Page 29 of Once Upon A Player
“Violet.” Mum pokes her head around my door. “Are you sure you can’t come with us next Friday?”
They’re all going to Cornwall to stay with Dad’s parents next weekend, to celebrate Dad’s parents’ wedding anniversary. It’s not a special one, so I don’t feel bad about missing it, although I suppose forty-eight years togetherisa milestone.
“I can’t let Katie down. She’s short-staffed next week, and I’m rostered on to work all day Friday.”
“Okay, I just wanted to double check before I call them. You know how much they love seeing you.”
They’ve always been lovely to me, and I’ve called them Nan and Pops since Mum and Dad got together when I was three, but it wasn’t until Sam was a toddler that it first hit me I was the only one there who wasn’t arealHenderson. Officially, my name’s Dobbes, but I’ve gone by Henderson since my first day at school, when I refused to answer to anything else.
I must get around to legally changing it.
“I’ll go with you next time.” Mum and Dad visit them several times a year, and they have this adorable cottage five-minutes’ walk from the beach, and three elderly pugs with farting problems. I enjoy visiting; it’s a nice mini break.
Even if I wasn’t working, I wouldn’t be able to go. Although my course is very flexible, I like to give myself deadlines just to keep on track, and I’m currently running behind.
Guess I know what I’ll be doing all day today.
Katie comes round on Tuesday evening, and we’re at the far end of the garden sitting on a pair of weatherworn plastic toadstools in the remnants of the fairy glade Dad made for me when I was four. The reason we’re sitting out here is so there’s no chance of being overheard, as I don’t want to explain to Mum that just because I’m taking Lucas on a picnic, doesn’t mean I’m about to lose my head over him.
Because I already have.
“You’re going to feed himpork pies?” The disbelief drips from each word, and I’m a little annoyed she leaped on the only food that I’m not planning on making from scratch.
“Yes, but they’re from Fortnum’s.”
“But they’repork pies. They don’t have any aphrodisiac qualities at all.”
“I don’t plan on jumping his bones in the middle of Golders Hill, Katie.”
“Don’t you?”
Although I’m still mad at her for basically laughing at part of my planned menu, I concede her point. She knows me too well. “It’s crossed my mind. But I’m not sure if he’s still interested. He’s never tried anything on since I told him about Geoff, but sometimes…” My voice trails away as I remember thenon-kiss. I’m convinced if his sister and friends hadn’t arrived at that exact second, we would’ve kissed, but suppose that’s all in my mind?
I’m not supposed to be falling for him.
Just because I’ve been obsessing about the other night, doesn’t mean I’ve any intention offallingfor him. A girl can fantasize about a hot hookup, can’t she?
I don’t do hookups.
Maybe I should.
Am I seriously thinking about having a summer fling with Lucas Carter?
Yes. Yes, I am.
He’s a player, even if heisthe nicest guy I’ve ever met. At least this time I’m going in with my eyes wide open, and don’t expect a happily ever after forever, the way I did with Geoff. I don’t even expect exclusive, and that’s ahugestep forward.
Casual sex, here I come.Does it count as casual if I only intend doing it with Lucas?
I can’t believe I’m even thinking this.
Katie gives me a calculating look. “I need to meet him. I won’t get all distracted by his celebrity status, and if he’s bullshitting you, I’ll know.”
“He’s not bullshitting me. And you might not care about him being a footballer, but you’re pretty keen on his cologne adverts.”
“I’d have to be dead not to care aboutthem.”
I sigh. “Wouldn’t it sound weird if I asked him out one night to meet my friends?”
