Sloan breathed deeply. “Matty is...” Her fork stilled. “Potentially a problem.” She paused and watched a sunflower move in the breeze, her lips turning up slightly. The smile didn’t reach her eyes.
“Okay...that’s not a look I see often.” Eleanor laughed and asked, “Is that why you’ve not been to the club?”
“What? No.” Sloan’s gaze flicked away. “Don’t be ridiculous. Kent is out of reach with mother and the lack of carers available. It’s just not practical.”
“Until this Matty came along.”
Sloan didn’t answer—that was answer enough.
“I don’t know what to make of her, if I’m honest. But she’s amazing with Mum, and that’s all that matters.”
“So, you want to fuck her?” Eleanor stated.
Sloan’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I said.” She paused. “In other circumstances I might be interested, but that’s not...it wouldn’t be an appropriate situation.”
“Why not?” Eleanor probed.
Sloan picked at her salad. She exhaled through her nose, annoyed with herself. “Because I pay her. And sleeping with her would be just for a temporary release because I can’t get to the club, so I’m not going to risk losing the best carer Mum’s had just for a quickie to ease my need.”
“Does she want to fuck you?”
Sloan took a sip of wine to buy herself time. “I don’t know. I think the attraction is probably reciprocal.” Sloan’s jaw tightened as she admitted it. “But it doesn’t matter, because I’m not going there.”
“It’s not like you not to pursue someone who interests you,” Eleanor said.
“I’m not interested.”
Eleanor smirked over her glass. “Of course not.”
Chapter seventeen
Monday saw Matty arrive to find Sloan waiting on the step, her car running in the drive.
“Hey.” Matty smiled and held out the usual coffee cup.
“Uh, hi.” She took the cup. “Thanks. Very thoughtful,” she muttered. “She’s in her chair, all dressed and ready to...well, do whatever she wants, I suppose.”
Matty tilted her head to one side and studied Sloan. “You look... Bad weekend?”
Sloan didn’t quite meet her eyes. “No, nothing like that. I mean, nothing more than usual. I just...” She checked her watch. “I need to get going.”
“Okay.” Matty bit her bottom lip and watched Sloan dash towards the car, slide into the driver’s seat, and drop the coffee into the cup holder. She waved as Sloan reversed and almost hit the dustbin. She couldn’t be sure, because she wasn’t exactly a professional lip-reader, but she was pretty certain Sloan said, “Fuck,” in a distinctly annoyed tone.
Matty turned, opened the door, and stepped inside. “Morning, Mrs S,” she called out as she undid her skates and slid them off.
“You’re back then,” Gloria said just as loudly. “I thought after last week, you’d have found someone else to torment.”
“When I have so much fun with you?” Matty teased. She entered the lounge and grinned at Gloria. “Anyway, you’ve no idea what I’ve got in mind for you today.”
Gloria rolled her eyes. “I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do.”
“Quite aware of that, Mrs S. Don’t worry. I think you’ll like what I’ve got in mind.”
“I’m hungry,” Gloria complained. “As usual, Joan has left me unfed and abandoned.” She shuffled forward in her seat, looking ready to argue.
“Do you mean Sloan?”
Gloria glared. “Do I look like an imbecile? I’m quite sure what I said, thank you. I haven’t lost my marbles just yet.”
