Page 51 of Hotshot

Blood rushed to Sloane’s cheeks. She couldn’t help it. Her boss was asking her about the woman she’d kissed into oblivion last night, and she had to pretend nothing had happened. She would tell her, of course, in due time. But right now, there was nothing to tell. One kiss wasn’t enough to proclaim it to the world.

“I’m doing great. The physio team have been by my side through the whole process, as has Ella. I can’t complain.” An image of Ella’s lips coming towards her landed in her brain. She blinked it away.

Lucy stared at her for a few seconds before she gave her a firm nod. “Okay then. Everything sounds like we’re on course to have our star striker back in the New Year, which is the news I wanted to hear. But if anything changes, let me know. Anything at all. Physical, mental, I want to be kept up to date.”

“You got it, boss.”

* * *

Sloane satat the table by the window in Shot Of The Day. Outside, the sky was the colour of rocks and looked like it was ready to explode. She hoped it didn’t happen before she got home, because she was still wearing sliders. She’d told Layla she was happy to go to the counter, but Layla insisted, telling her she had to rest her foot.

“I’m not a princess, I won’t dissolve if I get up for drinks.”

Layla snorted. “You might. Then Lucy will bench me forever. I’m not taking the chance.”

Sloane was still smiling as her friend made her way back to the table. She stopped when a couple of Salchester fans noticed her and came and asked for selfies. Sloane posed with Layla, and the fans thanked them and left. Layla put Sloane’s flat white in front of her, along with her own latte.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Sloane said, dialling up her American accent just for kicks.

“Have you just come to Salchester direct from the deep south?”

“Seems so.”

Layla took a sip of her coffee, then stuck her tongue out. “Too hot.” She pulled her phone from her training pants. “But while we wait for it to cool, I wanted to ask you about these photos that appeared today.”

Sloane was suddenly terribly interested in her coffee. The pattern on the top was a work of art. Barista Suzy was proud of her skills. She was almost as good at coffee art as her wife had been at keeping goals out for Rovers.

“Is there anything going on you want to tell me as your trusted friend? Or are you avoiding my gaze for another reason?”

Damn Layla. She’d known Sloane for too long. Plus, she knew attraction when she saw it. However, until Sloane confirmed her suspicions, they were just that. Suspicions.

Sloane took a breath, then looked Layla in the eye. “The photos showed two friends going out to view an apartment together. Ella wanted someone else’s opinion, and I was at a loose end. Nothing else to it.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek to stop herself twitching. She always twitched when she was lying. Even a white lie like this one. Jess had always called her out on it.

Layla narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure? Because I’m really good on body language.” She held up her phone, showing the photo of them getting in the car. Just after the agent had caught them on the bed. They’d both been embarrassed and laughing about it. “This looks intimate to me.”

Sloane jerked her head towards the cafe windows, covered with festive scenes. “At least we won’t be snapped again. They can’t see through the fake snow.” She was buying a little time, and Layla knew it. Sloane raised both palms in Layla’s direction. “We’re just friends, honestly. I won’t lie, I do like her, and if there’s something else to tell you, you’ll be the first to know.” But it wasn’t going to be before Sloane’s foot was healed. Or Ella was back in Salchester. Logistics played a part. “Plus, my heart’s still in recovery after being trampled by Jess.”

Layla leaned back and gave her a full-beam smile. “Now I know you’re lying. Just be careful. If anything is going on, make sure you’re in it for the right reasons. If it goes wrong, it might cause friction in the team. This is a big season for you, and for us. Make sure nothing derails it unnecessarily. A little advice, one player to another.”

Sloane took a sip of her coffee and held Layla’s gaze. She had a point. This wasn’t something Sloane took lightly.

“I promise. I won’t do anything that might affect the team, okay?”

* * *

Layla droppedSloane back at her apartment after coffee. After she waved her off, she walked past her silver Jeep, still sat in the parking lot, waiting for its new owner to take it for a spin. Hopefully, that would happen in the New Year, so long as her injury healed and she remembered the road confidence Ella had given her.

Sloane smiled. It wasn’t just road confidence Ella had given her. She’d made her feel like she had something to give again in her life, too. On the field, Sloane knew what to do. Off it, she’d been a mess for a while. Ella was slowly helping to fix that. The ending with Jess had taken its toll, but now Sloane finally felt like she could get on with her life, wherever that took her. She hoped it might involve going somewhere in her new car, with Ella in the passenger seat. Time would tell.

Sloane pushed open the door to her lobby, said hi to Gareth the concierge, and pressed her key into the elevator panel to take her to the penthouse. By the time she stepped into her apartment, it had started to rain. As well as ushering in sunlight, her roof terrace had the opposite affect when the heavens opened. Fat raindrops bounced off the concrete tiles and slapped her sliding doors with glee. It made Sloane smile. Salchester rain knew this was where it belonged, and it wanted to let everyone know. She dropped onto her couch and looked at her phone.

Over a hundred new notifications, and four messages. What was it with everyone today? It must be a slow news week if photos of her and Ella getting into a car were receiving this much attention. However, when Sloane clicked, a familiar face leapt out at her and made her sit up straight. The expression on her face also made Sloane’s stomach curdle.

Jess. Of course it was Jess. Even on a day when the news was about Sloane and even though Jess was on the other side of the world, Jess had made the news and Sloane was still being connected to her. In times gone by, the connection was clear, so she’d accepted it. This time, though, Sloane minded. Because this time, Ella was being dragged into the equation.

Jess Calder shows an ugly face as she and new love Britney Navas row in the Ikea parking lot in their home town in North Carolina. Below that photo – Jess hated Ikea, and Sloane had experienced that post-Ikea mood too many times – was the photo of her and Ella.Meanwhile, her ex, Sloane Patterson, seems to be getting cosy with a new mystery brunette. Is Jess taking out her jealousy on her new lover?

Annoyance prickled Sloane’s skin. She wanted to make the break from Jess, but would she ever be allowed to? The next message was from Ella. Sloane braced, but it wasn’t necessary.

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