you. So why can’t you ignore Holly?”

I don’t answer right away, the question hanging in the air between us. “I owe her an apology,” I finally admit. “But she won’t let me get close enough to give it.”

Ryan’s silent for a moment, then he nods. “Fair enough. Apologies are important. But you’ve got to figure out how to get past whatever’s stopping her from listening to you.”

I grunt, increasing my speed as I try to work off the frustration. “Yeah, easier said than done.”

Ryan glances over, a knowing look in his eyes. “Tell you what—help me with these captaincy plans, and I’ll help you with your housemate troubles. No one knows women better than me.”

I roll my eyes, but there’s a small smile tugging at my lips. “You’re full of it, you know that?”

“Hey, I’ve got a pretty good track record,” Ryan says with a grin. “You’re desperate, and I’m offering help. It’s a win-win.”

“Fine,” I grumble, knowing I don’t have many other options. “Deal.”

As we continue to run, Liam joins us, hopping onto the treadmill on my other side. He’s all energy and youthful enthusiasm, a sharp contrast to the storm brewing inside me.

“Hey, what’s up, guys?” Liam asks, easily falling into stride with us.

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