Three's a Crowd Read Free Page B

seat.

 
3
Meeting Jonno
    Towards the end of the two-and-a-half hour flight, Eve started fidgeting in her seat. Then she disappeared into the aeroplane toilet for so long I started to get worried she’d fainted or something.
    At last she re-emerged. She’d changed out of the sexy, strappy top into a pink dress, a big T-shirty sort of thing with a teddy bear on the front.
    “Why’ve you put that on?” I said.
    “My dad got it for me.” She sat back down next to me. Her forehead creased with an anxious frown. “Does it look okay?”
    I stared at her. Eve was one of the least vain people I’d ever met. I couldn’t remember the last time she’d talked about what she was wearing or asked me how she looked.
    I took in the pink dress. It was a bit shapeless though at least, I reflected, that might stop other blokes staring at her. More than that, though, it made her look about six years old. Eve smiled at me – a wobbly, uncertain smile.
    “Luke?”
    “You look great,” I said, not knowing what else to say.
    Eve gave a distracted little nod, then sat back in her seat. A minute later I turned round. A tear was trickling down her face.
    Jesus. Had I done that?
    “Eve?” I leaned sideways and touched her arm. “What’s the matter?”
    She looked at me, her lips trembling. “It’s just the thought of seeing my dad. I haven’t – not since before I met you. It’s always like that when he’s setting up a new business and. . .” Another tear trickled down her face. “. . .I miss him and I always worry before I see him. D’you understand?”
    I nodded, though I had no idea what she might be worrying about. This was something Ryan had taught me. Always look as if you’re listening – even if you don’t understand what they’re talking about.
    It seemed to work.
    Eve snuggled up next to me. We kissed slurpily. But not for long. Unlike Chloe, who – I suspect – actually enjoys being watched mid-snog, Eve gets very self-conscious if we’re anywhere remotely public. It’s always, “not here”, “not now”.
    Soon she pulled away from me. “Crap,” she said. “I’ll have to check my make-up. Daddy hates it if he thinks I’m wearing too much.”
    She disappeared into the toilets again. I sat back, feeling uneasy. I hadn’t given Eve’s dad a single thought so far. Now I wondered what he was going to be like.
    At last we arrived in Mallorca. Palma Airport was nothing special on the inside. We might as well have been in London apart from the signs in Spanish everywhere.
    Eve and I picked up our luggage off the conveyor belt and trundled behind Ryan and Chloe through customs. The air conditioning in the airport was set to icy. I noticed Eve shiver.
    “It’ll be warmer outside,” I said, putting my arm round her shoulders. I’d grown a good couple of centimetres over the past few months and was now almost a head taller than she was. Her shoulder was at the perfect level for my arm. And, normally, Eve was perfectly happy for me to put my arm round her. Not today, though. She wriggled. Then she shrugged my arm off. Then she darted ahead of me, past Ryan and Chloe, towards the exit gate.
    I frowned and sped up slightly. Not in a clingy, needy way. Just so as not to lose sight of her.
    She rushed through the exit, her hair flying behind her.
    I passed Chloe and Ryan.
    “Why is Eve wearing a child’s nightie?” I heard Ryan asking.
    I gritted my teeth and headed into the arrivals area after Eve. It was packed. Crowds of people were jammed up against the barrier gates, peering in, looking out for their own particular new arrival.
    I felt a twinge of jealousy as Eve darted about. Half the people behind the gates were staring at her.
    Then Eve gave a squeal. She rushed towards the end of the barriers, where fewer people were standing.
    A tall, well-built man stepped out from the crowd. He had slicked-back hair – as dark as Eve’s was fair – and a tanned, slightly wasted face. It was easy to see that