Page 5 of Not that Impressed (Houston Pumas #3)

WILL

When Charlie told me he was going to help with the school supply drive with Janelle on Tuesday, I jumped on board.

Some of the other guys on the team were getting together for a beach day down in Galveston, team bonding and all that, but I’m glad for the excuse not to go.

I love my guys, but I can’t take anymore jokes about me and Coach’s wife.

They mean well, trying to make light of Ellie bringing back up the gossip-that-must-not-be-named on Friday, but I can’t force any more smiles like it’s all funny to me.

I was wrong to judge Ellie Bennet the way I did at Charlie’s party. I can recognize that even if I don’t like her. Sure, I know better than to believe rumors, but embarrassing me to prove her point wasn’t necessary. Especially in front of my team like that.

I’m used to having my mistakes pointed out. I’m not a perfect football player, despite how hard I worked to get here. I can take it.

Humiliating me was a step too far.

Going to the charity drive, despite it putting me squarely in Ellie’s sights again, shows the guys that I’m not bothered by what she said. I can take the higher road and prove that I’m the good guy, not the troll she labeled me as .

There’s a good number of cars in the parking lot of the school where we’ll be working, putting together school supply kits for refugee kids.

I recognize Gabriella, the wife of Colby Duncan, a receiver on the Pumas, making her way inside as we park, which doesn’t surprise me.

She’s well-connected in the Houston influencer world, and with the rumors that she’s running for city council next year, she’s likely looking for opportunities like this to serve the city.

A woman holding a few iPads stops us at the door to the gymnasium. “Hi, welcome. Can I get your names?” she asks, flicking on the iPad at the top of the stack.

I tense. This is already very different from the service events I’ve been to in the past. This one has security?

I look inside, and milling among the volunteers are at least three camera operators, cameras on their shoulders, panning the room.

I sigh. Of course the crew for Being the Bennets is here.

I stifle the urge to believe this is all for appearances—know better, do better.

“Charlie Baldwin and Will Pemberton,” Charlie says before I can overthink it too much.

She hands over an iPad to Charlie after a couple of swipes.

“Here’s our waiver to sign and permission for us to film you.” Once she hands it off, she gets a second one ready for me.

“What if we don’t want to be filmed?” I’m not here for five minutes of fame on Being the Bennets .

Besides, after last year, I’ve started limiting who gets to film me.

Football games, obviously. Media events—if they’re mandated by the coach or the team, I’ll go.

Otherwise, no thanks. My publicist uses football film that already exists for my social media accounts.

This is just another avenue to make stuff up about me and judge me.

The woman blinks at me. “Um…”

“Will,” Charlie mutters. He’s already signed his and holds out the iPad to her.

“I, uh … we’d have to ask you to leave.” She shakes herself out of the surprise that someone wouldn’t want to be on camera. “I’ m sorry, but there are too many people here, and it would take us too many hours to edit you out.” She shrugs.

I look at Charlie and he rolls his eyes.

I know this isn’t a big deal, but it makes me nervous all the same.

Maybe I’m on edge about it more than usual because of what happened with Ellie.

Even if the fallout this time is mostly just ribbing from the team, it’s hard to forget the times last year when it felt like everywhere I looked someone was talking about me and Coach’s wife.

“Fine, okay,” I mutter, taking the iPad she’s holding in my direction. “But I’m not talking on camera.”

“Okay. Sure.” She smiles at Charlie, glances at me when she takes my iPad back, and then smiles. “Welcome. Thanks for coming to help.”

“Way to be a diva,” Charlie says under his breath when we’re through the doors. “I know you don’t love cameras, but this is just a service project. Same as the ones we do with the team.”

I clench my jaw. “I’m not here for a cameo on Being the Bennets .”

Charlie sighs, sounding long-suffering, and I glare at him.

“Nobody’s here for that,” he says. “There’s a reason we had to be checked in.

Everyone volunteering with this event has been vetted by Janelle, and the only reason it’s getting filmed is because she has a contract with the show and because it spreads the word. ”

I close my eyes, irritated with myself. Charlie is my best friend, and I should trust his judgment of the women he dates.

Kara called Janelle the sweet one when she was talking about the Bennet sisters, but Janelle being a reality TV star has my guard up.

I don’t want to see Charlie get his heart broken.

I doubly don’t want to see that happen on one of the most popular shows on television right now.

Janelle stands at one of the folding tables in the middle of the gym, arranging boxes of supplies.

Charlie makes his way right toward her, and I scan the room for anyone else I might know.

Ellie Bennet is working right next to her sister, and even though the point of me tagging along with Charlie today was to prove to her I’m better than her first impression of me, I’m not looking to make friends with her.

Or deal with whatever else she has to say to me after our confrontation on Friday.

Charlie and I are the only football players here. Colby didn’t even come with Gabriella, and unfortunately I don’t know her well enough to walk over and interrupt her conversation with the man she’s talking to just to avoid Ellie.

Janelle hugs Charlie when he reaches her, and I hang back, pretending to study the gathered supplies.

“Will,” Janelle says, drawing my attention to her. She beams at me. “Thanks so much for coming.”

“Yeah, I’m happy to be here.” I nod at her and try to smile, but my glance keeps straying to her sister, working just down the table from us. Ellie catches me looking at her and scowls then raises an eyebrow questioningly. I quickly look back at Janelle.

“I have to go and welcome everyone,” Janelle says, “but if you find a place along this table, we can work together.”

“Awesome,” Charlie grins at her, and all of my ESP for Charlie to choose another table goes unheard. They could spend time together after the event, right? What’s worse is that he falls into conversation with Ellie.

“It’s cool of you guys to come,” Ellie says, shifting a box near her and then giving Charlie a knowing look.

Charlie laughs, the sound tinged with embarrassment. They both know why he’s here, and though my friend has made no secret of his interest in Janelle, I still feel compelled to defend him.

“We actually do a lot of service stuff like this. You know, with the team,” I say.

I try to make my voice friendly and not defensive, but I think I fail, because Charlie whips around to look at me, scowling for a second before he smooths it out and widens his eyes in question. What , I mouth and shrug.

“Yeah, I know.” Ellie’s voice turns chilly. “The show makes it seem like my sisters and I have nothing to do with my dad’s work, but we’re at every game and we’re very involved with the team. I’ve helped plan several of the team service events.”

“I don’t watch Being the Bennets .” Now my voice is defensive. I don’t know much about Ellie’s life on or off the show. How would I have any idea how much she’s involved in the Pumas?

Her expression shifts into a glare. “So your opinions yesterday are based totally on social media? Got it.”

“Listen—” Before I can apologize for accepting a conclusion without any foundation, she spins around and stalks to the other end of the row of tables.

Why is she making this so hard? Interacting with people isn’t my strong suit.

It’s the reason I spend most of my off time either alone or with Charlie, someone I’ve known almost ten years.

I turn to see Charlie pinching the bridge of his nose. “Can you try not to start a fight with Ellie Bennet for thirty seconds, Will?”

“I wasn’t trying to start a fight. I was trying to apologize.” I look to where Ellie is needlessly shifting around the boxes of pencils, notebooks, and crayons, trying to appear busy.

Charlie’s head tilts back. “That was an apology?”

“I was trying to point out that I don’t know anything about her because I don’t watch the show. I wasn’t trying to insult her.” I spread out my hands.

Charlie shakes his head in exasperation. “I’m going to work here,” he says gesturing to his spot at the table. “You can work there,” he points to the other side of him, “and stay as far from Ellie as you can. I like Janelle, bro. I like her a lot.”

I’d rather walk right out of here, but that’s selfish. I can get over myself for a couple hours to help kids of refugees. “I know,” I say.

“Yeah, and she and Ellie are really close. One thing the show isn’t lying about. Try not to make Ellie mad on purpose, please.”

“I’m not trying,” I mutter.

Charlie laughs. “You’re just naturally talented. ”

I roll my eyes and turn to Janelle, who’s on a stage at the front of the room and calling everyone to attention.