Page 6 of Play On

“I want that.”

MORE THAN YOU KNOW.

A smile lights up his face. “Next Friday? I would ask for this Friday, but I’m going on one of my rare visits to Kent to see my mum.”

“That actually works perfectly. We’re having a huge plant sale here this Saturday, and it will be all-hands-on-deck to get ready for it on Friday.” I smile at him. “Do you want me to come to Surrey? London? Do you want to come back here? Meet in the middle?”

He laughs, and I relish the sound of it. “I think you left off fly to Vegas.”

I grin at him. “What, are you suggesting we drunk marry in Vegas?”

“That’s illegal to do.”

“Do I want to know how you know what is legal in Las Vegas?”

His hand travels down to the small of my back, rubbing it slowly and gently.

“I think I saw it on a Connect Q&A,” he teases.

“Shut up,” I say, smiling at him.

“But to answer your question,” Noah says, “I’ll plan it and let you know when I’ll be picking you up.”

Ooh, this is exciting!

“I’d love that.”

“Good. Because you’re amazing, Violet. And I promise you, I’m going to give you the first date you deserve.”

Chapter Two

Moonlight and Stars

I pick up my phone off the bedside table and flip it over.

It’s half past two.

It’s now in the early hours of Monday morning, and I haven’t slept at all. I’ve tossed and turned and tried to ignore the cold feeling that has formed in the pit of my stomach. Thoughts are racing in my head, all of them worrying and anxious.

I swallow hard as I face the root of the anxiety and fear that is keeping me up all night.

I made a major mistake in agreeing to a date with Noah Darby.

And I have to get out of it.

I get up out of my bed and go to the window, pushing the heavy blackout curtain aside. The moonlight streams across the formal gardens of Wintersmith Hall, bathing it in a soft glow of light. Thousands of stars twinkle overhead in the inky sky.

It was under this moonlight and stars that I first noticed Noah. I mean, not that I didn’t notice him—he’s absolutely gorgeous—but he mentioned that he liked pick and mix as we were sitting around the table in the garden, having a magnificent dinner.

This is so me. The second I heard that, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. Okay, yes, it might have been because he coulddiscuss pink mice and milk teeth, but I felt this spark. That there was a fun, quirky side underneath that fit exterior.

A side that I found not only sexy, but endearing and sweet.

And I found myself spellbound.

I sit down on the window seat, tucking my legs up underneath me, pressing my head against the cool glass of the windowpane. My mind immediately goes back to Saturday night and how I sat with Noah in that very garden below.

I remember staring at his handsome face, hardly believing this shy, sensitive, quirky footballer was interested in me—and I got wrapped up in the fantasy. I couldn’t say yes fast enough when he asked me if he could take me on a date next weekend. I went to bed last night on a cloud, thinking it had been a long, long time since I stayed up all night because I was too excited to sleep. We talked at breakfast, then he left with his teammate, Camden Tremblay, and Bella York, whom I’ve recently befriended. He said he would text me this week to set something up, and I secretly hoped he would text me sooner.

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