Page 22 of Not that Impressed
“Leave Logan Knox alone,” I warn.
“Oh my gosh. Like I would be that embarrassing.” She shakes her head at me and hurries from the suite.
“Sorry,” I say to Grayson, but he’s laughing.
“You guys seem close.”
“We are. Kind of. I’m ten years older, and sometimes it’s hard to stop myself from trying to be another mom to her.”
He leans back in his chair. “So do you know Will Pemberton and Charlie Baldwin pretty well?”
I think about the way Will and I stood in Charlie’s dark living room a few nights ago and something in me warms. It was nothing, just him making sure his friend was okay and then doing me a favor.
“Uh, kind of? I guess.” I shrug. I lower my voice. “Charlie is my parents’ neighbor. We’ve hung out with them a few times.” I try to keep any thoughts on Will out of my voice. I think my opinion is changing about him, but it’s still early.
Grayson smiles, but his jaw is tight. “Charlie is awesome.”
I arch a brow at the obvious way he only said something about Charlie. “And Will?” Can you blame me for being curious about him? That moment between us at Charlie’s was just about the darkness and the soft lighting and the threat of sickness. Not because there’s some kind of spark I feel around Will. I saw more of his personality during dinner, but being into guys that are broody but also first-class jerks is toxic and not my thing.
I shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions about Will either.We’ve had so few interactions, and with anyone else, I would have given them the benefit of the doubt. He just got on my bad side so quickly. Will and Charlie are best friends, and Charlie is awesome. Should I judge Will less harshly than I am because of that? Cut him some slack?
Grayson looks around. Isla and Colin are over by the food table with Isla’s dad. Colin is probably kissing up to him. No one else is sitting in the seats in the front like us.
“Well,” Grayson says in a low voice. “He basically got me cut from the Pumas, so we’re not besties or anything.”
I gasp. “What?” Will getting someone fired doesn’t feel right, but why would Grayson just say that? Sure, Will’s one of the best players in the league, but I don’t think he has the power to get someone cut.
Grayson looks down at his hands. “Yeah, I was dating this friend of his in the front office and he didn’t like it. He spread a bunch of lies about me and got me cut. And the kind of stuff he said about me?” He looks up and eyes me pointedly. “It’s the kind of stuff that means no one else will pick me up either.”
I stare at Grayson. I don’t like Will, sure, but I don’t want to believe he’d do something like that. But … didn’t he repeat stuff about me to Kara that wasn’t true? And I’m just some girl to him. If he didn’t like Grayson, it would be easy for him to trash-talk him. They played together for a couple years before Grayson got cut last season. He could probably spin truths the same way he did when he was talking about me—using real things that happened, ignoring the context and twisting everything around.
“Grayson. That’s awful.” I don’t have any other words for this. “Have you talked to anyone? Surely Will can’t tell lies and have everyone believe him.”
Grayson shrugs. “That’s just it. Everyone does. They don’t know Will like I do. He’s the stand-up guy to everyone else.” He grunts in disgust.
My stomach is boiling. The other night … ugh! I started to like him a little. The way he brought Janelle’s favorite cookies and how he stayed to make sure we didn’t need anything. The way he didn’t automatically push back when I argued that he curates his story as much as anyone else. Is that some kind of act to get me to believe it all too since his friend wants to date my sister? I assume he approves of Janelle, since he’d probably make something up to tell Charlie and break them up if he didn’t. And judging by the lengths Will went to with Grayson, just breaking up Charlie and Janelle would be the best-case scenario…
I shake my head and turn back to the game, not even enjoying the fact that the Pumas defense has the Rays backed up to third and twenty-five now.
Not when Will Pemberton is the leader of the defense, and he’s actually the worst.
I put my hand on Grayson’s arm. “I’m sorry.”
He gives me a sad smile and shrugs. “Thanks. It means a lot to have someone believe me.”
I swallow so I don’t throw up. Maybe I could talk to my dad about this. Will might be football’s golden boy right now, but he can’t get away with this.
Ellie.Bennet.IRL Direct Messages:
@Mr.Colin
Let’s set something up for a collab! The fans are dying to see us together, Ellie. It’s in the stars. Kathy has told me she thinks it’s inevitable for us to rule the fitness space together and I absolutely agree.
@Ellie.Bennet.IRL
Sorry! I can’t. I’ve got a few things already in the mix right now. Thanks for thinking of me.
@Mr.Colin
