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Marina slammed her car door and waved Ella’s way.

Ella waved back, panic flitting through her body. Had she said anything inappropriate about Sloane to Marina? She didn’t think so. Mainly because there had been nothing big to say until just now. When who-the-hell-knows-what had just happened.

Feelings swirled around them in the evening air. Sloane Patterson had just told Ella she missed her. That she was special. Ella wasn’t sure what to do with that fact. She wanted to hold her breath, still the moment, allow this fizzing thrill to vibrate through her. But that wasn’t an option with Marina coming down the path to where they stood, completely oblivious.

When she got to Ella, she scrunched her face and wriggled from foot to foot. “I am busting for the loo! Can you open your door so I can get to your flat before I pee myself?”

She was doll-tiny, with liquorice hair and a whirlwind personality that left anybody who came into contact with her in a spin. Mainly in a good way.

It was only when Marina fully focused on Ella, and then the person standing next to her, that she stopped talking.

“Holy shit!”

Ella closed her eyes and sighed. She’d wondered if Marina was going to embarrass her. She had her answer.

However, Sloane had clearly seen this before from the wry smile on her face. She extended a hand to Marina. “Sloane Patterson. You must be Ella’s much-talked-about cousin, Marina.”

She was a charmer. Ella had to hand it to her.

Marina opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. “I am!” she said, clearly delighted to have been a topic of conversation. “But whatever she’s told you, I’m at least 50 per cent better in person.”

Sloane snorted. “I have no doubt, I’ve met your cousin.” She shot Ella a quick wink which melted her on the spot, then shook Marina’s hand.

When Sloane eventually managed to pull her hand away, Marina gazed at her own skin, then back up to Sloane. “Are you joining us for tea?”

Sloane immediately shook her head. “Ella just let me drive us home so I can get some practice in. Driving on the wrong side of the road is killing me. At least you play soccer the same way, so I’m thankful for that. Every time I get behind a wheel, I fear it might be my last.”

Marina threw back her head as if that were the most hilarious thing in the world. “I’m sure you’re not that bad.”

“No, she did nearly kill us on the way home.” Ella glanced at Sloane. Their gazes froze, and in that moment, Marina disappeared. All that was left was Ella, Sloane, her heartbeat, and the cold waft of their breath in the evening air.

Until Marina wriggled one more time. “You think we can go in before I pee myself?”

The three of them shuffled through the door and into the lift. Sloane pressed the buttons for her floor and Ella’s.

The lift door closed, and Ella didn’t know where to look. Certainly not at Sloane.

They stopped at Ella’s floor. She gave her cousin her key, and Marina flung herself into the corridor.

“Number 24, loo’s first on the right!” Ella shouted.

Marina gave her a thumbs-up.

When Ella turned, Sloane’s left foot held the lift door open. She was slow to raise her gaze. “See you Sunday for the game, then?”

Ella nodded. Football. That was safe ground.

She had no idea what the rest was.

CHAPTER13

Sloane stood and came in for the pre-match locker-room huddle. Every game was the same: stand in a circle, arms around each other, followed by a motivational talk from Lucy. The manager was good at them, Sloane had to give her that. Sloane had worked with many coaches in her time, and Lucy Harris was up there with the best. As usual, Lucy stood in the middle of the team, waiting for a hush to descend. It never took long. She had the power.

“Do you feel that?” Lucy tilted her head upwards. “It’s the hum of anticipation. We’ve got a sell-out crowd today, and we’re at the home of our arch-rivals, Salchester United. If you need more motivation to get out there and show the fans what you can do on a football pitch, then you shouldn’t be here. Anybody need more motivation than that to make our fans proud for their biggest game of the season?” Lucy cast her gaze around the group.

Sloane led by example, shaking her head with vigour.

“Good,” Lucy said. “But if you do need more motivation, I’ve asked Ella to say a few words.” Lucy glanced to her left. “Over to you.”