Page 18 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)
WILL
After my disastrous encounter with Ellie, I convinced myself that pursuing anything is pointless.
She doesn’t like me, and I doubt that’s changed even if she does believe what I told her about Hollis.
The best I can hope for is that she doesn’t hate me like she seemed to when she snapped at me about what I’d done to him.
Then Charlie meets Janelle in the stadium’s family room after the game, and even though her sister isn’t there with her, my thoughts go into a spiral on Ellie again.
I want to know how she’s feeling. If she believed my side of the story about Hollis.
If she thinks I’m a total idiot for writing an actual-freaking-letter.
I want to know her thoughts on how I handled my post-game interview.
She wouldn’t hold back on how I can improve my relationship with the media.
After the game, I head over to Jett McComb’s house to hang out. The Pumas quarterback throws the best after-game parties. Most of the team is here, except Charlie because he went to spend time with Janelle.
I’m sitting on one of the huge couches in Jett’s L-shaped family room, watching highlights of the game and cheering at all the good plays.
At least twenty guys crowd onto the furniture and the floor around the big screen TV, and everyone is loud.
A few of the guys brought their significant others, but many of them are hanging out in the other section of the room.
Maybe they’ve had enough football for today.
I scroll through my phone, plenty of videos about the game today popping up in my feed. Being the Bennets clips have been showing up more and more in my feed as well.
A text pops up from Kara.
Kara
How’s she gonna spin this and justify it?
She’s attached a video that shows Ellie and Grayson sitting together at the Pumas game last week. It’s zoomed in from far away, so it’s grainy, but Ellie seems into him. I swallow back jealousy about that. She didn’t know about him then. She does now.
Will
She probably doesn’t know what a tool he is. He’s good at faking it.
Kara
Still. Ew.
Heading to LA for work. Back in a couple weeks. Want to do dinner?
You can fill me in on Charlie’s upcoming wedding date by that point.
Will
Text me when you get back.
I rub at my chin. Kara wants this to mean more than friends, but I don’t feel that spark with her.
I go back to scrolling Being the Bennets videos, finally deciding, based on the newest ones, that Ellie didn’t come to the game today.
It’s been less than a week since she got her concussion, and it would’ve been too loud for her healing brain.
I check her page, wondering if she’s updated her loyal fans about where she watched the game from .
Her last post is a picture of her in a custom Pumas jersey for the foundation she’s working with right now, Girls Play. Instead of the Pumas logo in vintage font across the front it says “Pumas Girl.” The caption just says that fans get 25% off if the Pumas win today.
We did. I click and go buy a jersey.
Then I put my phone in my pocket and focus back on the highlights. Nolan Fletcher, one of our safeties comes by and slaps me on the back after the highlights show my sack on the Devils quarterback.
“You’re averaging, like, a sack a game,” he says in an awed voice. “You’re insane.”
“Just working hard.” Benefitting from years of coaches and camps and whatever else. Those thoughts are thanks to Ellie pointing out how I tell my story, whether I mean to or not.
Fletcher slaps me again and goes back to his seat, whooping at a nice pass by Jett that comes up on the screen.
My mind has already spun back to Ellie again.
I massage my forehead. This has to stop. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.
That’s because of Hollis , my brain points out. And you fixed that .
It could be more than just Hollis, I argue with myself. There’s no point getting my hopes up.
Focus on football. That’s a third voice. It’s possible I’m unwell. You don’t need this distraction , it points out unhelpfully.
Everybody shut up.
“A great game like that and you’re still over here scowling, Pemberton.
” A voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see that Jett has taken the seat next to me.
Friendship wise, I’m closer to the guys on defense than I am to the ones on offense, but Jett is our QB, our leader.
He’s everyone’s friend. And considering he used to have a grumpy reputation himself—back before he reconnected with his now-wife, Ava—he understands me better than most of the team, besides Charlie .
“Ask anyone,” I say with a wry smile. “They’d tell you this is just my face.”
He chuckles. “I know you. You’re thinking about what to improve next game.”
My face burns since I’ve been thinking about Ellie all night. I clear my throat and search for something to say. “Well … next time I want to beat the Devils by at least thirty.”
“Amen to that.”
Jett’s wife sits on the edge of the couch next to him, and he slips an arm around her back. “Not everyone thinks about football twenty-four-seven,” Ava says, chiding him and then kissing the top of his head.
Jett squeezes her hip. “Pemberton is chasing an MVP, babe. Do you know how hard that is for a defensive player to get? He has to be on top of his game, every game, or there’s no chance.”
I don’t need to be reminded of all the things I have to get right this season to achieve this goal.
Or maybe I do because my mind is already spinning back to Ellie again, wondering what she thinks of my MVP chances or if she even thinks that’s a worthy goal.
Should I be focusing on something bigger?
Something that would help others, the way she does?
“Well, cut him some slack tonight,” Ava says, shaking her head.
“You guys both had an awesome game, and you can relax for a few hours before it’s back to the grind for the all-stars.
” She glances around the room and then stands.
“Looks like Colby and Gab are leaving. I’m going to walk them out.
” Jett nods at her, but grabs her hand before she leaves, pulling her down to kiss her.
I know things weren’t always easy for them, and that they had a rough road coming back together.
I shouldn’t let it make me think that there’s still a chance I could convince Ellie to go out with me now that she knows the truth—but it does.
I crave the way she pushes me to think about things, the way she challenges my assumptions.
I was protective of Charlie at first because Janelle was a reality TV star when I knew nothing else about her, instead of looking deeper.
I even question my actions the night I asked Ellie out—did I believe she’d say yes just because I asked?
Maybe I did. Not because I’m some football superstar, but because I thought we felt the same things.
How much did I even consider her feelings?
She’s doing so much with her platform, it makes me feel guilty. I want that in my life, that drive for more than something that’s about me. Working hard to win an MVP and a championship for my team aren’t unworthy goals, but I think Ellie would push me to think bigger. Lasting.
Changing the world.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about those girls we worked with last week,” I say.
“Some of them are good. Quick, intelligent on the field. I don’t even know what I’m saying.
” I shake my head, embarrassed by my rambling.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about them. Like maybe I could support women’s football leagues more or find more opportunities for them in coaching or in broadcasting or … something.”
Jett studies me for a long moment. “Would Ellie Bennet have anything to do with you thinking so much about women in football?”
I choke that he guessed so quickly where my newfound interest in female athletes has come from. “It’s possible,” I admit.
Jett laughs and slaps me on the back. “Honestly, they had me thinking too. Thinking about my girls someday and what opportunities they’ll have or not have in the world. Sports or jobs or education or whatever. I’m glad women like Ellie are pushing for change now.”
I murmur agreement. Jett lets me fall back into contemplation and doesn’t try to start a conversation again. Maybe Ellie Bennet could use some help pushing for that change.