Chapter Nineteen
It All Felt Right
I know if I were to get up and draw back the blackout curtains in my room, I’d find bright morning sunshine. Well, to be fair, I’d get bright morning sunshine at five o’clock in the morning at this time of year, but I know it’s early. My internal clock is really good about knowing what time it is.
I’m guessing it’s about six-thirty.
Which is incredibly early, considering I didn’t get home until nearly one-thirty in the morning.
I brush my fingertips over my lips, remembering how it felt to have Noah kiss me. And kiss me he did.
I can’t contain the smile I feel forming underneath my fingertips. I’ve never had a date like the one I had last night. From the thought and effort Noah put into making it special, to the fun we had picking our sweets, to whispering to each other during the previews about what films we wanted to see.
But then there was another side to the date, when Noah revealed things to me that he had never spoken out loud to anyone. I feel the smile fade underneath my fingertips when I think about the tragedy that struck and how it forever changed what his family looked like. How for years, Noah silently bore the weight of his dad’s death and his mum’s and brother’s reactions to it.
Football became two things to him. It became Noah’s way of fulfilling a promise to his father. It was also his salvation from all the trauma he suffered at such a young age.
And something made him open up to me. The butterfly my own family didn’t take seriously, yet Noah trusted me with the ghosts of his past. I don’t know how he does it, but he sees me through a completely different lens than most people do.
The smile returns to my lips.
That means everything to me.
I reach for my phone on my bedside table, and ta-da! It’s six twenty-eight.
I’m about to start my scroll when I see I have a new message from Noah, one he sent about twenty minutes ago. We texted a bit last night after he returned to his cottage, and I see he’s up like I am at a stupid hour of the morning when both of us are on holiday.
I eagerly tap it open to read:
Butterfly—if you are up early let me know. I’d be happy to come get you and take you out for breakfast. Then we can do whatever you want for the rest of the day.
Yes, please,I think with a grin.
I text him back:
I’m up! Just have to take a shower and get ready. I know the perfect place to take you for breakfast, it’s not far from my house. And you can bring Mila, it’s dog-friendly. She can hang out at my house with Petey and Hazel afterwards—I thought we’d spend some time at Wintersmith Hall today. I have so much I want to show you!
I wait for a moment.
Saucy Shorts is typing …
Sounds good. How long do you need? I know getting ready has different interpretations for people.
I smile as I reply:
This Butterfly will be ready by the time you arrive even if you leave now.
Saucy Shorts is typing …
I knew you wouldn’t be the type of woman to take two hours to get ready. But I wouldn’t care if you were. I’d wait.
Can Noah be any more swoony? I respond:
Luckily for you, Saucy Shorts, you don’t have to wait. I’ll be ready and famished by the time you show up. If you’re ready, leave now, and I’ll take you somewhere magnificent for a big breakfast we can tuck in to.
Saucy Shorts is typing …
STOP.
I giggle. I can just see the embarrassed look passing over his gorgeous face whenever he sees “Saucy Shorts” in a text message.
Noah is absolutely adorable.
Sexy.
Vulnerable, sincere, fun, gorgeous …
Okay, if I don’t stop naming off all his attributes, I will not be ready by the time he arrives.
I flick back the duvet and swing my legs over the side. I rise, eager to get ready to meet Noah.
And ready to learn so much more about him.
* * *
“What do you think?” I ask excitedly as we take a seat outdoors. We’ve come to the Green Hill Café, which is set inside an old stone building perched on top of a hill in a small town in Dorset. Thatch-roofed buildings are nestled all together, with some being homes and others being shopfronts. The streets are made of cobblestones, and it’s utterly charming.
But the most beautiful view is that of the lush Dorset countryside, the hills of rich green sprawling out below us under a brilliant blue sky. The sun is shining, the breeze is warm, and best of all?
I’m sharing it all with Noah.
“I think,” he says as he secures Mila’s lead to our table, “I’m in the middle of a fairy tale. This looks like something out of an old storybook.”
I smile at him. Noah has sunglasses on to shade his eyes, so I can’t see them sparkling back at me, but my instinct tells me they are.
Just as I know mine are dancing back at him.
“One coffee with milk,” the waitress says, placing an oversized ruby-red mug in front of Noah. “And one pot of English breakfast tea.”
We both thank her, and I pour some tea into my mug, which is a sunny shade of yellow, as Noah takes a sip of his coffee.
I’m about to tell him what I have planned for the day, but he speaks first. “Violet, I wanted to apologise to you for last night,” he says, leaning forward in his chair, his inked forearms resting on the old wooden table.
Confusion fills me. “What? Why?” I ask.
Noah rakes a hand through his thick, dark-brown locks. “I dumped way too much on you,” he confesses. “I—I never should have done that. It was far too soon for that conversation, and I regret that you had to take all of that on during our date.”
I reach for his hand, putting mine over it and squeezing it gently. “You’re going to take that damaging thought right out of your head and throw it in the bin.”
Noah’s mouth curves in surprise.
I remain firm. “We are here because we want to know more about each other, and that includes the past. Painful things. Parts of ourselves that disappoint us or embarrass us,” I say, thinking of the things I’ve revealed to him. “I want the real Noah Darby. I want to know what has shaped you. I’m honoured that you told me the things you did last night. And I promise they will always be safe with me.”
Noah’s hand doesn’t move underneath mine for a moment, but then he reaches up and removes his sunglasses so I can see his eyes. Then he leans across the table and removes my sunglasses, setting them aside.
“I like when I can see your eyes,” he says softly. Then a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Even if I have to squint through the sunlight to see it.”
I grin at him.
“I trust you, Violet,” he says softly. “I can’t believe how much I trust you already. There’s something about you that makes me feel … well, as if I can tell you these things. I was scared to, of course. I’ve had the narrative in my head for so long that I caused everything, and I was afraid you’d think that, too. But you didn’t.”
I shake my head firmly, sending my red locks swishing across my shoulders. “No. It helped me understand so much more about you. I mean, it’s obvious we have chemistry,” I say.
Now the smile on his mouth is sexy and playful. “Yes, we definitely do.”
I feel myself blushing, once again amazed that this man is making me react this way. I haven’t felt like this in years.
I grin at him. “But there has to be more than chemistry unless you want a hook-up. Which I don’t believe you do.” I frown for a moment as Mila loudly laps her water out of the bowl the café has provided for her. “Because I don’t want a mere hookup with you.”
Noah’s eyes burn bright. “No. I wouldn’t come all the way to Dorset and stay on holiday for a hook-up.”
He draws my hand to his lips and brushes a kiss across my knuckles, sending warmth through me from his gentle touch.
“As that is the case,” I say, “then I’m glad you shared that part of yourself with me. I promise I’ll protect it, Noah. Just as I hope you do with the things I’ve shared with you. These are the conversations I always imagined I’d have if I met someone truly spectacular to date. Thank you for making this come true.”
Noah’s eyes don’t leave mine, and I feel a shiver sweep down my spine.
“I’ve never had the kind of date that I had with you last night,” he confesses, his voice low. “It was fun. Sexy. But then it took a turn to a place I didn’t expect, with me talking about my dad. Yet afterwards? It all felt right.”
It all felt right.
“It felt right to me, too,” I say.
The waitress approaches our table again, this time carrying a tray with breakfast on it. A plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, tomatoes, beans, and toast is set in front of Noah. Meanwhile, I get a petite jar with a baked egg in it, and strips of sourdough toast and creamery butter beside it.
“Is this not the cutest thing?” I declare, turning my tiny jar around on the table.
“If eggs can be cute, yes,” Noah says, smiling as he picks up his fork.
“Yes, when they are served in a tiny little jar, they are cute.” I pick up one of the long sticks of sourdough toast and slather it with butter. “By the way, I need to warn you of something. Not only do I love sweets at the cinema, but I’m obsessed with toast. OBSESSED. I eat toast every day, and if I don’t want it, something is very wrong with me.”
Noah considers this, his eyes dancing at me as he takes a bite of his breakfast. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“It’s Noah Darby!”
I’m pulled from our conversation as I see some people from a neighbouring table whip out their phones and begin to take pictures of us.
“Shit,” he whispers under his breath.
I see the anxiety that immediately filters across his face. I can tell this is part of his life he still struggles to manage, even after being a Premier League star for a few years now.
“I’m so sorry, Violet. I knew this could happen, but I was hoping it wouldn’t. I should have warned you.”
I laugh. He blinks in surprise.
“Noah. I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t the most famous person I’ve hung out with lately. That title would belong to HRH Princess Isabella of York. She has a bit of an edge on you.”
I feel nothing but happiness when I see his expression has completely changed with my words.
“Noah. No big deal. I’m half-tempted to accidentally get some egg on my face so they can fire that up on social media and I can score an article in Dishing Weekly,” I assure him.
Noah laughs. Loudly. And the sound of it makes me feel warm inside.
“I should dare you,” he says.
I lift a brow at him. “Do you?”
“No, I’m kidding,” Noah says, putting out a hand.
I take a bite of my egg and purposefully drop the spoon on my chin, sending egg yolk running down my face and the spoon clattering onto my plate. Noah stares at me, shocked, and then I burst out laughing, the sound carrying across the tables on the patio and causing several people to look over at us.
“We scored headlines with our night at Wisteria House, but now we can score a ‘Lady Violet has Abysmal Table Manners’ one,” I say gleefully.
I can’t decide if Noah thinks I’m mad or mad fun at this moment.
I reach for my napkin, but he has already grabbed his and is leaning across the table, gently wiping the egg yolk from my chin. Then he lifts it up with his thumb and forefinger and leans in, pressing his lips against mine.
Ooh, this is nice.
Noah breaks the kiss and gently runs his thumb over my lower lip again, sending a fission of desire running through me.
“I think we’ve given them more than enough to talk about. Anything else I’m reserving for when we are alone,” he says, his eyes darkening sexily.
“I look forward to that,” I manage to say.
He picks his fork back up and continues to eat, and I shift the conversation to what we are going to do today.
“I hope you don’t mind that I’m saving the beach for tomorrow,” I say, slathering butter on another stick of toast. “I’m really excited to show you the ins and outs of Wintersmith Hall. I have to show you the mythology book I found. I can’t wait to share that with you.”
“I can’t wait to see it. I still can’t believe you found it.”
“I know. It was where one of my ideas actually led me to something brilliant,” I say happily. Then I smile coyly at him. “I also have a surprise planned for you.”
“A surprise?”
“Yes! Can I tell you?”
Noah laughs. “I thought you wanted to surprise me.”
I frown. “Well, I do, but I’m also dying to tell you what it is. But I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
“You can tell me.”
I grin at him. “We’re going to have a falconry experience.”
Noah’s eyes completely light up. “Are you serious?”
I nod. “Yes! I tracked down Luke this morning, and he said he’s free this afternoon after lunch. He’s going to show us how they fly and hunt, then you’ll get to have one land on your arm.”
“This is going to be so sick!” Noah says excitedly.
My heart melts. He looks like a little kid who has just been given the best present ever.
I dip my toast into the egg and take a bite, and after I finish, I start speaking again. “Luke is brilliant with his birds. You’re going to have a great experience, Noah.”
“This is going to be brilliant, Violet. Thank you for arranging it.” He pauses for a moment, then clears his throat. “It’s the first time in a long time someone has gifted me something special.”
My heart catches at his words. I’m sure it’s true. He’s been estranged from his family since he was sixteen. Noah has spent most of his time playing football and has kept up walls around himself to keep people from hurting him—even if he doesn’t realise it. There was nobody close enough to him to want to do something special for him.
Yet there was something about me that made him let down his guard and invite me into his world.
He sees something in me that nobody else has,I think. Something special. Something that makes me worth him taking the risk.
This realisation hits me in the heart. Today is going to be special for both of us.
Maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of a future I never envisioned happening.
And I can’t wait to see what happens next.