Secrets Everybody Knows Read Online Free Page B

thinks about that steam table?”
    “Why me?”
    “Because you have a gift.” Beth grabbed Elaine by the arm and hauled her into the kitchen. “What is wrong with you?”
    “Nothing.”
    “And it shows. Come on, Elaine, we’ve been friends since we were kids. I’ve never seen you act like this. John’s going to be fine.”
    Elaine chewed her lips. She studied Beth’s eyes, trying to decide how much her friend could handle. Beth’s dirty secrets were common knowledge, but Elaine had never been touched by scandal. If Beth knew–if she knew–
    But Beth had so much to deal with. Elaine couldn’t burden her with something she should have told her years ago. Fourteen years ago. “I don’t want to add to your stress. Dealing with Nonie and Jean and having that guy visiting. Don’t worry about me. I can pull it together.” She set the beer on the table and took the notebook out of Beth’s hands. Studying the list, she tried to pretend she was the together person everyone thought she was. “I wonder if we could borrow a bus from Billingsville.” She sat down at the table and plucked a pen from the cup in the center. Beth had been right about this. Having something to do helped. It meant she only thought about Johnny every five seconds instead of every two.
     

 
    Chapter 3
     
    Three days after getting her first kiss from Johnny, Elaine found an excuse to go back to his house. Sue’s mother had announced that the silver should be polished. Then she took a bottle of whiskey and went upstairs. Dinnertime came and went while they finished the chore with no sign of an adult and no suggestion from Sue that they should prepare any food. Elaine was about to invite Sue to her house for dinner when she heard a car park out back and Johnny walked through the door.
    “Mom?” he asked.
    Sue pointed up.
    “Dad?”
    Sue shrugged.
    “He left the garage two hours ago.”
    Sue shook her head.
    “Dinner?”
    Sue shrugged again.
    Johnny’s eyes flickered toward Elaine with the flat disinterest an older brother would have for his sister’s friends. “Fan-fucking-tastic.” He checked the wall clock. “All right, I guess it’s Burger King.”
    Elaine stood up, clutching her hands behind her back. She wasn’t sure what to expect from Johnny. He couldn’t grab her in his arms and swing her around, but did he have to act like she was invisible? “I don’t have any money.”
    Johnny shrugged. “I got it. Can you drive?”
    Elaine shook her head.
    “No learner’s permit even?”
    Elaine looked at the floor. She suspected it might be part of the argument her parents were having, so she hadn’t brought it up.
    “I guess I have to drive too.” He glared at Sue. “Shoes.”
    Sue ran up the stairs.
    “I better put mine on too,” Elaine muttered, walking into the kitchen where she’d left her shoes by the door.
    “Hey, I talked to Greg and those guys. I told them I’d break them in half if anything happened to your sister.” Johnny trailed her to the table and stood over her.
    “Thanks.” Elaine pulled on her sneakers. Her chest hurt. She didn’t know how she was going to eat. When had she become so stupid that she thought Johnny McMannus had any interest in her?
    “What’s the matter?”
    “Nothing. Maybe I should just go home.”
    “Why?”
    Elaine wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t want to be in the way.”
    “In the way? You think I’m ignoring you because I want to?” Johnny cupped her cheek. “Elaine–”
    Sue’s footsteps thundered on the stairs.
    “After dinner, in the barn.” He took a step back and leaned on the counter with his arms crossed. “How long does it take you to put on shoes? I’m starved,” he said to his sister.
    “I wasn’t gone that long,” Sue complained. “I call shotgun.”
    Elaine sat in the backseat, torn between relief and terror. Cute Johnny McMannus, the boy every girl in town drooled over, liked her. He’d said she was pretty and he’d kissed her.