Page 36 of Play On

I reach for my phone on the bedside table. Maybe I can scroll though some stuff to refocus my brain and then try to get some sleep. I unlock it and find several messages waiting for me:

Aimee: DID U GO BACK AND HOOK UP WITH THAT FIT FOOTBALLER AFTER I LEFT?

Wait, what? How did she know that?

Then I see have a message from Nicholas with an attachment:

I’m glad to see you took my advice about Darby. Very impressive you madeDishing Weeklyin the overnight hours.

Then I see there’s a paparazzi photo of Noah escorting me out of Wisteria House, his hand entwined with mine as we head for an Uber, with the headline:

PLAY ON, Lady Violet! Dorset aristocrat scores a sexy night out in Mayfair with Stonebridge United striker Noah Darby

I click on the link and read the article:

Lady Violet Banfield spent a sexy night at Wisteria House with superstar Stonebridge United striker Noah Darby on Tuesday in Mayfair. The two were spotted next to each other at a table with two other footballers—loved up Canadian Camden Tremblay and one of the newest members of the team, Kieran Doring.

There was no sight of Camden’s royal girlfriend Princess Isabella, but he spent the evening with friends, including a blonde beauty who came with Lady Violet.

Sources report Violet stayedgluedto Noah’s side throughout the evening, laughing and talking and looking very cosy. Dressed in a shimmery rose-coloured minidress, her ginger hair cascading down her back, and laughing often, the Dorset beauty was like a bubbly glass of rosé on this summer night. Noah was more casual in jeans and a T-shirt that revealed his black and grey inked arms, but looked oh-so-fit for his night out.

When the evening appeared to end—with everyone going their separate ways—Violet and Noah wentbackinside Wisteria House to continue their night! They finally left at twelve-thirty, with the star striker holding her hand as they jumped into a waiting car together. It was a surprise display of affection from the normally unseen-on-the-club-scene Noah. Looks like things are about to get very interesting…

I giggle. I hope Noah doesn’t mind being the focus of a gossip article in this rubbish tabloid. I decide to send him a text:

I hope your teammates won’t tease you too much about your feature inDishing Weekly. I laughed at it, and I hope you will, too.

Then I attach the article and hit send.

Noah Darby is typing …

Ooh! My heart dances inside my chest. He’s up! Within seconds, his reply drops in:

Who writes this stuff?

I laugh and decide to flirt with him at bit.

I’ll confess. I tipped them off. I gave them the line about your sexy inked arms and that you are incredibly fit.

I hit send, and I can almost see a flush creeping across his neck as I visualise him reading this.

Noah Darby is typing …

Stop it.

I grin. Now I know he’s blushing.

Noah Darby is typing …

You’re not meeting Bella until this afternoon, right?

Ooh! I reply:

I’m going over to St. James’s Palace around one-thirty. Then we’ll review the art project and prep materials before going out to dinner later. Would you like to come cut strips of construction paper to make snails with us?

Noah Darby is typing…

Violet, the last person you want on any kind of art project is me. I can’t even cut in a straight line. I’m surprised I was allowed to move on from reception.

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