Free Power of Attorney: A Novel (A Greenburg Family Book 1) by Alice Lang Page A

work out?”
    “If it didn’t work out… then we aren’t just meant to be. I will accept it.”
    “Henry!”
    Their conversation was interrupted by someone calling Henry’s name. They turned in the same direction to see Patrick in jeans and a polo shirt, running towards them, a worried look on his face.
    “Whoa Pat, calm down. What’s going on and why are you here?” Henry looked alarmed, which was normal. No one was used to seeing Patrick this way.
    “I just walked past your apartment. There are police pooling around, and I don’t know why. I think you should go back and check.” The chair’s loud screech stung Sarah’s ears as Henry stood up abruptly. He looked at Patrick and then at Sarah.
    “Oh god. I really should get back.” He clasped his hands over Sarah and looked at her apologetically, “Sarah…I’m so so sorry for this. I just need to make sure that they didn’t break into my condo by mistake.”
    Sarah shook her head in understanding, “ It’s okay. Be sure to let me know that everything is alright.”
    Henry nodded and left the money on the table for the check. Glancing back at Patrick for the last time, Henry asked Patrick to walk Sarah back to her home, just to be sure she was safe.
    Henry gave her hand another quick squeeze before he left the restaurant with spurs on his heels. Patrick watched him leave, the worried mask on his face disappearing the moment he was gone. Sarah looked at Patrick, scrutinized him like a suspect on trial. Patrick could feel her glare upon him which made him flinched unconsciously. He whipped his head back at her in an instant.
    “What?”
    Sarah placed her chin on her hand and squinted her eyes. After working with him for a while, she started to know how he thought and now that Henry just gave her the last piece of information, she could read Patrick like an open book.
    She decided that she would confront him. She had promised Patrick that she would surprise him after all.
    “You think I’m going to believe that lie?”

CHAPTER EIGHT
    In the end, the pork chop never came. Sarah canceled their orders and grabbed a coffee before heading back home with Patrick in tow. Surprisingly, Patrick did not refute her allegation. He couldn’t really, since he knew that she knew he had lied. Actually, he hadn’t spoken a word since then. He just followed her silently like a good shadow bodyguard.
    Sarah also stayed quiet, mostly because she didn’t know what to say. Yes, Patrick had interrupted her date. True, she didn’t know why. But instead of feeling angry at him for prying into her personal affair, she felt nothing.
    When they had gotten close to her building, she couldn’t stand the silence anymore. She turned and said, “You know; Henry told me a thing or two about how you took care of him when you guys were little. You seemed like a very good big brother.” Patrick just looked at her, and then stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. She’s never seen him at a loss of words to this extent. “But I don’t think that lying to your brother is a good move from someone like you.”
    It was conspicuous of Patrick to lie. Why would he? He’s a man who never pulled a punch, always told it just like it was no matter who he hurt and what was at stake.
    “Patrick, look at me.” She waited until his eyes were finally meeting hers. “Why did you lie to Henry?”
    Even as Sarah asked him the question, Patrick remained silent. Not a single word or even a gesture for her to read. It looked as if Patrick shut down the working function of his brain, and all he could do was stand there. It remained like that a long time before Sarah finally turned away.
    Either he had no idea how to excuse himself , which never happened unless that person he was arguing with was Jane or he was still thinking about how to say it. Whatever the reason, Sarah gave up trying to get a word out of him and continued to walk to her apartment.
    The sky was getting dark as the soft