Page 10 of Hotshot

Sloane looked to her finger. She was. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because once she stopped, it really was over. She didn’t want to fail at this. Sloane didn’t fail. Not at soccer, not at life, not at love. She could already hear her mom telling her she told her so. That gay relationships don’t last.

She nodded.

“Keep it on, please. We’re not done. I’ll call you next week. I love you.”

Tears pricked the back of Sloane’s eyes. A part of her would always love Jess, too. But she was 90 per cent certain that wasn’t enough anymore.

CHAPTER6

“Icannot believe you’ve waited nearly a month to give me any gossip about the delectable Sloane Patterson. Has she told you what’s going on with her and Jess? I am going to freak if they’ve split. They are the couple that could. The ones I love the most. A perfect mix of US-UK heat, mixed with skill and cuteness and all manner of fuckability.” Marina caught her breath on the other end of the line. Then she was right back on it. “I follow them both on Insta. Jess has a lot of Britney Navas and Wanda Rutherford on her page. If she and Sloane have split up, you think they’re a throuple?”

“I can’t give you anything as good as you’re already making up.” Ella pulled into her parking space, killed the engine and pressed her head against the headrest. It had been a long day, and she’d had a team meeting before she left with Lucy, the physios, and other training staff. Sloane was carrying a slight knock on her ankle so she’d sat out full training today, just as a precaution. But Ella wasn’t going to share that with her blabbermouth cousin. Marina wouldn’t be able to resist spreading the news all over social media, even though she’d promise not to. Ella already knew she had to limit what she said to anyone about the team. She couldn’t have things getting out that could influence the set-up of opponents. Marina wouldn’t consider that. She’d just be thrilled with the gossip.

“All I can say is she’s a pretty normal person. We’ve chatted about her settling into the city, and I’ve seen her at training. She lives in the penthouse of my block, but we haven’t bumped into each other yet. She’s down to earth, so if you want me to tell you she demands her kit is washed with jasmine-scented detergent and only drinks her water at room temperature, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Marina let out an audible sigh. “You’re absolutely the worst person to be doing this job. Make something up for me at least. Remember, I’m coming to see you in a few weeks, and I expect a tour of your workplace. Maybe even an introduction to your favourite player.”

Ella spluttered, unclicked her seatbelt, then hopped out of her car, keeping the phone glued to one ear. “Never in a million years, but good try.”

“You have to hand it to me,” her cousin replied. “Seriously, though. How’s month one been? Are you settling in? Mum told me you spoke, and your divers did well.”

Aunt Ursula had called earlier in the week. “They did, the whole staff are really pleased, which is great. But that wasn’t the main focus of our chat.”

Marina groaned. “Let me guess. That was about you finding a woman. If it sounds familiar, it’s because she had the same conversation with me last night. She wants grandchildren. If they come from you, that’s good enough even though it’s not technically correct.”

Ella smiled at that. “She didn’t drop the grandchildren bomb. She was softening me up, because she wants me to come home for Christmas, which I’m not sure I’ll be able to do.”

“I bet she was pleased about that.”

“Thrilled.” Ella paused. “But back to dating. If you come over, you’ll have to show me how to use the app you set me up on.”

“You’re a grown woman, surely even you can swipe right?”

“Evidently not, seeing as it’s been on my phone for two months.”

“You’re too bloody busy, that’s your trouble.”

Ella grabbed her bag and her groceries from the back seat, locked the car with a beep, then approached her building. She felt in her jacket pocket for her house keys, but her fingers touched nothing. She frowned. She checked the opposite pocket. Same deal.

“I gotta go, Marina. I’m at my front door looking for my keys, and I can’t juggle you at the same time.”

“Any excuse. Call me if you fancy lunch this weekend, okay?”

“I will. Love you.” Ella rang off, went to pocket her phone, but in the process dropped the handle of one of her shopping bags. Her two-litre carton of milk fell out, as did a multipack of Wispas, eggs, and tampons. Of course it was those items.

Ella sighed, put her bags on the floor, then got down on her haunches to pick up her shopping. In the car park, an engine stopped, then a few moments later, a familiar pair of club trainers appeared next to her. She looked up to see Sloane.

In seconds, she too was down on her haunches, helping to pick up Ella’s shopping. Ella managed to grab the tampons and the milk, but a blush worked its way onto her cheeks as Sloane stood, holding her chocolate bars, along with the slightly cracked and soggy eggs.

“I think you might have to perform emergency scrambled surgery on these eggs if you want to salvage them.”

“I think you might be right.”

Sloane bent and picked up one of Ella’s shopping bags. “I wondered if we might bump into each other soon. Let me give you a hand up to your apartment so you don’t have any more mishaps.”

Ella thought about saying no, but the likelihood of more mishaps was rife. She nodded. “Thanks, that would be great.” And Sloane had wondered about bumping into her? Her mind spun on its axis.

They got into the lift, the forced proximity giving Ella goosebumps all over. She smiled uneasily at Sloane as the doors shut and her gaze skittered around the space. Was this them trying to be friends outside of work? The lift doors closed as she tried to work it out in her head, then mentally slapped herself. It was just a colleague doing her a good deed. She needed to be more chill about things.

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