Chapter 2

I flinched and looked through the slats of the break room blinds. A huge section of the floor-to-ceiling window outside had shattered. Wind howled through the gap.

Something flew through the hole and slammed hard into the break room door. I snapped out of my daze and shoved the couch against it.

My mind went blank. When I came back to myself, I'd already dialed Melanie's number. The phone rang for almost half a minute before she picked up.

Before I could even speak, she said, rushed, "Ryan, hang on, I'm a little busy right now..."

I forced down the panic and said, my voice hoarse, "Mel, I'm at the office. The window out here just shattered. I..."

It took her a while to respond. "What window? The one in the living room? Just go wait in the bedroom, you'll be fine. I'll get someone to fix it tomorrow..."

I could hear the faint sound effects of a video game in the background. A second later, Ted whooped loudly, "Ha! I won again!"

Melanie sighed, indulgent. "Fine, fine, I lost. A bet's a bet. I'll treat you to dinner next time."

"Aw, why wait? How about tomorrow?"

"Okay, okay..."

Every word I'd been about to say caught in my throat.

That was the moment I finally understood, completely. Seven years of feelings between Melanie and me had lost out to a coworker she'd known for three.

The first time she'd mentioned Ted to me, three years ago, her voice had been nothing but exasperated. He'd started at the company the same day she did, and their manager had put them on the same team.

She said he'd messed up the data and made her work two extra nights fixing it. She said he'd spilled coffee on himself and ruined his favorite jacket. For a long stretch after that, she never mentioned him without sighing.

Later, their department brought me along to a team dinner, and I saw him for the first time. He was a year younger than us, fair-skinned, with a boyish, round face.

Melanie introduced me.

I remember feeling a little uneasy about the way Melanie looked at him that day. I understand now. That was fondness.

Later, I asked Melanie to come with me to an art exhibit on the weekend. She said Ted's computer had crashed and she needed to go fix it. When I went quiet, she explained that all their team's files were on that computer.

I mentioned a good mystery movie that had just come out and asked if she wanted to go see it. She hesitated, then told me she'd already seen it with Ted. The company had handed out free tickets, and their whole department had gone together.

Except I found out later that the two of them had picked seats in the very back corner, away from everyone else.

After that, she started driving him home whenever it rained. She remembered his favorite clothing brands. She knew he didn't eat onions or garlic and would tell the waiter ahead of time.

I saw it all happening and finally asked her, "Melanie, do you have feelings for Ted?"

She blinked, then laughed. "How could I possibly like that little idiot? I'm just helping out where I can, as a coworker."

Little idiot. What an affectionate thing to call him.

And what she'd actually been doing for him had gone far past "where she could."

I don't know when exactly I fell asleep. All I know is it felt like one long, exhausting dream. When I woke, it was already morning. The wind and rain had stopped, and the street outside was noisy again. At least the dream, whatever it had been, was finally over.

I went home, showered, and changed. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Melanie happened to be coming through the front door. She looked relieved to see me. "Nothing happened last night, right? The window..."

She glanced at the living room window. It was fine, untouched. She paused.

"I must've had a nightmare," I said flatly.

She nodded.

As I headed for the door again, she suddenly called out to stop me. She looked hesitant, but she said it anyway. "Ryan, could we push back dinner with your parents next Wednesday..."

I looked at her, expressionless. "Why?"

Her tone turned pained, like she felt for him. "Next Wednesday's the anniversary of Ted's mom's passing. His dad's overseas and can't make it back. It'd be sad for him to go through it alone."

My fist clenched. I fought to keep my voice even.

"This is the fourth time you've canceled on me. And my parents already bought their plane tickets..."

She cut me off, her tone turning petulant. "So you want me to just do nothing? We're coworkers."

'We're together. We're a couple.' I didn't say it out loud.

I hadn't slept well the night before, and my temples throbbed. I rubbed them and said, with no feeling left in my voice, "Fine. Go."

Her face lit up. "I knew you'd understand. Don't worry, next time I'll definitely come meet your mom and dad in person."

Her phone rang, a familiar tone, and she snatched it up and hurried toward the bedroom. "Ryan said yes. Next Wednesday, I'll be there with you..."

I sent my mother a message instead.

[Mom, remember how you never really liked Melanie, and you kept saying you wanted to introduce me to your friend's daughter, the one who's supposedly so accomplished and pretty? Let's set it up for next Wednesday.]