Melanie

I set my phone down, a satisfied grin on my face, as I reach for my wine glass. Evie raises her eyebrows and gives me a playful look. "What's got you smiling like that?" she asks, her own glass of wine in hand.

I chuckle, taking a sip before responding. "Oh, you know." I give her a knowing look, and she rolls her eyes.

Evie sets her wine glass down and leans in, resting her chin on both hands. "Spill it, Mel. What did Marcus say?"

"He told me to take as much time as I need," I reply, a warmth spreading through me. "And he invited me to his parents' cabin in the woods."

Evie throws her hands up in mock frustration, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously, where do you find these boyfriends? Adam with the lake house, Marcus with the cabin in the woods. Do they come with vacation homes?"

I laugh at Evie's antics. "Maybe you should find a boyfriend with a beach house. Complete the collection."

Evie groans, "I'd be satisfied with just finding a boyfriend."

I shake my head, taking another sip of wine. My phone buzzes next to me, and I glance at the screen. Unlocking it, I find a text from Daniel. Again. I had read all his messages after our walk around the lake with Evie. Some were angry about the breakup, about me turning off my phone, about me being at Adam's lake house. Others were pleading, asking me to respond, just to tell him that I was okay. I haven't responded to any of his messages, and I don't plan to until I return home.

Opening Daniel's text, I see another plea, this time asking for the location of the cabin so he can come up and see me. I furrow my brows and let out a sigh. Evie notices my expression and asks, "Is it Daniel?"

I nod, taking another sip of wine. "Yeah, he wants to come here."

Evie raises an eyebrow. "What? Why?"

I shake my head. "I have no idea. Maybe he thinks he can change my mind."

Evie lets out a frustrated sigh. "Men. Always thinking they can fix everything."

I chuckle at her exasperation, appreciating her understanding. "Tell me about it."

She leans back, swirling the wine in her glass. "What are you going to do?"

I glance at my phone, contemplating. "Ignore it. I don't want him showing up here and ruining the weekend."

Evie nods in agreement. "Smart move. He needs to respect your space."

As if on cue, my phone buzzes again, another message from Daniel. I close my eyes, momentarily frustrated by the persistence. Evie watches me, concern etched on her face.

"He doesn't give up easily, does he?" she remarks.

I shake my head, reopening the text. "No, he doesn't."

Evie takes a deep breath, her gaze focused on me. "Have you given any thought about what you're going to do?" she asks, her concern evident.

I lock my phone and set it down, meeting Evie's eyes. "Not yet," I admit, uncertainty lingering in my words.

Evie leans in, a supportive look on her face. "Do you want to talk about it?" she offers.

I take a deep breath, realizing that discussing my feelings is a necessary step, even if it feels daunting.

Here goes nothing.

Evie listens attentively as I open up. "It's not that I don't appreciate what Daniel has done for us, but I feel this overwhelming sense of responsibility," I confess, a weight lifted off my shoulders. "He tried so hard, and I don't want to let him down."

She nods in understanding, encouraging me to continue. "But," I continue, "I'm also tired. Tired of the constant ups and downs, tired of the short fuse, tired of feeling like I'm walking on eggshells. Marcus is different, and I can't deny that he's made an impression."

Evie raises an eyebrow, prompting me to elaborate. "He's exciting, and he cares in a different way. Thoughtful gestures, genuine interest in my well-being. It's refreshing," I explain, my thoughts becoming clearer as I vocalize them.

"So, what's holding you back?" Evie inquires, her expression curious.

I take a moment to reflect. "Maybe it's the fear of the unknown," I admit. "With Daniel, I know what I'm getting, flaws and all. Marcus is a bit of a mystery. He's got these great qualities, but I'm not sure how it'll play out in the long run."

Evie considers my words and offers a perspective I hadn't fully considered. "So, you're sticking with the devil you know?"

I pause, letting her words sink in. "I hadn't thought about it like that," I mumble, grateful for Evie's insight.

Evie listens thoughtfully, her expression one of genuine concern. "Mel, you should do what's best for you," she advises, a supportive tone in her voice. "You deserve someone who makes you happy, not someone who drains you emotionally."

I pour myself another glass of wine, contemplating her words. "It's hard," I confess, taking a sip. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Evie rolls her eyes playfully. "Of course, someone's going to get hurt. That's how love triangles usually work."

"Love triangles," I repeat, a hint of disbelief in my voice. It does sound surreal, being part of such a complicated situation. I take another sip of wine, feeling the weight of guilt settling on my shoulders. "I just feel so guilty, especially towards Daniel. He started seeing a therapist to work on his issues so we could be together, and now I've broken up with him and I'm considering someone else."

Evie leans back, stretching her legs. "Look, both Daniel and Marcus are big boys. They can handle rejection. You need to prioritize your own happiness, Mel. It's not fair to you or them if you stay in a situation that doesn't fulfill you."

I turn my gaze toward the crackling fire, finding a momentary distraction in the dancing flames. The warmth of the fire contrasts with the chill settling in my heart. A sigh escapes me, and I turn to Evie. "You're right."

Evie raises her glass, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "As I said, I'm always right."

We both burst into laughter. However, the lightheartedness is short-lived as my phone buzzes again. Evie's eyes widen, a mix of exasperation and genuine concern. "If it's Daniel again, I'm going to break your phone," she threatens, reaching out to grab it.

I act swiftly, securing my phone before Evie can get her hands on it. Unlocking the device, I see another message from Daniel, expressing his worry. I glance at Evie, who's looking at me with a raised eyebrow, already anticipating the answer to her question. "Is it Daniel?" she asks.

I nod, and Evie exclaims, "Son of a bitch."

"He says he's worried," I tell Evie, a hint of exasperation in my voice.

"Worried my ass," Evie scoffs, not buying into Daniel's supposed concern. I nudge her playfully, "Evie!"

She chuckles, shrugging off my nudge. "What?" she replies with a mischievous grin.

I glance down at my phone, contemplating my next move. It's clear that Daniel won't relent unless I respond. Looking back at Evie, I announce my decision. "I'll text him. He won't stop otherwise."

"Whatever, just make it stop," Evie replies, rolling her eyes.

Setting my wine glass down, I tap away at my phone, crafting a message to Daniel. After a few moments of consideration, I settle on a straightforward response. "I'm okay. Need you to leave me alone for the weekend. Will get in touch when I get back." I read it over, contemplating its impact, and then press send.

"Let's hope that does the trick," I say, looking at Evie.

My phone buzzes, and I glance at it, causing Evie to shoot an angry glare its way. I can't help but roll my eyes as I pick it up, unlocking the screen to find a message from Daniel. It's sickeningly sweet, all "okay" and "missing you" with a side of "can't wait to see you." I don't bother responding to Daniel's message; instead, I lock my phone and toss it onto the couch with a nonchalant flick of my wrist.

Evie, still scowling at the device, comments, "He suddenly became so needy once you set boundaries."

I take a sip of wine, contemplating Evie's observation. She's right. It's as if the act of establishing some space and asserting my needs has triggered a desperate side of Daniel. It's unsettling, but I refuse to let it overshadow the weekend.

"Guess I'll have to talk to him when I get back," I say, my tone a mix of resignation and determination.

Evie raises an eyebrow, curiosity evident in her expression. "What are you going to tell him?"

Taking a deep breath, I set my wine glass down. I'm certain about this decision, and it's time to be honest with both myself and Daniel. "I'm going to tell him that it's over between us, once and for all."