Chapter 3 Mackenzie
Shit. I just punched someone. And it seriously hurt. I shook my hand as white-hot pain cascaded across my knuckles. I liked to believe I was pretty tough. But punching someone was a first, and I had no idea it would hurt so much.
“What the hell was that for?” the guy I’d knocked to the ground complained. His voice was deep, but I realized he sounded younger than I’d first thought.
“Stay back.” I lifted my fists again and edged away until I brushed the side of my car. “You picked the wrong girl to mug. I know ju-jitsu.”
Well, I knew of ju-jitsu. My martial arts experience was limited to movies only, but I was cornered, so it seemed an appropriate time to lie.
The ice arena was on the opposite side of the parking lot, and while I was standing right next to my car, I could hardly dive for the handle and escape inside the vehicle as I still hadn’t found my keys.
I couldn’t believe I was getting mugged on only my second day in Ransom.
Although, I guess I had been warned. One quick Google search before we arrived in town had given me a bad feeling about our new home.
And then, yesterday, when my stepmom and I were walking through the cute town on the other side of the river, Sunshine Hills, some old lady in one of the stores asked if we were new to the area.
When we explained we’d just moved to Ransom, she recoiled in horror and warned us to be careful.
Apparently, she hadn’t been joking. I’d just discovered first-hand the town’s bad reputation was well deserved.
You’d think my parents would care a little more about where their seventeen-year-old daughter spent her senior year of high school.
But no. All consideration of what was best for me went out the window the moment my dad got offered the head coaching job with the reigning state champions, the Ransom Devils.
“I think you broke my nose,” my assailant groaned as he slowly climbed to his feet. “And I’m not trying to mug you.”
Now he was standing tall, he towered over me, and I inched even closer to my car door. He must have been at least six feet, and his broad shoulders seemed to take up all available space between my car and the next.
“That’s exactly what a mugger would say.”
“I’m not a mugger.” He huffed and shook his head, like he couldn’t be bothered to explain himself. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair, pushing his hood back.
Despite the dark, I could still make out his features, and I found his face almost more intimidating than his size. His tousled brown hair was wet from the rain and thick lashes framed big blue eyes. I couldn’t see his whole face as he was gingerly caressing his nose with one hand.
Something about his appearance nagged me though, like I’d seen him somewhere before. I tried to recall if I’d come across any wanted posters around Ransom. No, just ominous warnings from little old ladies I should have listened to. I shouldn’t even be in this town, let alone this parking lot.
“Look,” the guy exhaled as he started again, “you can save your rear-naked chokehold for the next guy. I’m here for preseason training.
” He gestured at the bag on the ground which had a hockey stick strapped to it.
“You know, at the ice rink we’re standing outside.
I’m on the school hockey team. The Ransom Devils. Any of this ring a bell?”
I stared at him blankly, still not sure I could trust him.
“I found these keys on the ground…” He opened his hand to show me the evidence. “You looked like you were searching for something, so I thought they might belong to you.”
Slowly, the realization of what I’d done started to dawn, and I stared at the keys in horror. “You—you really weren’t mugging me?”
“Do I have to say it again? No, I wasn’t mugging you. The keys; are they yours?”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer. This was so embarrassing. I was always getting myself in trouble for being too impulsive, and now I’d gone and punched an innocent boy who’d only been trying to help.
“Uh, yes,” I stuttered. “They’re mine. I’m sorry for punching you. It’s just it’s dark out and I’m new to town. I heard some rumors about this place, and I got nervous, and then you practically chased me through the parking lot…”
“Because I had your keys…”
“Well, I know that now.” I swallowed again as I watched him. His nose looked like it was starting to bleed, which only made me feel worse. “Hang on…”
I took the keys from his hand and opened the passenger side door of my car. I grabbed a handful of tissues from the box in the glove compartment and passed them to him.
“Here, this should help.” The internal light of the car wasn’t particularly bright, but it was enough to bring his features more clearly into view. I noticed his sharp jawline, the soft freckles on his nose, how his eyes weren’t just any old shade of blue but shone like a clear summer sky.
My would-be mugger wasn’t just good-looking; he was beautiful. And he didn’t just feel a little familiar. He looked scarily like an older version of the first boy I kissed. A taller, stronger, manlier version of the jerk who had helped ruin my one chance of ever playing hockey again.
Surely it couldn’t be him. That had all happened at a summer camp four hundred miles away. What were the chances? But this guy was a hockey player…
“Parker?” I asked cautiously.
His blue eyes looked to the sky, then dipped back down to meet mine. “Took you long enough.”
“Parker… Darling.”
“The one and only.”
Unbelievable. Face to face with my biggest mistake, I felt a surge of anger rush through me.
It seemed he was still just as cocky as I recalled. And he didn’t look nearly as surprised as me by our little reunion. Though he had just come from practice with my dad, so I guessed he’d had more notice.
“And you play for the Devils?” I continued. “So, that means you go to Ransom High?”
“Sure do.”
I was already pissed at my dad for taking this job.
But now it felt like his decision was truly unforgivable.
I knew it was a great opportunity for him.
That it meant we’d be close enough to Ryker University so my brother could visit easily and we could get to some of his games. But surely nothing was worth this.
“Me too,” I muttered.
“Well, this day just keeps getting better and better.” Parker’s voice was thick with sarcasm as he adjusted the tissue on his nose.
“Let me get this straight. First you kiss me. Then you punch me. I’m honestly not sure if I should be excited or terrified to find out what you’ve got in store for me next. ”
“You kissed me!”
He raised an eyebrow. “Look, Melanie, I might get kissed by a lot of blondes, but when one kisses you and gets you kicked out of the most prestigious hockey camp in the country, it kind of sticks in your memory.”
“It’s Mackenzie,” I replied through clenched teeth. “And that’s not how it happened.”
“It’s okay,” Parker replied, leaning in a little closer. “I understand why you did it. Most girls can’t resist me.”
Irritation rippled down my spine. “I can resist you just fine.”
“Can you?”
“I’m doing it right now, aren’t I?”
“Thankfully.”
I scoffed at the arrogance in his tone. “Do you want me to punch you again?”
The air between us was so tense, I swear the very molecules surrounding us wished they could be somewhere else.
“If my options are between that and another kiss, then please, swing away.”
My memories hadn’t done Parker justice. He was far more annoying than I recalled. Unfortunately, he was also far better looking too, even with his potentially broken nose, and that only made me hate him more.
I grimaced as I inspected the damage I’d done more closely. Despite my hostility toward this guy, I didn’t actually want him hurt. “Do you need that looked at?”
“I’m not letting you anywhere near it,” he said, stepping away as if he was preparing himself for another attack.
I gritted my teeth. “I meant at the hospital. By a trained professional.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Just let me have a look first.”
“No way.”
“Don’t you at least want me to check it’s still straight?”
His eyes flashed with concern, and he lowered his tissue. “Okay, fine, be quick.”
I stepped forward and this time he held his ground. We were still mostly shrouded in darkness, so I reached up on my toes to get a better look. A shiver went down my spine as I neared, like a silent alarm.
While I didn’t really know what his nose had looked like before, it seemed straight to me. My gaze drifted upward slightly, until I found his blue eyes looking down at me.
“How do I look?” The way his words rumbled through me made me realize how close we were.
“Good—uh, I mean, it looks good. Your nose. It’s fine.” I dropped back onto my heels and stepped away from him, relieved to be able to breathe again.
“Glad to hear it.” A knowing smirk was pulling at his lips.
“Yeah, well, I’m not an expert, so maybe the hospital is still a good idea. You are getting blood on the pavement after all. It’s like a public health hazard.”
“You’re the only public health hazard around here,” he replied. “You should come with bright flashing lights, warning tape, and a barricade.”
I folded my arms. “This can’t be happening.” I said it more to myself than to him.
“Apparently, it is.” He sounded just as frustrated.
The rain started to come down a little harder, and he glanced up at the sky. “Well, as fun as this has been, I better go before you decide to punch me again. I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow, Macy.”
“It’s Macke—” I didn’t even get a chance to correct him before he turned and strutted away, leaving me fuming in his wake.