Page 67 of Tabloid Princess

I scrunched the paper and tossed it into the trash bin in the corner of the room.

Then I stared at his note all over again, every curve of the pen stroke, every flourish and splurge of ink.

“Leia, love?” Nana tapped on the door and I quickly moved the note under my right thigh.

“Hey, come in,” I called out trying to keep my voice steady and innocent.

“You sure you’re okay?” Nana asked once she’d popped her head through the gap in the door. “I’ve got Daisy’s dinner on. I wasn’t sure if you were unwell.”

I breathed through my mouth. There was a strong possibility I’d be sick.

“Nana,” I said, my vocal cords stretching.

“Yes.”

“Would you be able to stay, uh…” I trailed off while she watched me carefully before opening her eyes wide.

“Oh my, have you got a date?”

“Well no… maybe… Dinner? I think.”

“Dinner is a date.”

I scrunched my face. “No. I don’t think so in this instance. It’s just dinner.”

I swallowed hard. I was definitely going to hurl.

“I can stay the night if you need?” Nana raised one grey eyebrow.

“Nana! That’s shocking.”

She chuckled to herself. “Get ready and I’ll go and sort out Daisy.”

My hand flew to my mouth. “Daisy. I can’t leave Daisy.”

“Leia.” Nana stepped forward. “Daisy will be fine. We will be fine. For goodness’ sake, child, give yourself the night off.”

I prickled at the word child. I hadn’t been one of those for a very long time. Nana just grinned though. “Calm down. Go, have dinner. If Daisy needs you, which she won’t, but if she does, I will call.”

I nodded slowly.

Was I really going to do this?

The hammering in my chest told me yes. My head didn’t want to agree.

“Okay. It’s just dinner, right?” I offered a nervous laugh. “Do you think he’ll be able to tell I’ve never been for dinner with a man before?”

Nana paused thoughtfully. “Well, does this guy go out for lots of meals with women?”

I snorted a laugh. “Yes”

She shrugged. “Who cares. He’s asked you now.”

She turned and slipped back out the room, shutting the door behind her. I thought about her words as I tried to calm down under the shower. The first shower. The second shower was to deal with the panicked sweat that prickled my skin once I’d dried off from the former.

I tore through my wardrobe, the whole time telling myself to put on my fluffy pyjamas and call it a night.

Still I found myself in pale blue jeans and a cream shirt.