Page 36 of Pucking my Enemy Boss

“Just talking about our next opponent,” Ryan replies, nodding toward me. “And apparently, Ethan here is having some woman trouble.”

Liam’s eyes widen in disbelief. “Ethan? Woman trouble? No way.”

I groan, shaking my head. “It’s not what you think.”

But Ryan just laughs, clearly enjoying the situation. “Yeah, he’s all tied up in knots over his housemate.”

Liam looks between us, then back at me, a grin spreading across his face. “Man, I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Shut up,” I mutter, trying to ignore the heat rising to my cheeks. “It’s not like that.”

Ryan pats my shoulder with a smirk. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you sorted out. You just focus on the workout.”

I roll my eyes, but there’s a small part of me that’s grateful for their banter. Ryan and Liam have been my closest friends for years now, Liam more recently, but his youthful exuberance and Ryan goofiness help me keep things in perspective.

I’m grateful for it at times like this.

Even as I try to focus on the workout, my thoughts keep drifting back to Holly, to the way she’s been slipping through my fingers. I’ve gotten used to being on my own; then with Hollywaltzing into my life, I started to get attached to not being alone in the house.

I miss her a lot these days, and I know that’s about much more than her being a housemate.

11

HOLLY

The car screeches to a halt,the tires squealing against the pavement. I look out the window, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar street. This must be Ryan's house.

It’s a sleek, modern structure with large windows glinting in the soft evening light. The clean lines of the architecture give it a sharp, almost intimidating presence.

Yeah. It’s the kind of house that belongs to someone who’s got their life together.

That used to be me, too, until everything went to shit in Los Angeles and I had to start over. I can’t help but feel a little nostalgia as I step out of the car.

Lauren looks around, her brow furrowed in confusion. “What are we doing here?”

“Ryan promised to treat us to dinner,” I explain, trying to keep my voice casual.

“Wait, dinner here?” Lauren asks, her eyes narrowing as she looks at me. “The dinner you promised for us is happening at Ryan’s house?”

I nod, already bracing myself for the protest I know is coming.

Lauren rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. “Holly, I thought we were going somewhere nice and quiet. You know I’m not comfortable around these guys outside of work.”

Before I can respond, Mia steps in, cutting off our impending argument. “You two can argue all you want, but I’m starving, and I’m dying for a home-cooked meal.” She strides toward the front door, her determination making both Lauren and me hurry after her.

Lauren shoots me a look that says,this is your fault,but I just shrug. We’re already here, and it’s not like we have any other plans for the night. Besides, a part of me is curious about what Ryan has in store.

Mia reaches the door first and rings the bell, her impatience evident. The door swings open almost immediately, and I’m not prepared for what I see.

Ethan stands there, wearing an apron over a casual button-down shirt. His hair is slightly mussed, and his eyes are bright with something that looks suspiciously like excitement. He’s smiling—a genuine, warm smile that catches me off guard.

“Welcome, ladies,” he says, stepping aside to let us in. “Come on in.”

I blink, trying to process the scene in front of me. “Ethan? What are you doing here?”

Before he can answer, Mia pushes past me, grinning from ear to ear. “You’re cooking? This night just got a hundred times better.”

Lauren follows her inside, giving me a look that says,you’ve been set up.

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