alcohol and drug abuse. It was five years since he’d been released from prison after serving time for assault and theft. Since then, Sheridan had given him a lifeline, buying him medical insurance and providing a yearly wage. The money had been earned. He had made contacts while inside, and in times of trouble, Mike was her go-to man.
‘How you doing?’ he said, his eyes roving over her form. ‘I read about you in the papers. Family life suits you.’ Sheridan was about to respond when he leaned in, his voice soft and low. ‘Tell me it was worthwhile. I still think about her, you know . . . I still see her face.’ His features were haunted by the memory of an incident Sheridan could not bring herself to discuss.
‘I didn’t ask you here to talk about her,’ she said, quickly glancing around to ensure they weren’t being overheard. ‘I need another favour.’
Mike shook his head, a bitter smile twisting his chapped lips. ‘Not gonna happen, Sherry baby. I’m sorting my life out. I’m not interested.’
Sheridan flinched at the use of the nickname he’d resurrected from her past. ‘Are you forgetting who’s been funding your lifestyle these past few years? That money won’t last forever. You know that, don’t you?’
Mike shrugged, tipping the bottle of Budweiser to his lips. ‘I figured as much. Which is why I’ve got a job. I’m in construction now, learning the ropes. Hope to work myself up the ladder someday.’
Sheridan sighed. It was so long since she’d had social interaction with ordinary people; now she realised she had gone about this all wrong. Mike was doubting her. She could see his trust ebbing away.
‘Sorry, I’m nervous,’ she said, reaching for his hand and clasping it beneath her own. She watched his frown fade, his shoulders drop. At the bar, an old drunk drawled a Tammy Wynette song about standing by your man. What would Daniel say if he could see her now?
Sheridan threw Mike a roguish smile, tilting her face to one side. But it wasn’t her. It was one of the many personas she had played over the years. ‘C’mon, you remember me, you know what I’m like.’ She concealed her disgust as Mike rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. It felt like sandpaper against her smooth skin. ‘We’ve got history,’ she continued. ‘That’s why I always come to you first. You’re my protector. You keep me safe.’
‘Do you mean it?’ Crossing his legs, Mike regarded her with mild suspicion. ‘Or are you just yanking my chain?’
Sheridan knew she was leading him on, but she could not back out now. ‘I always thought we’d end up together,’ she said wistfully. ‘Who knows, maybe in another dimension . . .’ She allowed the words to linger. There was a lifetime of longing on his face. She had him exactly where she wanted him. Now it was time to seal the deal.
But Mike broke their contact, finishing off his beer. ‘I meant what I said. I can’t do that again.’
‘I know, honey,’ Sheridan quickly replied. ‘I’m not asking you to. I just need you to shut someone up for a little while.’ She pushed her beer towards him. ‘Here, have mine.’
‘Is it Rachel?’ Mike wrapped his hand around the bottle as Sheridan responded with a nod. ‘I had a feeling that that’s what this was about. She’s always had it coming.’
Sheridan fought to contain her smile. She knew there was no love lost between them. Sheridan, Rachel and Mike had acted together side by side for years on It Takes All Sorts. Sheridan’s popularity had grown as a teenager when she and Mike shared their first on-screen kiss. It was her first kiss in real life, too. From the ages of six to sixteen years, every milestone in Sheridan’s life had been choreographed for the screen. She spent so long on the show that by the end of it, she didn’t know who she was any more. Then, five years ago, Rachel had approached her. As with Mike’s, Rachel’s career had failed to bloom. Like a fool, Sheridan had taken her into her home, giving her a well-paid housekeeping job. She had to admit, she had taken a little satisfaction in getting Rachel to carry out menial tasks.
‘I should have taken you in, not her,’ Sheridan said, as thoughts of Rachel tied her up in knots. ‘But Daniel gets jealous. He would have felt the spark between us. I couldn’t take the