Jackson didn't return to the operating theatre that afternoon, and thankfully, I managed to get through my day without any major mishaps. That evening, Aarti and Nate walked me home. We'd filled Nate in on what happened during lunch, and I watched his shoulders tense as he processed seeing Jackson and Rosie together.
"In the cafeteria," he said grimly as we climbed the stairs to our apartment, his voice carrying the kind of protective anger that only came out when someone hurt me. "That bastard had some nerve."
Once we were inside, Nate immediately headed for the kitchen while Aarti helped me out of my jacket, her movements gentle and deliberate, like I might break if handled too roughly. The familiar sounds of him moving around, opening the fridge, and clinking glasses felt like a small
