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Finally I catch my breath and am able to see her through the receding panic. I discover a Michelle I haven’t seen before.

She’s mad. Madder than a wet hen as Nan would say.

“Are you all right?” She rushes over, blazing amber eyes scanning me from head to toe. “Did he hurt you?”

“What?”

“Your ex. Did he hurt you?”

“Oh. No.” I frown. “How did you know he⁠—”

“Saw Gerald talking to him when I parked, waited until he’d gone and Gerald headed inside to get out of my car. Caught up to Gerald just inside the front doors. He told me what happened.”

“Oh.” I rub my arm. “He snuck up on me as I got out of my car.”

Her gaze follows my hand. “Gerald said he had hold of you.”

“Ah, yeah, for a second.” I grin. “But I did that move you taught me. Elbowed him good and spun away.”

She smiles but it’s not a pleased one; it’s forced like she can’t quite get past her anger to be happy I defended myself. “Good. That’s good. Can I see your arm?”

My hand moves faster. “It’s fine.”

“Maybe.”

She moves closer, slowly like she’s cornered a wounded animal and is waiting for it to bite, and I hate that’s how her actions make me think that. She’s my friend. She’s worried. I get that. I do, except it makes me feel wounded—weak.

“I’d like to see it anyway,” she says as she gets closer. “And if you don’t show me, you’ll have to show someone else. Gerald is on his way to get the head of security and call the police. That coward is not getting away with this.”

Dammit. I just want to forget him. Want him to leave me alone. I won’t be here after today. It won’t matter after today… Except I know she’s not lying and I know Gilbert Denier is taking what my ex has been doing to me seriously now and done everything he can to keep us from being at the hospital at the same time.

“Okay.” Pulling my apron off, I grab the hem of my top and lift it over my head. The sleeves are too tight to push up far enough to see where he gripped my biceps and I know without looking, he left marks. My skin will be red. In an hour or so it’ll be purple, black, and blue, if it isn’t already.

“I’m going to take a few pictures.”

“What? No.” I turn away, try to hide my arm. “That’s not necessary.” My protest falls on deaf ears because Michelle is already snapping away.

“It is necessary. We need all the documentation we can get. You need a protection order. Hopefully after this, you can get one.”

“I won’t be here after today.”

“I know.” Her eyes meet mine. “Although I hate the idea of not working together any more, I’m glad you won’t have to look over your shoulder every day.”

“Me too. On both counts.” I wish we’d connected earlier. Wish I’d gotten to know her before I’d agreed to go out with my ex. She would have stopped me from making that dumb decision. “There’s more openings at the Lodge. Especially with all the renovations happening. You could come work there with me.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Really?”

She laughs. “Yes, really. When I told Dan you got a job there, he said I should too. He doesn’t like me doing the long drive to get here and back home every day. Especially with winter coming.”

“I can put in a good word.” I’d love to continue working with her, would love to keep building our friendship. Although with her living in Winter Lake—another thing I had no idea about before these last few weeks—we’ll still see each other even if we don’t work together.

“Let’s get you sorted first. Then me.” She grins as she hands me my shirt. “Put that back on. I’ll forward these pictures to you.”

Pulling my top and apron back on, I wait until I’m ready to leave the staffroom before saying, “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me. That’s what friends are for.”