Page 141 of Play On

At least I have something now. I have a feeling Amelia’s mother will try to help me. I can still send out cover letters and CVs to places around Dorset, seeking positions that will get me further experience.

I still have to tell Noah what happened, and I know he’s going to be disappointed on my behalf. This will most likely delay our plans to be closer together, and he’ll hate that as much as I do. But I know he’ll be positive and hopeful that perhaps Amelia’s mum can help get my CV in front of the right people at least.

And if anyone can understand what it’s like to have family letting them down, it’s Noah.

* * *

“This is pissing me off, Violet,” Noah says angrily over the phone. “Howdarethey say those things to you.”

I grimace. Obviously, I miscalculated not only how protective he is of my feelings, but how angry he would get at the idea of my parents not supporting me.

I’m talking to him at six in the morning my time, one o’clock his time, and he’s getting all wound up before his game tonight, which is the last thing I wanted.

“Let’s just focus on the fact that Amelia thinks her mum can help me,” I say, trying to redirect him.

“But I don’t understand how they can say this after seeing what you did for me,” Noah says, not letting the subject drop. “You came toAustraliato give me the support I never had. That says so much about commitment and character, and for them to not see that I—”

“I didn’t tell them why I went,” I interrupt softly.

“What? What do you mean?”

I pause before speaking, gathering my thoughts. “Noah, I only told them I went to watch you play. Not why. Because that is your story to tell, not mine. So to be fair, they just thought I was dropping everything on a whim to go to Australia with no good reason.”

I hear a painful exhale on the other end of the line, then silence.

“Oh, Violet,” he finally says, his voice thick. “You don’t have to protect me like that.”

“No, I do. It’s none of their business to know my reasoning behind that trip,” I say firmly. “That was my business and yours. It’s not their right to know the why. Now we’re going to move forward, and I don’t want you looking back on this. I want you to think about your match today and think about coming home to me this weekend. I’m still meeting you in Surrey on Friday after I finish my shift, and I don’t want to come home to a salty Daddy Darby.”

I was hoping to hear him laugh, but I don’t. “I’m not finished with this,” Noah says firmly.

“You’re being too protective of me,” I inform him.

“That’s my job. I love you.”

“I know you do, and I love you, too.”

“I’ll drop this—but just for now, Violet.”

I shift the topic away from my parents, and we talk a bit more before Noah has to go. I tell him to have a great match and remind him of how excited I am to see him on Friday.

We hang up, and I set my phone on my bedside table, furrowing my brow as I replay his words in my head.

I’ll drop this—but just for now Violet.

I sigh. I have a feeling when we’re face to face on Friday, this topic will be brought up again, and Noah is going to be just as upset about it as he is right now.

But we’ll move past it and move forward—and hopefully, with the help of Amelia’s mum, I’ll be moving to London at some point and starting my career.

And that’s what I’m going to focus on.

Chapter Thirty-Four

A Grand Gesture

I exhale loudly as I sit in front of my laptop in the library. It’s Wednesday, and I’ve spent the past few hours applying for jobs I’m either overqualified or underqualified for in the art world.

But I’m doing something, and that’s what matters.

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