Page 85 of Hotshot

Jess’s confusion notched up a level. “Girlfriend? I knew you were seeing her, but I didn’t know it wasofficial.”

“It’s official,” Sloane said, before there could be any other conclusion drawn.

“And you’re here now because?” Ella asked Jess, her words like granite.

Oh fuck, what was going to come out of Jess’s mouth? The sinking feeling was back.

“Because I came over early for camp so I could see my family. But I arranged to see Sloane, too. Because we’re family. As well as unfinished business.”

“You are?” Ella eyes widened as she turned to Sloane.

Sloane stepped forward. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. The night before the biggest game of her life, and her personal life was blowing up in her parking lot. She had to stop this and make it right. This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go. She had a special meal planned. Marks & Spencer food to eat. This was not how this night was going to end. She reached out and caught Ella’s arm, now folded across her chest.

“This is as much news to me as it is to you.”

“I did tell you I was coming in my messages,” Jess replied. “After I sent your silver and onyx ring back.”

“She sent your ring?” Ella’s controlled mask slipped. Bafflement streaked across her face, closely followed by hurt.

This was worse than anything Sloane could ever have imagined. Desperation looped and coiled inside her. She never wanted to be the cause of hurt for Ella. “I promise, I won’t break her heart.” That’s what she’d told Marina. But she had to tell the truth. “Jess found the ring in her jacket.”

Jess folded her arms and leaned against the Jeep. “And we agreed to meet for coffee.”

“But not today!” Sloane responded. Before realising her mistake.

Ella stepped back, eyeing the pair of them. “You’ve been messaging?”

Double fuck.

Triple fuck.

“Of course we have. We were engaged,” Jess said, as if it was obvious. “We split up. I didn’t die.”

Sloane grimaced, glancing from Jess to Ella. Nothing she said here was going to be right. But she had to make this right for Ella. To show her this was not what it looked like. But the more she looked, the more she saw that it was exactly what it looked like.

“Sloane? Is that true? Have you been speaking?”

Gritty, black fear lodged in the back of Sloane’s throat. If she denied it, Jess would only dispute it. She might even get her phone out to show Ella.

Sloane had to fix this. Even though Ella had already stepped backwards. One foot out of Sloane’s life.

“Technically, yes. But it’s more that Jess sends me messages, and I respond.” That sounded cleverer in her head.

Ella glanced from one to the other, and then she flinched.

Sloane followed her line of sight. Ella was staring at Jess’s left hand.

“Are you still wearing your engagement ring? The one that Sloane gave to you?”

Even Jess seemed slightly embarrassed by that as she nodded.

Say something, Sloane! Anything to break this moment!

But Ella was quicker to react. “Let me get this straight. You told me your ring turned up—but conveniently forgot to mention Jess found it. You’ve been messaging your ex-fiancée, who all the papers and fans want you to get back together with, and you’d arranged to meet. Meanwhile, you told me we had to keep our relationship a secret until after the international break, so that you could focus on your comeback and get Jess out of your life for good?”

Ella’s cheeks flared red. “Pardon me for calling bullshit. Maybe the real reason you didn’t want to go public with our relationship was because you were keeping your options open? Waiting for Jess to come back to the UK. See which one of us you liked the most?” She glared at her with a ferocity Sloane didn’t even know existed.

“It’s not like that!” Despair lapped the shores of Sloane’s heart. She could see how this looked. But Ella had to know this wasn’t the reality. However, judging by the look on her face, maybe not today. Or even next week. She had to listen at some point though, right?

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