Page 55 of Play On

She turns on the kettle and turns to face me. “Be careful with him, Violet.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, he’s a footballer,” Mum says slowly. “You know the kinds of things that brings. He has a lot of money. He’s famous. Has access to a lot of women. A lot of them aren’t known for fidelity.”

“Mum, I appreciate your concern, but there’s a couple of things to keep in mind here,” I say, moving to a cupboard and pulling out a baking dish to reheat my dinner in. “First of all, Noah and I are just getting to know each other, so it’s early. Who knows how we’ll feel at the end of the week?”

Lie. I know exactly how I will feel at the end of the week, but I continue on regardless.

“Noah is not your typical footballer,” I say. “He’s dedicated to the game and hasn’t had much of a life outside of it. He’s serious. Careful. Noah is a good man, Mum. I trust him. I’m honoured that he wants to see me, because that says a lot considering how he’s avoided relationships due to football.”

She takes in my words. “I suppose I’m relying on stereotypes to paint a picture of him, aren’t I?”

I smile warmly at her. “It’s okay. Before I met him, I would have done the same thing.”

“Perhaps I should worry more about Noah,” she says, smiling as she reaches for a mug. “You’re the butterfly, after all. You might be moving on from him before he even knows what hits him.”

My stomach goes cold as her words wash over me. I know Mum is only teasing, but that’s the problem. This whole butterfly narrative has been going on foryears.

I have lived up to that name by not pursuing a career. By starting and stopping projects. Working in the gift shop only when I feel like it. I guess you could put men in this category, too—flirting and having fun and then moving on before they could get serious.

In my defence, however, I didn’t want a relationship.

But putting that aside, I should want a career and to be on my own. I know, deep down, I’m languishing here at Wintersmith Hall.

Then people can’t help but compare me to Nicholas, and I can see why they all think the narrative is true.

Because it was.

That’s my own fault. I see that now.

I swallow painfully as I slice some roast beef up and place it in the pan. I’ve got to find a way to dispel that. Not just for my family, not just for Noah, but for myself.

If only I knew what I want to do. And could be brave enough to risk failing to do it.

Okay. Small steps.

“I want to assure you that even when Noah is here, I’ll still stick to my schedule at the gift shop,” I assure Mum.

She retrieves a box of tea and removes a bag. “Why? We’ll just slide someone else in. I know Maria is keen for more hours since her youngest left home.”

I chew on my lower lip in thought. Well, that’s fair, right? I’d be helping someone else if I let Maria take my shifts?

“All right. But if Maria or nobody else wants my shifts, I want to assure you I’ll work them. Noah can occupy himself whilst I’m in the shop,” I say, adding some veg to the pan.

Mum pours some hot water over her tea bag. “That’s fine, Violet.”

I open the oven and pop in the tray with the leftovers and a couple of Yorkshire puddings and close the door. Mum takes a seat at the kitchen table, and I sit down across from her. “Is Nicholas with Amelia?” I ask.

She smiles. “Is the sky blue?”

I chuckle at that. Nicholas and Amelia are together all the time.

“Oh, Violet, I had Melanie put back all the books in the library,” she says, absently dunking the tea bag up and down in her mug.

“What? Why? I was working on that,” I protest, anxiety pooling in my stomach.

Mum laughs. “Violet. It was going to end up like all your other projects. Especially with Noah being here. You’re going to be out with him, and then you’ll lose interest in sorting thelibrary all together. I’m your Mum, Iknowyou. I’d sooner clean up the mess now rather than later.”

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