Page 90 of Blindsided By the Enforcer

Cade goes left and I go right. I make it to lecture just as the prof is about to start, and I can’t wipe the stupid smile off my face the entire time.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Cade

Scarlett has been ignoring my messages the last couple of weeks. It’s really beginning to irritate me because she came to the Northern Michigan game. She was wearing my jersey and holding up a sign that she loved me. She was there with her usual group of friends. A few of them hooked up with some of the guys from Northern Michigan because we ended up going to the same bar as them after the game to eat. Scarlett didn’t show up to the bar though. I don’t know where she was, but it was clear she was avoiding me. It felt like she knew what I wanted to discuss with her, and she didn’t want to have that conversation.

Now we were close to our mid-semester break. We have a week off school every February. I want to ask Annie to come home to Cherry Hills with me. I want to tell her how I feel but I can’t do that when my history with Scarlett is hanging over my head like a rain cloud.

We are just about to leave the locker room for morning skate when Scarlett replies.

Scarlett:Where do you want to meet and when?

Her question causes something inside me to ease because I need to have Scarlett in my past and the weight of my guilt also has to take a hike. For the first time in a long time, I am happy. I don’t want anyone or anything getting in the way.

“You okay, bro?” Macklin asks, watching me carefully. So far, he is the only one I confided in about the baby and Scarlett. I told him I came clean to Annie and it was the right thing to do because we were growing closer each day.

“Scarlett finally agreed to meet with me,” I tell him quietly, not realizing that Finn and Aaron are in earshot.

“You’re meeting up with Scarlett again, dude, it’s a bad call. What about Annie? Charlie and I have a bet going that your fake relationship isn’t so fake anymore.” Finn is quiet enough that I’m not worried about anyone overhearing. Aaron already knows about the ruse.

“It’s not like that,” I assure Finn.

“Come on, Cade,” Aaron says, like he doesn’t believe me.

“Seriously, guys. I need you to trust me,” I say to them.

“Look, I think Annie is the best thing to have happened to you,” Macklin says.

“I second that,” Finn agrees.

“Guys, Annie doesn’t want a relationship. She made that clear from the start. I’m not getting back together with Scarlett. We just need closure. I have some things to share with you guys, but now isn’t the time.”

“Coach Bailey is going to ream our asses,” Finn warns since we are going to be late for morning skate.

“Like your brother won’t.” Aaron smacks Finn’s chest and winks because Coach Jacob is his brother.

We head onto the ice and Coach Bailey tells us we are one minute late, which means we are starting morning skate with suicides. The whole team has to do them. Needless to say, the other guys aren’t happy with us.

Hayden is beside me and he asks, “Why are you fuckwads late?” He’s panting, out of breath.

“Long story,” I reply.

“It better be worth it,” he says as we take off for another round.

When all of us are panting and out of breath, Coach Bailey divides us into two teams. We run different plays. By the time morning skate is over, I’m tired and hungry. After showering and getting dressed, I pass by the media room where some breakfast is set up, only I don’t hang around. I grab a muffin and a sandwich and take off. Getting the third degree from the guys again is not what I need. As I leave the Sports Complex, I text Scarlett back.

Me:I’m available. Let me know time and place

It doesn’t take her long to get back to me.

Scarlett:Come to my dorm

She’s playing hardball. Her dorm isn’t a bad idea though, at least we’ll have some privacy.

I get in my car and drive over to her dorm since it’s on the other side of campus, and it’s frigid outside. I pull into one of the visitor spots and notify security I’m here to see Scarlett. They buzz me through. I head up to her dorm. I’m missing a class and will have to make up the material, but I need this over with yesterday.

I knock on her door lightly and she opens up. She’s wearing a cropped shirt that dips in the front. She’s also wearing one of those bras that squeezes her tits together. If she thinks this is how she’s keeping me, she’s wrong because I have zero interest.

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