His eyes locked on to mine for a second. “Oh, shit. I forgot about the car.” He said to Emmie, “So sorry. I told Heidi I’d have her car back by nine, and you know how she is.”
Emmie looked like she had no idea who Heidi was and didn’t really care about her cars at all, but she recovered quickly enough. Offering us a half-hearted smile, she said, “Of course. Talk to you soon. Nice to meet you, Jamie.”
“You too,” I said. Ethan and I both started speed walking toward the car. I slid into the passenger’s side. Ethan waited until I had figured out my seat belt, then said, “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” I bit down on my bottom lip. I didn’t want tomake him feel worse about whatever was going on by asking questions, but I also wanted to know what I’d interrupted. Before I could decide what to do, Ethan turned to face the steering wheel and started the car. “Three Little Birds” blared through the speakers, which typically would have been funny, but neither of us was in the mood for jokes.
On the ride home, I kept sneaking glances at him, watching for any sign that he wanted to talk about what was bothering him. Instead, he remained stone-faced, the wind pushing his hair around as he drove. It struck me as ironic that I’d spent so much time wishing he wouldn’t talk to me. Now I’d give anything for us to keep talking.
Day 3: Playing for Keeps
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Earth to Jamie.”
Nittha waved at me like she was trying to signal a ship from land. We’d skipped breakfast so I could help her film a GRWM for her and Cricket. But, so far, I’d mostly stared into space or tried not to think about last night. I thought I was good at hiding being distracted. Apparently, I was wrong.
“Sorry. What did you say?” I cleared my throat. Cricket sat next to me on the bed wearing a pink gingham dress with a matching headband. She’d managed to wedge herself so close to my leg that it was bound to wrinkle her outfit, which would irritate Nittha. I petted the pup and then picked her up, hoping that she would still feel sufficiently snuggled without putting creases in her clothes.
“What’s up with you?” Nittha asked, eyeing me like maybe I was sick and she didn’t want to catch whatever I had but was trying to be nice about it.
Gabby glared at her. “What she means is, you look tired.”
“Nothing. I slept weird.”
Nittha and Gabby exchanged a look of doubt. I actually wasn’t lying. I simply wasn’t telling the whole truth. Ihadslept funny…because of Ethan. After we’d made it home, curiosity had gotten the better of me, and I’d finally checked out his channel. I’d told myself I’d only sit through one video, but then I got sucked into watching him explain how to clean dirty car parts, change windshield wipers, and talk to everyday people about why they bought certain cars.
It wasn’t so much the car knowledge that was interesting—although I knew next to nothing about cars, so his channel was more useful than I’d expected—it was more him. I could see why thousands of people watched his videos even before I’d read the comments. He had this reassuring enthusiasm as he talked. He wasn’t using fancy camera angles or editing programs. He was simply a fresh-faced Midwestern boy in his family’s garage holding up car parts and talking to you in this we’re-already-friends tone. It was relaxing. Like ASMR for car lovers.
“Clearly something is wrong. What aren’t you telling us?” Gabby asked, the soothing expression she’d worn earlier wearing off.
Shoot. I’d spaced out again. Twice in a row was bad.
“Also, you and Cricket are cute in this picture. Can I post it?” Nittha said, holding her phone out to me so I could see it. I wasn’t sure I was particularly cute, but Cricket was smiling in that way dogs sometimes do when they are getting a particularly good tummy rub.
“Sure.” I nodded, hoping that her putting the photo online might distract her and Gabby from asking any follow-up questions.
“I’m gonna say, ‘Auntie’s helping me get ready.’ ” Nittha sat on the bed next to me, leaving Gabby to hold the giant light-reflector screen that she was supposed to be in charge of. Nittha added, “So, you gonna tell us what is on your mind?”
My resolve cracked. “Okay. But, Nittha, if BamBam asks, we went to dinner last night. Got it?”
“Why do I need to lie to your grandma?” Nittha asked, her eyes going wide.
“Now I really want to know what happened.” Gabby grinned and leaned forward. “Why is Nittha covering for you?”
“It’s not a big deal, it’s—Don’t look at me like that, Gabby.” I stopped and eyed my friend.
“Like what? I’m not looking like anything.” Gabby was absolutely looking at me like something, as a poorly concealed smile pulled at her lips.
“Wait. Are we lying to BamBam because you and Ethan are secretly in love and sneaking around?” Nittha asked, her voice hovering above a shriek.
“No. I mean, yes. But not like that.” I rolled my eyes.
“So, what was it like?” Gabby gasped.
“Tell us everything,” Nittha demanded at the same time. She started bouncing on the bed with excitement, causing Cricket to sniff at her as if she was irritated by all the fuss. I’d never felt more understood by an animal in my life.
Taking a big breath, I started from making my deal withEthan to the mess of our attempted walk to the aquarium, then going through the absurd car he’d managed to get us, to watching the Bellagio fountain show and running into Emmie, who he very clearly did not want to talk about. The further I got into the story, the bigger Gabby’s grin got and the more she had to shush Nittha to let me keep talking.
