Matty turned slightly in her seat. “Yes. And…probably, yes.”
Sloan nodded. “I appreciate your honesty.”
“But you don’t like it?”
“Your honesty, or the answer?” Sloan asked, eyes on the road until she indicated and pulled into the driveway.
Matty smiled. “Either?”
“Yes, I like your honesty. I prefer that to someone who walks around me on eggshells.” Sloan’s hands stayed steady on the wheel. “But I’m only just beginning to see where my need for control has moved into other aspects of my life. And I’m not sure I like it.”
“That’s more honest than most people ever get,” Matty said. “And it’s more than Amelie ever managed. More than my parents, too.”
“Amelie is your ex-wife?”
Matty nodded, staring out of the window. “Yes.” She turned back to Sloan. “I don’t feel unsafe with you. And I wouldn’t let you control me the way she did. I’m not her version of me anymore.” Her voice softened, “But I’m still drawn to something about it.”
Sloan switched the engine off, and they both sat there staring through the windscreen. Slowly, Sloan twisted around to face Matty.
She was quiet for a moment. Matty was not her usual type. There was nothing sleek or carefully curated about her. She was warm, direct, stubborn, and entirely too willing to look Sloan straight in the face and tell her the truth. Sloan increasingly found she liked that.
“I think what draws me to you is that you don’t let me control you.”
Matty adjusted herself and turned enough to reach out, touching Sloan’s cheek. “Sounds suspiciously like we might be good for each other.”
Smiling, Sloan leant into the touch. “Maybe.”
“I’m enjoying getting to know you,” Matty said, leaning forward to kiss her.
Their lips had only just met when a beep-beep cut through it.
“Can I kill her?” Sloan said, almost against Matty’s mouth.
Laughing, Matty pulled away. “Let’s get her fed, bathed, and into bed, and then we can discuss that further.” She opened the car door and stepped out. “Took your time, Mrs S. We’ve been back ages.”
“I’m hardly Evel Knievel,” Gloria called, grinning. “It only does eight miles an hour. Downhill it goes ten, though.” She pulled the grip and sped off towards the house.
“Mother, be care—”
The terracotta plant pot disintegrated as the front of the scooter hit it.
“Oops.” Gloria chuckled. “Never liked that anyway.”
“No, butIdid,” Sloan snapped. She bent down and began to pick up the pieces, moving them aside. “Put that in the carport,” she said to Gloria, indicating the scooter.
Gloria looked over, then at the door.
“Do you want me to park it, Sloan?” Matty asked, handing Gloria her cane.
“Would you?”
Matty grinned. “Turn down a whizz on the scooter? Not a chance. Come on then, shift it,” she teased, and Gloria laughed as she swung her legs around and pushed herself upright.
“Don’t crash it,” Gloria snorted, flicking a look at Sloan. “Though she won’t shout at you ifyoudo.”
Sloan tutted and stepped up to open the door.
“I’ll be careful,” Matty said, hopping onto the seat and hitting reverse. She watched as Sloan steered Gloria inside before she glanced over her shoulder at Matty and smirked. “Want to join me, Sloan?” Matty called out.
