Wrong in Love

by March, Aisling

  “I think she was going to tell me Friday night,” he said.

  Anna said nothing. Instead she took Jocelyn’s hand and studied her face. It was almost unrecognizable.

  “I hope she wakes up. There’s so much I have to say,” Will continued.

  “Of course she’ll wake up. She’s tough,” said Anna.

  They sat like that for a long time, Anna on one side of Jocelyn, holding her hand and talking to her, murmuring words of encouragement that she hoped her friend could hear. Will was on the other side, restless and distraught, occasionally looking at Jocelyn’s face and then shaking his head, overcome with emotions.

  After a while Will broke the silence.

  “I’m going to go get a soda. Do you want anything?” he asked.

  “No thanks,” she said.

  When Will had gone Anna leaned in close to whisper to Jocelyn.

  “Look at you. This isn’t how you’re supposed to be. We’re worried about you. Me, your parents, Anthony, Will…and Colin I’m sure. I sent him a message telling him what was going on. I don’t know if that was the right thing to do but I think it’s what you would have wanted. I’ll see if I can get him here to visit you.”

  She thought about that, about bringing Colin in to see Jocelyn. Was it possible? Who would she tell Will Colin was? She would have to think carefully about this, if Colin even wanted to see Jocelyn. Anna had her doubts about his character.

  Will returned at the same time as the Mendes and Anna stood to leave. She felt awkward being in the same room as they grieved over their daughter and decided she would return when things were calmer.

  “I’ll be back tomorrow,” she said to Will.

  “Thanks again for coming. It means a lot to me and I’m sure it means a lot to Jocelyn too.”

  Anna gave him a hug.

  “Try to get some sleep tonight, all right?”

  “I will,” he said, but Anna could tell he was lying.

  Anna hailed a cab outside of the hospital and headed back toward the hotel. It was just a short walk to the Boston Common plus Boylston and Newbury Streets, and she thought she’d go exploring before calling it a night. She was almost there when her cell phone rang. She answered while fumbling through her wallet for cash to pay the driver.

  “Anna?” a man with an Irish brogue asked.

  Colin.

  “This is she,” said Anna.

  “This is Colin, Jocelyn’s friend,” he said.

  “Yes, I know who you are,” she said.

  “I suppose you do. Do you have a minute?” he asked.

  “Sure,” said Anna. She handed the cab his fare plus a tip and stepped out of the cab. “How is Jocelyn?” asked Colin.

  “She’s still in a coma. They won’t know how extensive the damage is until she wakes up.”

  “I can’t believe this,” said Colin. To his credit, he sounded genuinely distressed. “I’ve got to see her.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that and I just don’t know how to make it happen,” said Anna.

  “Please, can’t you think of some way that I could get in there?”

  “Look, I don’t know if Will – Jocelyn’s husband – would appreciate Jocelyn’s boyfriend coming to see her. Especially since he may not even know about you,” said Anna. And she certainly wasn’t going to be the one to tell him.

  “Can’t you say I’m your boyfriend or something?”

  “Oh yes. I’ve been here for several days now and I just picked up a new boyfriend in between visits to the hospital cafeteria and the bathroom.”

  “We met in Florida. I flew up here with you. Or after you. Look, I’m sorry. Anna, you should know that I really do care about Jocelyn, a lot,” he said.

  Anna sighed and leaned against the brick exterior of her hotel. She looked in at the cozy lobby, the wingbacks facing a roaring fire, the dark oak giving it a New England feel. She wished she was inside then, sitting in one of those chairs with a book instead of on the phone with the man her best friend was having an affair with.

  “I know.” She sighed. “I’ll see if I can get you in if Will and Jocelyn’s family leave for lunch or dinner tomorrow. You’ll have to make it quick,” she said.

  “Thank you. Thank you so much. I will. Oh, you’re a great friend,” said Colin.

  “Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  She hung up and went inside to sit in front of the fire. She didn’t feel like a good friend, to Will, at least.

  CHAPTER 18

  Anna got to the hospital early the next morning but Jocelyn’s family was already there, and Will looked like he hadn’t left. She had stopped at a Dunkin’ Donuts on her way in and brought everyone coffee and bagels. They took the coffee eagerly, thanking Anna.

  “Any change?” she asked. She set the bagels down on a nearby table.

  “Nope,” said Anthony.

  Anna looked at Jocelyn, still motionless in her bed. Some of the bruises were beginning to turn yellow, which was harder to look at, but Anna knew that healing was on the way.

  “Will, have you been home at all?” she asked.

  He shook his head, his eyes never leaving Jocelyn. It was going to be difficult to get him to leave her side today so she could sneak in Colin. The thought of even doing it made her feel sick.

  “I wish my baby knew how much I loved her,” said Edgar.

  “She knows, Papa,” said Tony.

  “Of course she knows,” said Lois, taking her husband’s hand.

  “No, no she doesn’t. I was horrible when I found out she had gotten married. I’m so sorry,” he said, looking at Will.

  He shook his head.

  “It’s all right. We know it was quick, and that wasn’t fair to either of our families.”

  “Still,” said Edgar, “you’re a good man. You’re a good husband to Jocelyn and I should have been more accepting.”

  Anna felt guilt well up in her throat, although she didn’t know why. Edgar was right; Will was a good man, but Anna wasn’t the one who had cheated on him. Being an accomplice was going to take a huge emotional toll on her.

  “We thought you had gotten her pregnant,” said Edgar. Tony’s head jerked up and Anna looked to see how Will would react.

  “Understandable,” he said. Anna noticed he didn’t deny Lois’ suspicion.

  “That was crazy, Papa,” said Tony.

  “I see that now. No baby,” he said, waving his hands in Jocelyn’s direction.

  “You were really just in love,” said Lois, her voice choking on tears.

  The five of them sat around Jocelyn’s bed for hours, alternating between periods of silence and sharing stories about Jocelyn. Will told them all about their life together since moving to Boston. He talked about the restaurants that Jocelyn loved and how she adored the city. It sounded like a different life than the one Jocelyn had described over the phone. The Mendes’ told stories of Jocelyn as a child; the trouble she would get into, and how she was a princess even as a toddler. Anna laughed at each of their tales and shared some of her own. She found that she felt a little lighter as they talked. She supposed this was therapy for them, the people waiting for the person they loved to wake up.

  At around noon Tony’s stomach rumbled loudly.

  “You’re hungry, Tony?” asked Lois.

  “A little,” he said. He looked ashamed, as though hunger weren’t something he should be feeling while his sister lay incapacitated in bed.

  This was Anna’s chance to get Colin in here.

  “Why don’t you all get lunch?” suggested Anna.

  “I don’t know,” said Lois. “Tony, why don’t you go get us all some sandwiches?”

  “No, Lois. We should all go, we need the break,” said Edgar.

  “Yeah, the fresh air would be good for you,” said Anna. “I can wait here and I’ll go after you get back.”

  Lois looked doubtful but agreed.

  “Will you come, Will?” she asked.

  “No, I’ll wait here. C
an you bring me back something?”

  “Will, when was the last time you showered?” asked Anna.

  He looked sheepish.

  “Friday morning.”

  “Why don’t you go home and shower? You could be back in under two hours, and I’ll call you if anything changes,” she said.

  “Okay,” he said. “I suppose I wouldn’t want to stink if she woke up.”

  “That’s right,” said Anna. She ushered them all out the door and immediately called Colin.

  “You have one hour to get in and get out,” she said.

  “I’ll be right there.”

  Colin did get right there, showing up fifteen minutes later. Anna was startled when he walked in, her breath swept away like she’d been punched in the stomach. He was extremely good-looking, tall, with thick, dark hair and mischievous green eyes. He smelled musky and masculine, and Anna chided herself for breathing him in. Jocelyn may have been wrong in betraying her husband, but if she was going to do it, Colin was a good choice.

  “Oh, Joc, poor Joc,” he said, ignoring Anna and stepping toward the bed. His brow furrowed into a straight line and he squeezed her arm.

  She coughed.

  “You must be Anna,” he said, stepping forward and shaking her hand. His accent was every bit as sexy as Jocelyn had said.

  “I am,” she said. She withdrew her hand quickly. He was cute, really cute, but she wasn’t going to let him charm her. She wasn’t like most women; his cocky demeanor was a turn-off, not a turn-on, to her.

  “These are for Jocelyn,” he said, offering flowers with his other hand.

  Anna stiffened. Flowers, from Jocelyn’s boyfriend. How much more inappropriate could he get?

  “Where am I supposed to say they came from?” asked Anna.

  “Say they came from work,” he said.

  “I’ll bet you’ve got an answer for everything,” she sighed. “I’ll give you some time alone.”

  She went to the hallway and went to find the snack machines. She hoped Colin was faster than Will and the Mendes. When she made her way back to Jocelyn’s room she was surprised to see a nurse, one she’d silently nicknamed Sour Apple because of her dour expression, chatting with Colin. Sour Apple looked interested in whatever Colin was saying, her eyes shining, the corners of her mouth upturned in a smile Anna was sure her face wasn’t used to. She wasn’t surprised; she imagined Colin had that effect on a lot of women.

  “Hello,” said Anna.

  “Oh, hello! You’re back. I was just talking to your boyfriend,” said Sour Apple. Anna nodded, looking from the nurse to Colin. His green eyes were smiling at her and Anna felt flutters in her stomach. So that’s how he got Jocelyn to forget about Will.

  “It’s so nice of him to fly all the way from Florida to be with you while you’re here for your friend,” said Sour Apple. She finished changing the bag on Jocelyn’s IV.

  “Yeah, he’s a really nice guy,” she said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

  Sour Apple left the room and Anna put her hands on her hips.

  “My boyfriend?” she said.

  “It’s totally plausible. I’m a good looking lad, you’re not so bad yourself. We look good together,” he said.

  Now she crossed her arms over her chest. She didn’t need him telling her she was attractive.

  “Get out of here,” she said.

  “Anna, you’d kick your boyfriend out just like that?” he said.

  She locked eyes with him, filled with fury. How dare he force her into conspiring to sneak him into the hospital to see his married girlfriend, and then try to flirt her into laughing it off.

  “I can’t deal with this right now,” she said, throwing up her hands.

  “When can I come back?”

  “I’ll try to sneak you in again this week.”

  He looked at her for a long moment, and it made her feel another flutter of nervousness.

  “What?” she said, hoping to break his intense gaze.

  “Nothing. Thank you. I appreciate this, and I’m sure Jocelyn does too.”

  “Don’t make assumptions about how she feels. I think I know her a little better than you do,” said Anna.

  Colin bit his lower lip and nodded. God, it was a sexy lower lip.

  “Are you hungry? Do you want me to pick you up here around six?” he asked.

  “Are you seriously asking me to dinner right now?” she asked.

  “You’ve got to be hungry,” he said.

  “I wouldn’t have dinner with you if you had the only remaining food on the planet,” she said.

  Colin looked thoughtful.

  “Can you give me a situation where that’s plausible?” he asked, his accent making the question playful.

  She wanted to hit him.

  “Go. Go now, before I have to lie to my friend again,” she said.

  “Who would you have to lie to?”

  Tony was back, and he was looking from Anna to Colin and back at Anna.

  “Nobody,” said Anna.

  “I heard you say this guy had to leave before you had to lie to your friend again.” Tony stepped closer to Colin, tossing his sandwich onto a chair. “What friend is that? And who are you?”

  “I’m Colin, I’m Anna’s boyfriend,” said Colin. He said the words calmly, but there was uncertainty in his eyes. If he was surmising that Tony would hit him if he knew the truth, he was right.

  Tony looked at Anna.

  “You have a boyfriend?” he asked.

  She faltered. She could tell Tony the truth right now and just remove herself from this whole mess. She didn’t have to play a part in this horrible lie.

  “I do,” she said eventually.

  Tony narrowed his eyes at her and then looked at Colin, searching his face for some hint that Anna was lying. He would never suspect the truth though, right? If Anna could keep up the charade for a few more minutes, Jocelyn’s secret would be kept safe.

  “She told you to go, so you should go,” said Tony, stepping aside so Colin could leave.

  “Yes, good idea,” said Colin. He glanced at Anna.

  “I’ll see you later,” he said, and Anna tried to respond the way a girlfriend would.

  “I’ll call you when I’m done here,” she said, giving him a meaningful look that she hoped Tony didn’t notice.

  Anna watched him go, and for a second found herself wondering what it would be like to run her fingers through his curly hair.

  Knock it off, she chided herself. First of all, Colin was scum. Second of all, he was her best friend’s scum.

  CHAPTER 19

  Anna didn’t sleep well Sunday night and then an hour in the morning talking to her father about possible studio locations. She was actually relieved to get to the hospital by lunch.

  Walking down the hallway toward Jocelyn’s room, Anna saw Will coming the other way.

  “Did you – gasp – leave Jocelyn’s side?” she teased.

  “I was starving,” he said. He held up a Snickers bar in explanation.

  Anna shook her head.

  “Remind me to bring you breakfast tomorrow. A real breakfast.”

  “I will. Hey, why didn’t you mention your boyfriend?” he asked. The question was innocent, but his tone wasn’t; he knew something was up.

  “What?” Anna was alarmed.

  “Yeah, the nurse said some Irish guy was in here visiting Jocelyn yesterday when she came into to change the IV, and he explained he was your boyfriend. I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend, let alone one that was in Boston with you.”

  He waited for an answer, studying Anna’s face while she struggled to come up with an answer quickly.

  “Oh, well he just got in. Yesterday. He stayed with her while I was getting a Coke,” she said. She hoped she didn’t sound as guilty as she felt.

  Will’s eyes narrowed.

  “Jocelyn never mentioned you having a boyfriend,” he said.

  “Things with him aren’t that serious. Weren’
t that serious, anyway. I guess they’re at a new level now. Tragedy can do that, you know?”

  Oh my god, she was a terrible person. She was going to hell for this.

  “Sadly, you’re right. Tragedy has a way of making you see what’s important, doesn’t it?” he asked. He let out a long breath, and went back to looking at Jocelyn.

  “Yep,” she said. It was impossible to even say that much, knowing that she was lying to a man in pain.

  “So where is he now? He could have come here with you,” said Will.

  “He didn’t want to intrude. He’ll be by later. He doesn’t really know you guys and he feels like he’d be imposing by being here while you’re trying to get through this.”

  “Well, if he’s here to support you, then he should be here too. We would never keep someone important to you away, Anna. You should know that.”

  She nodded. He might as well have stabbed her. She almost wished he had.

  “I’ll let him know,” she said. She walked into Jocelyn’s room, hoping that Will would change the conversation.

  The Mendes arrived shortly after Anna did, and they spent Monday much the way they had spent Sunday. Today Anna was able to convince Will to come get lunch with her, even though it meant walking to a sandwich shop and bringing lunch back. She was just glad she got him out of the hospital room for a little bit.

  At five o’clock Anna decided she needed another break. She wasn’t ready to go back to the hotel yet; the past two nights had been long and lonely. She needed some fresh air though, so she excused herself from the Mendes and Will and went downstairs.

  She was about to exit the main entrance to the hospital when a group of people walked in. They were professionally dressed and most of them were roughly Anna’s age. A tall dark head stood out in the back and Anna recognized Colin.

  “Oh no. No, no, no, no,” she whispered. She had told him he could come with his coworkers, thinking Will wouldn’t know that he had been there the day before. Sour Apple was on duty again though, and if she recognized Colin and said something in front of Will, the truth would be blown wide open. Or if he opened his stupid Irish mouth.

  She hurried toward him as the group entered the elevator bank and grabbed him by the jacket. She ignored the rush that went through her at touching him, the feeling of his hard chest under her fingers.