Page 29 of Play On

When there’s a lull in the conversation, I turn to Camden. “So what’s Bella up to this evening? I have dinner plans with her tomorrow to go over the school visit I’m helping her with on Thursday,” I say, pausing to take another sip of my cocktail.

“She’s helping Liz prepare for a big speech she’s making tomorrow regarding her childhood education initiative,” he says. “Liz asked her if she and Clementine would hear her speech and help her tweak it tonight.”

“Oh, I don’t think I could ever give the speeches that Liz and Bella do,” I say, shaking my head. “I would be terrified.”

“Violet. You’re a natural talker. I think you’d be fantastic at it,” Aimee counters.

“No, that is rambling,” I insist. “Making an eloquent speech is completely different.”

I feel Noah’s gaze on my profile. “I think you’d be brilliant,” he says softly.

Hope.That word once again rises to the surface of my thoughts. He doesn’t have to be nice to me, let alone give me a compliment.

Unless he wants to.

We hang out and talk for a long time, even ordering some starters for the table. Noah and Camden talk easily with me and Aimee, and Kieran contributes when he can say something … about himself.

Playing football.

Finally, the end of the evening comes, and we all rise to leave. Nervousness takes over from hope, because I know I have a lot of explaining to do to Noah, and they’re not going to be easy things to say.

Even if he does show hope and want in his eyes, his head might rightly tell him to keep me at arms’ length after the 360 I did on him merely a few days ago.

We all walk out together, and I hug Aimee goodbye. We make plans to meet up again as soon as possible. Then Camden has his car brought round, and Noah clears his throat. “Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll catch an Uber back to my hotel.”

Camden looks from me to Noah. “An Uber, eh?” he asks, his Canadian side coming out.

“Yeah,” Noah says.

Kieran grins mischievously at him. “Well, have a good evening, brother,” he says, clapping him on the back.

The paparazzi are still taking pictures, and flashes are blinding my eyes. This time I know it’s not for me, but for three of the best footballers in the world leaving Wisteria House after a night out.

Noah stares at the photographers, who are still snapping at us as we stand on the pavement. “If we walk, we’re going to be followed. I don’t want that for you,” he says.

Swoon. I can tell he’d be a protective boyfriend.

“Why don’t we go back into Wisteria House and talk? If you’re agreeable to that, I mean,” he continues. “I’m sure there’s somewhere quiet we can find.”

My heart thuds against my ribs. “Do you mean that?”

“I do.”

“I’d love that, thank you.”

We turn around and head back inside Wisteria House, and Noah leads me up to the second floor, where there’s the Library Room, which is a bar with a very quiet vibe. He finds a spot with a vacant leather sofa, and gestures for me to take a seat. I sink down on it, and Noah sits next to me. The room is dark and intimate, and votives flicker on tables all over the room.

Nerves seize me. I have to make sure I get this right. I have one try at another chance with Noah, and I know I’ll be lucky to even get that. I’m about to speak when he turns to me.

“I’m not sure how you can take back what you said to me in that text,” he says, his voice quiet. “Or if you truly want to take those words back now, or if you are only telling yourself that you should. But I promised myself I would hear you out tonight. So what do you have to say to me, Violet?”

Chapter Eight

A True Gentleman

I feel sick as I hear the wariness in Noah’s soft-spoken voice. I see it in his eyes, and I can feel it in his body language as he folds his arms across his chest and leans back on the sofa.

He’s never going to trust me again.

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