Friday's Child Read Online Free PDF Page B

me to her house for dinner. Can I go?”
    Mrs. Harrison nodded. “As long as it’s all right with her parents.”
    “Cool. Bye, love you.” Abbie ran off, beaming.
    Elle watched her go and shot her mother a look that Patrick couldn’t make sense of. Before he could say anything more, Jeanette stood.
    “Eleanor, we should go.” She nodded to Patrick. “Goodbye, Mr. Page.”
    Elle nodded and stood. “Bye.”
    “Goodbye.” Patrick stood to let them pass. He sat down again, suddenly bereft. He didn’t understand what just happened. The conversation had been as icy as it was brief. He glanced up as a hand fell on his shoulder. “Hey, bro.”
    Liam was staring him down. “Mum says to come for lunch. Don’t think it’s an option.”
    “Lunch sounds good, Li.” He got to his feet.
    “Who was that woman? She looks familiar.”
    “She works in the library.” He wasn’t about to give away her other identity.
    Liam held his gaze. “Are you sure you’re OK? You seem really distracted. You have been ever since you got here.”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Liar. And in church, too. Sit down and talk to me. We’ve got a couple of minutes.”
    Patrick took a deep breath, sitting heavily. “Her name’s Elle. She’s someone from my past. From way back in my uni days, that’s all.”
    Liam sat next to him. “Sounds intriguing. Old girlfriend?”
    “Way more than that, Li.” Patrick spoke quietly, aware of the fact he and Liam were in church. Back then, he’d been a different person and acted in ways he wouldn’t dream of today. His faith was nowhere near as strong then as it was now. “Elle and I, we, uh, we were close.” Irritation rose at Liam’s scrutiny, and he cringed, annoyed for letting his emotions control him.
    “How close?”
    “Let’s just say I knew her. But then she vanished, and I haven’t seen her since.” He glanced up into his brother’s stunned face. “Shocked you, haven’t I?”
    Liam struggled to find the words. Being an English teacher he always had a plethora of them at his disposal, most of which Patrick had had thrown back at him over the years. “I just never imagined you of all people—”
    “Yeah, well. No one’s perfect. And I’m sure you’ve done stuff you’re not proud of, too.” Patrick cleared his throat. “It’s in the past.”
    “Uh huh. Your reaction says otherwise.”
    “Trust me, it’s over. She’s as cold as ice toward me now.”
    “And how do you feel?” His firm gaze gave Patrick nowhere to hide.
    “That’s irrelevant.” Yet his mind drifted back to the cramped student library and the tablecrammed with textbooks.
    Patrick finished explaining the passage that’d had Elle stumped for weeks. He grinned as the figurative light bulb suddenly flashed on over her head and the joy of understanding shone in her eyes. “You got it?”
    Elle grinned back. “Yes, finally. Thank you so, so much.”
    His grin widened. “You’re very welcome. I think we should celebrate. How about going to see a movie?”
    She almost froze in her seat. “As in the cinema?”
    “Yes. They’re showing the new Hiram Davies film at the campus playhouse.”
    “Who’s Hiram Davies?”
    Surprise filled him. “You’ve never heard of Hiram Davies?” As she shook her head, he winked. “Wow. He’s the current heartthrob of every female on campus.”
    “Except me.”
    He nodded. “Except you. Anyway, he’s starring in the new historical film, An Arrow Through Time .”
    “Ohhh,” she breathed, her eyes lighting. “I read that last year when it came out. It’s good. Written by Tels Merrick. I always thought it would make a good film.”
    “Then come and see it with me.” He tilted his head. “Or are you scared of dates?”
    “Not at all. I’m not scared of apples or grapes either.” She grinned at him. “I’ve never been to the cinema. Never been on a date, either.”
    “Seriously?” His amazement grew and his brows shot up into his hair before he could stop