Ari didn't know what she would have done if Charlie kissed her.
She’d wanted his kisses for so long, but right now wasn't the time. Besides, she really needed to know where he stood. He still hung out with that idiot Rickman, after all.
Come on, Ari, her inner voice scolded as she followed Charlie and Jai into the hospital. Is that really the problem? You had no issue hooking up with Charlie a few weeks ago, Rickman or no Rickman. Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with a pair of green soulful eyes you can’t get out of your head? Irritated with her inner monologue, Ari dragged her gaze from Jai and she picked up her stride, overtaking the boys in the hospital corridor. She smiled serenely at the nurse outside her dad’s room. Physical distance would put the guardian out of her mind.
The nurse said there was no change with her dad.
Of course there wasn’t.
Even though Ari knew her dad wouldn’t come out of the coma until she'd commanded the offending shaitan to reverse the enchantment, she was determined to visit him every night. She didn’t want him getting lonely. Irrational perhaps, but this wasn’t exactly the most rational experience Ari had ever gone through.
Charlie and Jai followed her inside and her heart plummeted into her stomach at the sight of her father. She'd forgotten how small and vacant he looked lying there. She clasped his hand in hers.
“I’m going to get a coffee,” Charlie said quietly, edging toward the door. He was still uncomfortable in the hospital. Ari told him he didn’t need to join her and Jai for visiting hours, but her best friend looked at Jai dubiously and shook his head, determined to be there for her. Ari wondered if Charlie was jealous of Jai. How silly of him.
Really.
Ari flicked a look at her guardian as he sat down on a chair in the corner and pulled out a book. He casually opened it to his placeholder. “Black, one sugar.”
Charlie sighed and threw him an irritated look before he turned to Ari, his features softening into something tender and sweet in comparison. “Ari?”
She shook her head. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Okay. Be back in five.”
When he left, Ari studied Jai, who determinedly read his book, pretending she didn’t exist. Not for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, Ari wondered what she'd done to make him so cold toward her. And worse, she hated it bothered her so much; it bothered her that last night, as she tried to sleep, the one thing playing over and over in her mind was the wintry look in his eyes when he returned from his Ginnaye tribe with the tellicherry bark. She told herself the reason his attitude bothered her so much was because, after her dad woke up, Jai would be one of only three people she had left in her life.
Pain, like a sharp claw cutting a deep scratch across her chest, flared for a minute as she stared at this cold stranger in front of her, and she knew it was more than that.
I like him.
Crap.
I more than like him.
But I love Charlie!
I do love Charlie.
But Jai is…
Jai was what? She frowned, edging closer to her dad to squeeze his hand as if his very presence, despite how hollow, could bring her some support, some clarification, some comfort. As she let her gaze travel over Jai, she felt that warm, excited flush take over her again. Maybe it was just physical attraction. Really strong physical attraction.
But it was more than that. Even when he was being Mr. Cold and Distant, she loved talking to him. She loved sharing her new abilities with him, teasing him, and learning what she could about him. Ari wanted to know more! She wanted the opportunity to put a spark in his eyes, to make him smile.
Ari realized she was grinning at the thought and blushed, dropping her gaze.
She was acting love sick.
This is not good.
In fact, this is terrible.
A familiar voice outside the hospital door brought her out of her musings.
“We're looking for Derek Johnson. We’re friends of the family.”
Rachel! She was here? Oh crap.
Ari trembled as Jai shot to his feet. She hadn’t called Rachel or Staci about her dad. She'd been trying to prepare herself for seeing them, as their next meeting would be their last. Ari’s stomach flipped. How could she turn them away, turn them against her?
I’m not ready.
“I’m going into the cloak,” Jai whispered. He gave her a look that said, 'you can do this'.
She gulped, nodding, and watched him disappear. Ari could still feel him, though. He'd witness this awful moment. Ari had discussed leaving her life behind with Jai and Charlie only hours before. They thought it was the right thing to do (Jai thought it was smart, Charlie didn’t care what she did as long as she didn’t leave him behind) and Ari drew strength from their support.