Page 52 of Conflict
I’m the impulsive one, not Ariana. Hence my one-night-stand with Shane. Ariana never would’ve done that. She’s always had a plan. Her life mapped out. And I don’t know if she’s ever told a lie before. Huh. Maybe she’s more like me than either of us realized and it took an asshole like Benjamin to bring devious Ariana to the surface.
“I did. And I know I should regret it, but I don’t. I’m still waiting for the doctor to clear me to go see him. I need to know, Lyss. I need to know he’s okay.”
There’s something in Ariana’s voice I can’t quite read. “What are you going to do when he wakes up? Because, fingers crossed, he’s going to wake up. And unless he has amnesia, he’s going to wonder who the hell you are, pretending to be his fiancée.”
“Heisgoing to wake up,” she insists. “And I’m going to be there to hold his hand, maybe talk to him, to coach him back into it. You know they say people in a coma can hear you, and it’s not fair to him if all he has are doctors and nurses and machines beeping. If—no, when—he wakes up, I’ll deal with it then. It’s not like the nurses care whether we’re really together or not. He’ll wake up, I’ll thank him, and then I’ll figure out where my life is headed after that.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Ari. Just one night with this guy had you questioning your entire future. I can’t imagine what a fake engagement will do.”
Now, I’m scaring myself. When did I become the voice of reason?
“It’s not a fake engagement. It’s just a means of being able to see him. And obviously, even as a drunken therapist, he was right to have me questioning my future. I was almost too late.” There’s a pause, and I hear muffled talking. Then Ariana comes back to the phone. “I’ve gotta go, Lyssa. Please don’t tell anyone about this. I’ll call you tomorrow when I have more news.”
I’m not telling a soul. I want this adventure for Ariana, but if I encourage her, she’ll decide it’s a bad idea and come home. So I play it cool.
“Fine. It’s going against my better judgment, but for now, I’ll trust you and keep this between us. But you’re racking up a lot of IOUs with me, Ari. Don’t think I’ll forget them.”
“Love you, Lyss. And I’ll see you soon. I promise.”
“Okay. Love you, too.”
Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to go to my sister, but I have to trust her. I force myself back into bed, hoping that once I fall asleep, Shane will still be there waiting for me.
