Page 16 of Once Upon A Player
Why did I even think that? It’s not as though Iwanthim to be serious about me, is it?
I park the car as close to the Tower Grill as possible, and Katie gives me a piercing look. “Nothing’s happened between you and Lucas Carter that you haven’t told me, has it?”
Why would she say that? We weren’t even talking about him. Can she read my mind, or what? I resist the mad urge to pat my hot cheeks, and silently curse my constant inability to hide my most private thoughts from her.
There’s only one possible response to her. “I’m not stupid.”
“I know you’re not, but whenever you think about him you kind of glow.”
I scoff, mainly so my horror doesn’t seep through.I glow? really?Jesus, I hope I don’tglowall over Lucas whenever he speaks to me.
“You can’t possibly know when I think about him.” What the fuck did I just say? I scramble to backtrack, but it’s too late, because Katie groans and grabs my hand.
“You really need to tell him you can’t see him anymore. I know he’s great and nothing like dick-face, but he’s still one ofthem.”
Sure, I’ve told her how great Lucas is, but I definitely never said he wasn’t anything like Geoff. Even though he isn’t.
I’m kind of mad at Katie for pointing out the obvious to me, and with myself for clearly needing the reminder. Lucas flirts because it’s second nature to him, not because he thinks I’m special. I don’t even want to imagine how many girls he’s slept with during the last couple of weeks.
It shouldn’t matter, but somehow it does. I give Katie a big fake smile. “What club are we going to?”
The following morning, my head pounds like a jackhammer, and I don’t have the energy to get up even when Mum brings me in a cup of tea and sits on the edge of my bed.
“Did you have a good time?” Her voice sounds unnaturally loud. I wince and pull the sheet over my head. “Looks like you did, then.” She sounds thrilled, and with a defeated grunt, since I’m obviously not going to get a well-deserved lie-in this morning, I peel back the sheet and peer at her through my tangled hair. She’s been back to her old self for the last week, and it’s easy to slip into our old routines again.
“It was all right.” I struggle to sit up, and yawn. Since I only had one drink last night. I’m not hung over from alcohol, just loud music, a late night, and way too many wankers who think copping a feel is part of a night out.
Mum pushes my hair back from my face, the way she used to when I was a little girl. “Dad and I are so pleased you’re going out again.”
Since I don’t have an answer for that, I pick up my tea and take a sip. Itwasfun seeing the girls and catching up on gossip. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to figure out the entire world doesn’t revolve around professional football.
But having a football-obsessed dad, not to mention a former best friend whose dad is a top manager, almost everyone I knew was connected to that world in some way.
None of Katie’s friends are, though. And unlike Monica, who never allowed new girls to join our exclusive little clique at school, they’re fine about me hanging out with them.
Hello, reality check.Why do I keep going round to Lucas’s, if I want to make a clean break from the past?
So I can have a prestigious client in my portfolio.
Riiight.
I glance at my watch. “Oh, shit. I’m going to be late.”
Mum’s smile drops a notch. “Another meeting with Lucas Carter?”
“Yep.” I wriggle out of bed, leaving Mum still sitting there. And although there’s nothing going on between Lucas and me, I avoid her gaze because things aren’t nearly as platonic as I’ve insisted they are.
Not that I think she believes me, anyway.
“Violet, are you sure this a good idea?”
Here it comes. To be honest, I’ve been waiting for it since I told her he wanted my help a couple of weeks ago. But even with all that time to figure out a great response, I still don’t know what to say. The last thing I want is for her to start worrying about me again.
“It’s fine, Mum. He’s nothing like Geoff.” Why did I bring his name into it? Except it’s the truth, and Mum will know what I mean.
I hope.
“Bec’s always spoken highly of him,” Mum concedes. “And I’m sure he’s nothing like Geoff,but…” She stands up and chews her lip before taking a deep breath. “We don’t want you to get hurt again. Lucas is so high profile.”
