Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
As the day came to a close, Sarah walked into the kitchen and found Matty sitting alone, her feet tucked up on the chair beneath her. She had a still-steaming mug of something warm cupped in both hands as she gazed off into the distance.
“Everything alright?” Sarah asked, opening the fridge and checking the contents of her shelf before pulling out a can of lager and cracking it open.
“Huh?” Matty said, somewhat startled. Her feet dropped to the floor and she sat up straighter.
Sarah chuckled. “I asked if everything was alright. You looked like you were away with the fairies.”
The comment made Matty think of Gloria, and she smiled to herself. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine, just...”
“Just?” Sarah pulled out a chair and joined Matty at the table.
“I suppose I was just thinking about life and people and...” She looked at Sarah. “Since my divorce, you know, I kind of didn’t think I’d meet anyone so...” She searched for the word. “Compelling.”
“So, new girlfriend on the scene then?” Sarah took a long swig from the can and smothered a burp that threatened to escape.
Matty laughed. “No, nothing like that.” She looked away, suddenly wistful.
“Who is she?” Sarah placed the can down. “This woman who’s got you all in a tizz.”
“Sloan,” Matty said.
“Sloan? Sounds like someone out of an American soap opera.” She leaned forward, eyes widening, anticipating the information she was about to probe for. “Where’d’ya meet her?”
Matty’s grin widened. “Have you ever just met someone and then the universe keeps putting them in front of you?”
Sarah picked up the can again and took another long swig. “I guess... Usually time-wasters with a lesson to teach.”
“I don’t think that’s this. First time I met her, I was delivering coffee to her office.” Sarah looked nonplussed. “We don’t do deliveries. It was a favour because the company is a good customer and Lawrence was arse-licking.”
“Okay, I do love a good arse-licking,” Sarah joked, laughing when Matty blushed at the innuendo. “Go on.”
“Well, I knocked and went into her office and there she was...all elegance and calm. She barely looked at me, but when she did, it was like she saw something about me that I didn’t in that moment.
She gave me a huge tip, and she didn’t shame me for asking for it either. It was like everything amused her.”
“And that’s what got your interest going?”
Matty shrugged. “It was more than that. But anyway, next thing I know, she’s at the bar ordering a drink.
” She kept the rest of that part of the story to herself, but the memory of it still sent thrills down her spine.
“Then she’s in the café, only this time we literally bump into each other. She was mad as hell—”
“Wait, she’s the woman who got you the sack?”
“Well, not quite. I mean…I walked out—”
“Because she caused a scene and you got blamed and—”
Matty nodded. “Which probably means I should stop thinking about her, right?”
Sarah laughed. “You can think about her. It’s the acting on it bit that might get you in trouble.”
“I can’t afford to lose the job,” Matty said. “But I also can’t ignore that there’s something there...and I think she feels it too.”
“Bit of a rock and a hard place.” Sarah swallowed another mouthful. “Lawrence would take you back at the café.”
“I kind of like this job, though. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot more than I thought it’d be, and Gloria is a tyrant at times, but I get it.
She’s lost all her independence. Completely at the mercy of the people around her to help with even the smallest things.
She’s frustrated and impatient and rude, but somewhere in all that there’s still a woman fighting to not disappear.
And if I can help with that, then maybe it’ll all be worth it.
Maybe that’s the real reason why I was meant to meet Sloan. ”
When the can was empty, Sarah stood up and tossed it into the recycling bin. “We can’t help who we fancy, and you’re a grown adult. You can have sex with anyone you want. There’s no law against it.”
“That’s the problem, though. If it was just sex, I’d steer clear. I’m not putting my job on the line for a quickie.” Matty sighed. “But I like her. I like her a lot. She’s absolutely the opposite of me, and probably way out of my league, but...fuck, she’s just...”
Sarah grinned and shrugged. “Life’s too short for what-ifs, Matty.”
“I know.”