Page 65 of Nothing Like the Movies

Do it and be done.

That was a good way to think of it—I was going to do it and be done.

“Speaking of Mother Dearest, has she confirmed that she’s picking us up from the airport?”

“Yeah, she finally got back to me yesterday,” I said.

The house had finally sold, so Sarah and I were going home next week to help my mom with the closing. Neither of us were looking forward to it, but we couldn’t expect her to do everything herself.

I also kind of wanted to say goodbye to the house.

Even as I absolutelydidn’twant to say goodbye to the house.

I went back to my dorm and showered, and by the time I was walking into Acosta for the team lift, my hesitancy about the interview was gone. Or minimized, at least. I was going to do it and be done, check that box, and then hopefully never be asked about it again.

After jumping on the force plate and going through dynamic warm-ups on the turf, I headed back to the weight-lifting racks.

“Where’s your boyfriend, Lizzie?” I heard Eli say as I turned the corner.

And I froze in my tracks when I saw her, even though Liz filming workouts shouldn’t have been a surprise.

There was Eli, doing medicine ball two-way dribbles against the wall while Liz filmed him.

“He has a name,” she said, her attention on her work. “And he wanted to get film of the strong guys today. So that’s why I’m on you.”

“Hey—why so mean?” he asked, smiling.

“You called me ‘Lizzie,’ so you’re asking for it, aren’t you?”

Neither of them noticed me, so I took a second to drink her in.

She was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, but the Docs she had on and the black bow in the back of her curls made it more than just a T-shirt and jeans.

They made it Liz, even without the flowers and pastels.

I watched her record him, and there was something about seeing her work that fascinated me. She obviously knew what she was doing, but it was also obvious that she was enjoying herself. Her body—and her camera—were in constant motion while she filmed, and her focus reminded me of the way she focused on music when she was working on a playlist.

The rest of the world existed, but she was uninterested in anything other than what she was working on.

God, I love that about her.

“Good to see you made it home okay last night, Buxbaum,” I said, needing to see those green eyes on me.

As expected, she whipped around like I’d startled her.

But just as quickly as she’d looked shocked, she covered it up. Liz swallowed and said, “Of course I did. I trust you had no problems getting back to your dorm?”

“I love when you worry about me, Libby,” I said, eating up that frustrated fast-blink,hell yes.

She rolled her eyes, raised her chin, and I wanted to drop to my knees.

“I just need you alive for the interview this morning.” She tilted her head and said, “After that, feel free to fall off a cliff.”

Eli started laughing, and so did I. Liz’s mouth softened, like she wanted to smile with us but wouldn’t allow herself the luxury, and I was taking that as a win.

“Nowyou seem like exes,” Eli said. “Also. Liz. Am I allowed to call you ‘Libby’?”

“Not if you want me to answer,” she said, borrowing the line fromPretty Woman. Her lips lost any idea of a smile, and she said, “I hate that nickname.”

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