Page 29 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)

ELLIE

I can’t help but wonder if it’s a bad omen that it’s always something interrupting me and Will.

That kiss was … I can’t even put it into words. I can still feel the fire on my back that his touch left as he pulled me closer.

Now he’s holding my hand as he drives me to my parents’ house to deal with whatever’s going on with Libby.

Is Will Pemberton my boyfriend?

We’ve had one date. One kiss. More fights than that. A concussion. It seems surreal.

And I can’t even deal with it right now.

Libby won’t answer any of my parents’ calls, which isn’t surprising.

She sent one text to them—telling them she’s almost eighteen anyway and to calm down.

She’s been texting with Janelle, and she’s trying to keep that line of communication open by not sounding too judgmental.

Janelle has sent me screenshots of the conversation, asking me for confirmation that she’s not pushing too hard.

Ellie

You’re doing great.

We’re almost there .

Every time I think about my sister being in Mexico with Grayson, my heart starts beating too fast. In the thirty-minute drive from Will’s to my parents’, every time my breathing picks up, he realizes it before I even do.

“Stay calm,” he says in a low soothing voice that makes me breathe slower. “We’re going to do everything we can to get her back safely.”

“Okay.” I squeeze his hand a little harder, and he nods at me.

When we pull up to my parents’ house, the crew’s van is in the driveway.

“Thank you for driving me,” I tell Will as I move to open the door.

He shakes his head and won’t let go of my hand.

“You’re freaking out and I understand. But I can’t leave you, Ellie.

Can’t,” he repeats. There’s more he wants to say.

Even so soon into whatever this is between us, I’m learning to read his intense expressions.

His jaw is clenched, and he hasn’t taken his eyes off me.

“Will.” I shake my head at him. “I won’t drag you into this.”

“You didn’t drag me anywhere.” His tone is gruff and grumpy, but I recognize the protectiveness. It reminds me of the way he pulled me close when we kissed, as though he never wanted to let me go. I don’t want him to come inside, where cameras are waiting to capture every bit of drama they can.

But having someone beside me right now? And someone who’s a big, strong man like Will, cliché as that is? I do want that, and I can’t deny it.

He lets go of my hand and pushes open the door. I lift my chin and prepare to go toe-to-toe with Victoria, because there’s one thing I’m going to demand if Will insists on being here right now.

Will rounds the car and opens my door before I get to it.

He doesn’t move to take my hand, but he walks right next to me as we make our way up the driveway.

He studies the van as we pass, his expression tensing.

I open my mouth to tell him to go back to the car, but he shakes his head at me before I can say anything.

Then my phone buzzes as we reach the door.

I pull it out, expecting to see Janelle’s name.

I gasp when I see Libby’s name and quickly answer, gripping Will’s arm.

His fingers drift to my waist, resting lightly there, a reminder that he’s here.

Everything has changed in the last week and a half, and it’s surprising how much his touch soothes me.

“Libby!” I cry.

She lets out an exasperated huff. “Calm down. Why is everyone freaking out?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Libby, taking off to Mexico with a guy is a big deal.” I leave off the part where she’s only seventeen and he’s an adult. She’s made it clear that doesn’t matter to her. I swallow and try to channel the calm way Janelle’s been handling her via text.

Libby scoffs. “It’s just for the weekend. Can you tell Mom and Dad to chill?”

I force my voice to stay calm. “Grayson is lying to you, Libby. Trust me on this, please?” And grown men don’t take off with teenagers! It’s all I can do not to shout that at her.

“Of course you believe Will. Ugh. Just tell them I’m fine, Ellie. I’m old enough to go away for the weekend if I want to.”

You are a baby, Libby!

Why, oh why are teenagers so obstinate? So insistent on being grown-ups? I’m only ten years removed from being seventeen, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Was I this oblivious?

“Libby, come home please. You and me and Janelle will go next weekend. It’ll be fun.”

She laughs. “Yeah, we should sometime.”

“Libs,” I try again. “How about I come down and meet you and hang out? You can chill with Grayson, but Mom will feel better.”

“Yeah right. You hate him. I’ll see you Monday.” She laughs again and hangs up before I can say another word .

I look up at Will. All the words I want to say, all the warnings, all the pleas of don’t be so stupid crowd into my throat. I’m on the verge of throwing myself into Will’s arms and sobbing.

He puts his hands on my shoulders. “We can do this, Ellie.” he says.

I draw in a deep breath, and then another, staving off the tears for now. I nod resolutely and lead him into the house.

When we walk into the living room, a camera swings in our direction, and I put a hand up.

“No filming Will,” I say. The camera operator, a guy we work with regularly, lowers the camera and looks over his shoulder at Victoria, who’s sitting in one of her usual spots at the kitchen island.

Mom and Dad stand from their seats on the couch.

They blink at me, surprised, and then share a look with each other.

Janelle, who sits up from her perch in a chair across the room, stares at Will and widens her eyes before turning to me.

“Ellie,” Victoria says in a calm, but firm, tone. “Mr. Pemberton chose to come here when he knew cameras were filming. That’s his choice.”

I shake my head. “He did not sign contracts to be filmed, and the schedule says you’re filming Mom and Dad’s date night, which I know is over. Why is the crew still here?”

Victoria pinches her lips and turns to my parents. Mom looks exhausted, and the only reason I can think that she didn’t push back with Victoria on this is because she’s too focused on finding out what’s going on with Libby and doesn’t want to waste time arguing.

“That’s not how this works,” Victoria says. The biggest story of this season just plopped into the living room, and sure, Will might have chosen this, but I won’t let Victoria use him because he wants to be a good friend.

I raise my eyebrows. “We’ve met our contracted filming hours this week.” I stride into the room, Will following on my heels. The first guy hasn’t picked his camera back up, but the second camera operator, in another corner of the living room, hasn’t put their camera down.

“I just got off the phone with Libby,” I say in a soft voice to Mom.

She cries out softly and grabs for my hands.

Janelle sits forward. “She’s fine,” I assure Mom.

For now, anyway. “I guess Will’s going to drive me and Janelle over to Charlie’s.

Call us when Victoria leaves so we can figure out what to do next. ”

Victoria grunts in displeasure at my words. I turn toward her and raise my eyebrows. “Keep Mr. Pemberton out of the shots,” she snaps to the room.

Dad reaches over and puts a hand on my shoulder.

His expression is weary, but there’s a glint of pride in how I handled Victoria.

I need to discuss the spin-off the network has pitched with my parents.

Now isn’t the time but soon. So much has happened recently, I’ve barely thought about the discussion Janelle and I had a couple weeks ago.

And a night like tonight tips me in the direction of saying no way, even if Janelle thinks I can work out a deal where I get more control.

I can use the show for good, but I don’t need it. I don’t want to fight with the crew about Will, but I also want to spend more time with him. I want him to spend time with my family. All of that will include cameras at some point, if something doesn’t change.

“What did Libby say?” Mom asks. She sinks into the couch, looking up at me hopefully.

Her eyes are bright, a sure sign that she’s tried to keep from crying.

When I sit next to her, she grips my hand again, and I can only imagine she’s terrified.

Will moves to stand behind me, a few steps away from the couch so they can still film me and my parents, but close enough that I feel his presence there.

The camera operator across the room shifts his position.

I wish they’d leave, but if Dad hasn’t made them, there must be a reason.

“It’s not much more than she’s texted Janelle,” I admit to Mom. “She sounded fine. Safe. She doesn’t think this is a big deal.” Dad, Mom, Janelle and I share a look .

Mom’s breath hitches, and I squeeze her hand. She’s ready to fall apart—which she has never done on camera before. She’s cried—dainty, quiet tears a time or two—but she won’t melt down.

Mom looks across me to Dad. “What are we going to do?”

“Bring her home,” Dad promises. It’s bold. It’s a promise that could easily be broken, but he won’t say anything less to Mom.

“Has she told you where she is?” I ask Janelle.

Janelle chews on her lip. “She says they’re in Cancun.”

“Ellie.” Will’s voice makes me spin around.

He hands me his phone. It’s open to a picture on Grayson’s Instagram profile—him on a beach.

I read the caption out loud for Dad and Janelle since Mom is reading over my shoulder.

“Me at my favorite beach. Heading there now with my favorite girl.” Janelle scrunches her nose in disgust. Dad growls.

“ Girl being the operative word,” I mutter.

“The location is tagged in Cabo,” I tell everyone.

Will’s phone buzzes, and I glance down to see a text notification from Charlie.

I hand the phone back to Will, enjoying the brief touch of our hands.