Lexa cleared her throat, looking down at her hand for a moment, as her manicurist shaped her nails. “I’m sorry, you guys. I know I’ve been a little . . . out of it lately. It’s not really something I’m . . . ready to talk
about,” she said, glancing quickly at Ariana. “But I’m feeling better. I swear. And if it was something I thought you should know, I promise I would tell you.”
There was a long moment of silence. Ariana breathed in and out, relishing Lexa’s perfectly reasonable and coherent answer. Maybe she really was getting better.
“As long as you know we’re here for you, Lex. No matter what,” Soomie said.
“I know,” Lexa replied quietly. “Thanks, guys.”
This time, the silence was far less tense, far more companionable. Then, out of nowhere, Maria blurted, “So you guys all know?”
Everyone laughed. “Maria! Why do you think I gave him Pip?” Lexa said. “He was supposed to be Dr. Jekyll, originally. You know, because he has the whole split-personality thing going. Of course, with Landon it’s the private and public personas rather than the sane and the batcrap crazy, but it still would’ve worked.”
Everyone froze. Lexa had just mentioned a Stone and Grave secret in public. There were a dozen spa workers in the room, every one of them within hearing distance. Ariana glanced around surreptitiously, but none of the manicurists, facialists, or waitresses seemed remotely interested in what was being said. She let out a sigh of relief, then almost laughed. Of course, they wouldn’t be interested. How would any of them have any idea what it meant to give someone Pip? They probably thought it was some new drug they’d never heard of.
“I can’t believe this,” Maria said, dropping back again and closing her eyes in resignation. “How long have you known?”
“He and some of the other guys were down at the boathouse before Soomie’s Halloween party and he blabbed then,” Lexa replied, waving a dismissive hand. “We’ve known for days.”
“I wish you’d told me you knew,” Maria complained with a pout. “Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret around here?”
“Apparently too hard,” Ariana joked.
Everyone laughed, and Ariana was just relaxing, happy that the subject had turned away from Soomie and Jasper, and that Lexa had just offhandedly mentioned Halloween night without freaking out and running screaming from the room, when her cell phone beeped. She fished it out of the pocket of her robe with her free hand—the one that wasn’t currently being polished. There was a text message from Jasper himself. Ariana’s pulse began to pound, and her palms started to sweat. She glanced quickly at Soomie, as if the girl could read her phone from across the room. Soomie was still teasing Maria, so Ariana opened the text.
WHERE R U? THOUGHT U WERE COMIN 2 MY GAME
Ariana’s heart stopped, and she dropped the phone. It slid off her knee and dropped toward the footbath. Ariana lunged for it, but Shelly’s hand shot out and caught it at the last second.
“Thank you,” Ariana breathed.
“Uh huh,” the manicurist said knowingly, handing the device back to her.
Ariana blushed. “Can I have my hand for a second?”
“Of course,” Shelly said, releasing her.
Ariana pursed her lips and texted back.
I AM SOOOOO SORRY! CONNIE BROKE UP W/ LEXA + SHE NEEDED ME. U UNDERSTAND RIGHT?
She hit send and sat back to wait. The manicurist looked up at Ariana from her little stool, watching her with discerning eyes. Ariana ignored her and tried to tune in to her friends’ conversations while she waited. And waited. And waited. The more time went by, the more Ariana’s underarms began to prickle with nervous sweat.
Was Jasper ignoring her text? Was he that mad at her for forgetting?
Then, mercifully, her phone beeped.
OK. 2 BAD THO. U SHOULDA BEEN HERE. WAS V ILLUMINATING.
Ariana’s brow knit. Illuminating? How could a soccer game be illuminating? She was about to text him back and ask him that question, when her phone beeped yet again. Another text from Jasper.
SO WHEN R U BREAKING UP W/ CAPTAIN BORING?
Ariana rolled her eyes, smiled, and hit ignore.
Shelly had a tight-lipped smile on as Ariana offered her hand again. “Texting the boyfriend?” she said slyly.
“Oh, that’s so nauseating!” Tahira teased. “Palmer can’t even be away from you for a few hours.”