Page 26 of Hotshot

“You’re very hard on yourself. Forty-two is pretty bloody great. Who was in goal?”

“Miira and her massive hands, so I guess it’s not bad.” Sloane sat back in her seat, palm to chest. “But if I get to the stage where perfectly acceptable is okay, please slap me. I’ve always been exceptional. Fifty is exceptional. Anything else is a fail.”

Ella shook her head. Miira was the first team’s back-up keeper, and she could pick up a baby with one hand, no bother. “You know perfection isn’t possible, right? Especially against Miira.”

“I know, but I refuse to believe it.”

She’d missed this over the past few weeks. Their ease with each other. She needed a friend like Sloane in her life.

Sloane started the engine, then adjusted her position and sat tall. “Okay, enough talk, I need you to be on guard so I don’t kill us driving home.”

“Those words will make me take notice.” However, as it was gone 4pm and the car park was nearly empty. Ella was confident they’d at least get out of there without serious injury. “Have you ever had a crash?”

“Never.”

“Stop catastrophising, then. Remember what we said about living in the moment, not worrying about the past or the future?”

She grinned at Ella. “Yes, ma’am.”

Those words sent a parade of tingles up Ella’s spine. She ignored it and focused on the shiny watch on Sloane’s wrist. “Is that new?” She pointed. “I don’t think I’ve seen you sporting much bling before. It’s pretty cool.”

“From a new sponsor, it arrived at the weekend.”

“It must be nice to have cool stuff just turn up on your doorstep.” Ella couldn’t imagine it. She was still thrilled with her club tracksuit, training top and jacket with her initials on. That made her an official member of staff more than anything else in the world.

“I guess I’m used to it.”

“You should remember it doesn’t happen to most people.” It was also a reminder to Ella how different their lives were, despite their commonalities. Financially, they were worlds apart.

Sloane glanced her way, then nodded. “I do. I have to wear it a number of times in public to get my money from them. I’m trying to get used to it.” She jiggled her wrist. “It’s pretty heavy. Plus, who wears watches these days? Doesn’t everyone just use their phone?”

Ella held up her wrist, showing off her not-so-flashy watch. “I do. But then, I’m an old-fashioned girl at heart.”

“I like that about you.” Sloane eased the car onto the main road, with no hiccups. “You’re an English rose, from another era.”

Ella didn’t quite know what to say to that. Was it a compliment? Or was Sloane saying she was a stick-in-the-mud who wasn’t up to date with the modern world? She might have a point. It didn’t stop Ella’s cheeks heating to inferno level.

She was just forming a response, when Sloane tried to turn into the wrong lane at their first junction.

“Hard left!” Ella shouted as her heart rate sped up to breakneck speed.

Sloane jumped, swore, then made a course correction. “Godammit!”

“Take it slow.” Ella reached over and involuntarily put a hand on Sloane’s knee.

They both jumped again. Heat swirled around the car as it wobbled, before Ella put a hand on the steering wheel.

“We’re going to get home in one piece.”

“If you say so.” Sloane kept her eyes firmly on the road.

“Take a right at the next junction. That’s the second lane, okay?”

Sloane nodded, and managed it.

She was fine when she was purely driving. It was only at junctions that she came unstuck. Once she’d taken the next junction correctly with no coaching, Ella’s heartbeat slowed slightly.

“You should come over and see if there are any clothes you want from my pile.” Sloane glanced at her briefly, then focused back on the road. She pulled up at a red light. “If you were serious about getting new clothes. I get sent them all the time and I’m not going to wear them all. We’re fairly similar in size, give or take a few inches.”

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