Chapter 44

MELANIE Iflop down onto one of the comfortable armchairs in the break room and sigh. Work has been ridiculously busy, but it’s also the only thing keeping me sane right now. When my mind’s not busy, it’s filled with thoughts of Nathan. Even two weeks later, the look in his eyes that night when he told me to leave haunts my every waking moment. The fact that he was taken advantage of like that, that some woman drugged and touched him without his consent, makes anger and shame burn through my veins. I only wish there was some way I could make it up to him. Gah! This is no good. I need to get him off my mind. Perhaps some mindless TikTok scrolling is just what I need. But my pulse quickens when I pull out my phone and see four missed calls from Ashley. I’m staring at the screen, running through all the worst-case scenarios in my head, when the phone starts ringing in my hand and her sweet face flashes on the screen. My finger fumbles as I try to answer it as quickly as possible. When I do