Melanie

I take a deep breath, bracing myself for Evie's reaction as I tell her what happened last night. Her incredulous expression confirms that I knew this conversation wouldn't be easy.

"You did what??" Evie's eyes widen, her voice laced with disbelief.

I nod slowly, feeling the weight of guilt settling in the pit of my stomach. "I picked Daniel up from the bar and drove him home," I admit quietly.

Evie shakes her head, her expression incredulous. "Melanie, what were you thinking?" she asks, her tone a mixture of concern and frustration.

I raise my hands defensively. "What was I supposed to do, Evie?" I shoot back. "Let Daniel drive drunk?"

Evie sighs, her frustration evident. "Yes, actually," she replies bluntly. "Daniel is a big boy. He should have thought of how he would get home before he got wasted. And he has friends, doesn't he? He should have called one of them, not you."

I deflate, knowing she's right. "Yeah, I know," I mumble, feeling the weight of my mistake pressing down on me. "I didn't think it through last night. Daniel caught me by surprise. I was sleeping when he called."

Evie's expression softens, her concern evident. "Son of a bitch," she mutters under her breath.

I shake my head, feeling a mix of guilt and frustration. "It's okay, though," I assure her quickly. "Nothing happened."

Evie raises an eyebrow skeptically. "I know you, Mel," she says knowingly. "Daniel messed with your head last night."

I throw up my hands in exasperation. "What do you want from me, Evie?" I demand, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "Yes, Daniel did mess with my head. You were right. I shouldn't have seen him."

Evie's expression softens, her concern evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry if I'm pressuring you, Mel," she says gently. "But I'm really worried about you."

I sigh, feeling the weight of her concern. "I know," I reply quietly.

Evie leans forward, picking up her mug from the coffee table and taking a sip. She leans back, cradling the mug in both hands as she looks at me expectantly.

"What now?" she asks, her voice gentle but probing.

I bury my face in my hands, feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty of it all. "I don't know," I admit, my voice muffled by my palms. "I really don't know." I take a deep breath, steeling myself as I lift my head from my hands. "He was crying like a baby last night when I turned him down again," I admit quietly.

Evie does a fake gagging sound, her disgust evident. "Ugh, Daniel is the worst," she declares, shaking her head in disbelief.

I nudge her gently. "Come on, Evie, don't be like that," I urge, feeling a pang of sympathy for Daniel despite everything. "He's in pain."

Evie sighs, her expression softening slightly. "I wish I could believe that," she says honestly.

"If you saw him, you would," I insist, hoping to convey the depth of Daniel's anguish.

Evie scoffs, clearly skeptical. "I don't think so," she says dismissively. "But it doesn't really matter right now. What matters is that we undo the damage Daniel has done."

I nod in agreement, knowing she's right. "Yeah," I reply, my voice heavy with resignation.

Evie leans forward, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I've been thinking," she begins slowly. "There might be something that could help."

My interest is piqued. "What?" I ask eagerly.

Evie hesitates for a moment before continuing. "Maybe you should track down Daniel's therapist and visit her," she suggests tentatively.

I furrow my brow, feeling a mix of confusion and skepticism. "Daniel's therapist would never tell me anything about him," I point out, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

Evie nods understandingly. "I know," she agrees. "But maybe she can help you figure out what to do, how to deal with Daniel, and let him down in a way that he will accept."

I consider Evie's suggestion, realizing she might have a point. "You're not wrong," I concede reluctantly. "It's worth a try."

A grin spreads across Evie's face as she grabs her phone. "Okay, so what was the therapist's name?" she asks eagerly.

I rack my brain, trying to recall any details about Daniel's therapist. "I only know her first name, Jessica," I admit reluctantly. "I don't know her last name."

Evie nods, undeterred. "That's okay," she reassures me. "We'll manage with just the first name."

She mutters to herself as she types on her phone, "Therapist, psychologist, Jessica." After a few moments, she hands me her phone with a triumphant smile. "We're lucky," she says. "Only two therapists named Jessica exist in the area."

I take Evie's phone and scroll through the search results. The first listing is for Dr. Jessica Harvey, whose info indicates she's available Monday through Friday only. Disappointment washes over me— I won't be able to reach out to her today. I'll have to wait till Monday for that.

The second result is Dr. Jessica Carter, who happens to be available on Saturdays too. I look up at Evie with determination. "I'll call Dr. Carter right now and Dr. Harvey on Monday," I inform her.

"Great," Evie replies, her expression hopeful.

I grab my phone and quickly dial Dr. Carter's number, feeling a surge of anticipation. "Let's hope Dr. Carter is Daniel's therapist," I mutter to Evie as the call connects.

I press the call button and hand Evie my cell phone, anxiously waiting for someone to pick up. After a few rings, a woman's voice comes through the line, saying, "Dr. Carter's office, how may I assist you?"

"Hello," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm calling in regards to one of Dr. Carter's patients, Daniel Winston."

The woman pauses for a moment before responding. "Just a moment, please," she says before putting me on hold.

My heart races as I wait for her to return. After what feels like an eternity, she comes back on the line. "I'm sorry," she says apologetically. "Dr. Carter doesn't have any patients with the name Daniel Winston."

I shake my head at Evie, disappointment weighing heavily on my shoulders. Evie lets out a disappointed sigh, her frustration mirroring my own.

Turning my attention back to the phone call, I muster a polite tone. "I must have made a mistake," I admit to the woman on the other end. "Thank you for your help."

The woman responds graciously, "No problem. Have a nice day."

"You too," I reply before ending the call. I glance up at Evie, a sense of defeat settling over me. "Apparently, it's the other one," I inform her with a sigh.

"Of course it's the other one," Evie replies with a hint of exasperation.

I try to remain optimistic despite the setback. "It's okay," I reassure her. "It's still a good plan. We just have to be patient."

Evie hesitates for a moment before speaking up. "I have another idea," she says tentatively.

"What is it?" I prompt.

"I think until you talk with Daniel's therapist, you should turn your phone off," Evie suggests. "That way, Daniel can't reach you anymore."

I furrow my brow in contemplation. "But then no one will be able to reach me," I point out hesitantly.

Evie nods understandingly. "I know, but it might be for the best. Daniel won't be able to reach you either," she reasons.

I chew on her words for a moment, considering the implications of her suggestion. It's a drastic measure, but if it keeps me from being constantly bombarded by Daniel's attempts to contact me, maybe it's worth a try.

Evie offers, "If you want to, I can contact Marcus and let him know you'll be shutting your phone off."

I consider her proposal for a moment before nodding in agreement. "That might be a good idea," I concede. With Mallory leaving tomorrow, it will be reassuring to have another way to contact Marcus, to let him know I'm okay without actually having to talk to him. At least, until I sort out my feelings and work through the guilt.

I quickly send Evie Marcus' phone number, feeling a sense of relief wash over me at the thought of having one less thing to worry about. "I'll shut off my phone tonight, after I see Mallory before she and Adam leave," I inform her.

"Okay then," Evie responds, her tone understanding. "I'll text Marcus tomorrow to let him know that you'll keep your phone off for a few days, until everything is settled."

"Thank you, Evie," I say gratefully, offering her a small smile.

Evie shrugs nonchalantly. "You don't have to thank me, Mel," she replies. "You'd do the same thing for me."

I smile warmly at her. "That's true."

I just hope that putting some distance between Daniel and me will help clear my head, at least until I get ahold of his therapist and we figure out together a way to let him down easy. Because one thing is for sure: I'm not getting back together with Daniel. As bad as it sounds, seeing him so... weak is such a turnoff. I feel even guiltier that I feel that way, but I can't help it.

I know I will find my way through this mess eventually.

I just hope Marcus will still be there for me.