Page 9 of Blindsided By the Enforcer

“Was that Scarlett again? I thought you said you would block her,” Luc chides.

“It isn’t Scarlett,” I answer dryly. My mood is low because I put up with so much from Scarlett. She was dealing with a lot and I tried to be there for her. Be a stand-up guy. Not that she appreciated it. She made me look like an idiot in frontof everyone I know. Everyone else in the car stays quiet, even though I am sure they have opinions about my very public humiliation where Scarlett is concerned.

“Who else are you ignoring?” Luc asks. He’s being a nosy ass. I get that his worry is coming from a good place.

“It’s Annie,” I reply and Aaron raises his brows. He knows about my little plan with her.

“You should definitely be answering those messages.” Luc smirks. I feel bad about keeping him in the dark. I already told Aaron and having too many of the guys in on the secret is risky.

“I’ll message her when we get back to the house. I think she may be exactly what I need right now,” I say, which isn’t a total lie.

“Now you’re talking.” Luc smacks my shoulder and smiles like he’s proud of me.

“I think so too,” Aaron adds.

I give him a WTF look because he knows this isn’t real.

Annie was messaging me all weekend because she wanted to talk about our plan before we leave for break. I think she is panicking because she thinks I’m not on board. Truth is, I’ve been having second thoughts, even though I am still planning to go through with it. I just figured we could discuss things after break, so I can have my time to figure out what I want from life now.

We arrive back to the hockey house and I head up to my room. I don’t realize Macklin and Ruby are home but when I see Ruby leaving Macklin’s room, we exchange a few words. I update her on how things are going with her brother in Florida, and she lies about leaving the bathroom and not his room.

“I just had the weirdest interaction with Ruby. She lied about being in the bathroom, but I saw her coming out of Mack’s room,” I say to Luc, since his room is next to mine.

I wait for a reaction. Luc doesn’t have one. “They’re old friend’s, dude. That isn’t weird.”

I shrug and leave his room. I know Ruby and Macklin grew up together, but Ruby was acting off. I head into my room to lie on my bed and stare at the ceiling. Florida did shit all for my mood. My stomach grumbles so I head to the kitchen. I find everyone eating grilled cheese sandwiches and Charlie offers me one too. We sit around the table talking. Luc comes up with a crazy-ass idea that Ruby has had a threesome with Finn and Charlie. Finn’s face is turning beet red, to the point I am actually scared he is going to pound Luc when Macklin confesses he’s in love with Ruby. With all the drama going on around me I should be feeling something, but I’m numb. I tried to be there for Scarlett to support her and she goes and stabs me in the back.

My cell rings and Mom lights up my screen. I leave the kitchen, knowing I will need privacy for the call. All the drama seems to have died down for now anyway. Hayden is still in Florida, so Macklin’s life isn’t in danger, yet.

I don’t know how he's going to take the news about his best friend and his sister.

“Hi, Mom, what’s up?”

“Everything is good, sweetie. How are you?” she asks.

“Good,” I lie.

“Are you sure?” she asks warily.

It’s like her Mom radar is working.

“I broke up with Scarlett,” I blurt.

“Really?” She sounds surprised.

“It’s not something I would joke about.”

“No, I know, honey. I’m just surprised is all,” she says.

“I’m surprised too, but I shouldn’t be.”

“What does that mean? What happened?” she asks.

“Nothing, we just aren’t going to work out.”

“That really is too bad. You two were good for each other,” she says.

We were terrible for each other. I stayed with her too long, but I don’t want to burden Mom with how messed up I am because she’ll blame herself. I don’t want to make her feel bad.

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