Chapter 15 Melanie
MELANIE
I push aside the discomfort that Josh left me with after the meeting.
I know it’s very new, but I expected some mild affection from him after this morning’s breathless encounter.
He seemed distant and uncomfortable throughout the concert meeting, and that distance lingered as he told me he was visiting Cara’s grave site.
It’s been years since I’ve been there myself.
Perhaps we could have comforted each other.
Rejection stings me like a snapped guitar string mid-song.
I try to go about the rest of my day as I normally would.
I stop by the grocery store and grab some essentials.
The silence is deafening when I return to my condo.
Slowly and methodically, I unpack the groceries, glancing every few moments at my closed front door.
I play through an old tune we wrote when we were teens a few times.
We’ve been trying to rewrite it the past few days.
Subconsciously, I wonder if it’ll beckon him home. Home.
I don’t need one, but I take a shower, taking my time, hoping that Josh will be there when I get out. He isn’t. Three thirty rolls around quickly, and I’m fighting the nagging feeling that something is terribly wrong. He still isn’t back by the time I have to leave for work, fifteen minutes later.
“Where is he?” I mutter to myself. I pick up my phone for what seems like the zillionth time since we parted—nothing. I tap out a text.
Me: I’m heading into work…hope you’re okay.
My message goes unanswered, and I decide to walk to work to clear my head. Realistically, nothing negative happened between us. I should remain calm. I have no reason to think Josh has second thoughts. Maybe he is missing Cara—lord knows he wouldn’t be the only one.
I plaster a smile on my face as I walk through the outdoor seating area and through the front door.
It’s a busy Friday night in June. Summer tourism is in full swing and even though I should be used to it, the season catches me by surprise each year.
I sure could use a change. I push the thought aside, knowing I’ll never have the courage to make it.
“Hey, Mel!” Andrew comes around the bar, breaking me out of my self-deprecating, intrusive thoughts. “You didn’t bring your guitar.” He gestures to my empty hands.
I suppose I forgot, preoccupied by thoughts of a disappearing Josh. I almost always bring it on open mic nights though, and it feels strange not to have it with me. “Oh,” I utter with a half-hearted shrug. “I guess I forgot.”
“Not like you ever play anyway,” Andrew teases, but when he realizes I’m not laughing, he fixes his face. “You okay?”
I take a breath and force my lips into a practiced, too-bright expression. “Yep. I’m good.” I walk behind the bar and pull an apron out of the drawer under the kiosk. Andrew follows, leaning on the bar. He’s still giving me that look—like he doesn’t quite believe everything is fine.
“Should be busy tonight,” I say, glancing around the restaurant. It is already filling up.
“Yeah. It will be. The open mic book is filling up already.” Andrew grabs an empty glass from the patron in front of us. “Another?”
The man nods, and Andrew moves around me to the tap, expertly filling a fresh pint glass with almost no foam.
“I’m going to hang around and help you until eight or nine,” Andrew says, his lips pressing together.
“I’m anticipating a big crowd tonight. The town is crowded with tourists.
It took me almost twenty minutes to get here.
” He turns and faces me, leaning on the bar and examining me closely with narrowed eyes. “You sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine,” I huff with exasperation. “I’m just a little tired.”
Andrew looks like he wants to press me further, but he stops himself. “Okay, well, I will work the floor, you work the bar. Let me know if you need anything.” Andrew ducks under the opening even though you can lift it up to walk through. I always wonder why he does that.
Time passes quickly after that. I’m too busy serving customers to worry about Josh or to check my phone, though every time I get a breather, I find myself glancing at the door. Nothing.
Around seven-thirty, Miles, Jenna, Liam, and Sophie come through the door. For a moment, I feel excited thinking maybe Josh met up with them, but there’s no sign of him. I pull my phone out of my apron, but it’s nothing but a blank screen.
“Mel!” Jenna squeals, startling me out of my pity party. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
The guys pull two barstools out for Jenna and Sophie and stand behind them. “Are you going to sing tonight?” Jenna asks excitedly.
I shake my head. “That’s not happening.” I smirk, turning and grabbing a Miller Lite for Miles and a Corona for Liam. “What are you girls drinking?”
“Margs!” they say simultaneously, laughing. I wish I could whip off my apron and join them on the other side of the bar.
“Coming right up.” I get to work making their drinks as Andrew moves to the stage to introduce the first singers for open mic night.
I put on a happy face for my friends, but I can’t shake my sour mood, and I know it has everything to do with Josh.
Well, him and the status of my life. My friends would never say this, but they must think, poor Melanie, all alone, still working at the same bar.
They never make me feel this way, but I know I am an outsider looking in.
They all went on to find their partners, their happily ever after.
What do I get? The same shit on a different day.
When Josh kissed me, I saw a glimpse of the other side—it’s so close I can taste it.
But who am I kidding? Josh is going to write his album and leave again, and I’ll still be here.
My throat tightens as a knot forms. I swallow, forcing away my internal negativity before I turn around and face my friends.
“Hey! There he is,” Liam’s voice jars me from my thoughts. Hope blooms in my chest. Could it be?
I whirl around to see Josh strolling through the door, his guitar bag slung over his shoulder.
Relief washes over me so fast it nearly knocks me off balance.
I told myself I was just uptight from not hearing from him, but the truth is, I’d been carrying a knot of dread all day—wondering if he was okay, wondering if our kiss had sent him running.
But he’s here. He’s okay. His shoulders are looser, his expression softer than the last time I saw him.
He doesn’t sit next to the group. Instead, he walks with purpose over to where I’m standing.
“Hi,” he murmurs.
“Hi.” I give him a weak smile. “You’re here. I thought you were blowing me off.”
“I’m sorry,” Josh offers, reaching for my hand. “I just needed to clear my head.”
I nod, letting out a breath. “Okay,” I whisper. “I was just worried.”
Josh catches his bottom lip and nods. “I didn’t mean to worry you.” He meets my eyes, and it takes everything in me not to grab his chin and kiss him.
I shake my head and wave him off instead. “It’s fine. You’re here now. Are you going to play?”
Josh’s mouth slides into a slow, irresistible grin. “Play with me?”
I glance around the bar; it’s crowded. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s busy in here. And I didn’t bring my guitar.”
Josh lets out an easy chuckle. “Excuses, excuses. I’ll wait till it slows down then.”
I nod, my lips curving into a smile. “Ha! Okay. Want something to drink? Coke?”
“Sure,” he replies. “I’ll go sit with your friends.”
The dinner crowd thins out around eight thirty, and it’s mostly people sitting around the bar listening to the various performers.
I have been busy, but I can’t help noticing how easily Josh fits with the group.
I lean against the center of the bar, watching him.
He’s regaling Sophie and Jenna with tales of living in Nashville.
They are hanging on his every word, and Josh is lapping it up, his grin growing wider with each laugh they give him.
The conversation is flowing, he’s grinning, and it feels right—easy.
My heart swells just looking at him. I wish I could be nearer—that I wasn’t stuck behind this bar.
I want to be in the chair next to him, close enough to smell his cologne, to feel his breath on my neck.
“Mel, I’m heading out.” Andrew startles me.
“Okay.” I smile. “I can take it from here.”
“Wait, Andrew!” Sophie grips his arm as he passes. “Can you stay long enough for Melanie to sing a song with Josh?”
Andrew points an index finger at her. “That, I can do.” He glances over his shoulder at me, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“No.” I hold up my hands, shaking my head. “I didn’t even bring my guitar.”
“So, you’ll sing, and I’ll play. It’ll be great. Come on.” Josh cocks his head at me, arching a brow.
“I don’t know.” I hesitate, chewing on my lip, cementing my feet to the sticky floor.
“It’ll be good exposure for the memorial concert,” Liam points out with a knowing nod.
I glare at him.
“Great idea! Andrew, you can introduce them and mention it,” Jenna chimes in.
“Ugh, fine.” I drop my arms in defeat. “But only because of the concert.”
“Atta girl!” Josh says as I come around to his side of the bar.
Andrew is already on his way up to the mic.
He takes the clipboard and skims it, finding who was supposed to be next.
“Hello, everyone. If I could just have your attention for a moment. Shane? Are you here? You’re supposed to be next but if you don’t mind, we’ve got a very special guest here—well, two very special guests—that would like to sing you all a song.
” He pauses, looking around. I do the same, and the guy I presume to be Shane gives an easy no problem wave.
“These two are performing a Labor Day weekend memorial concert in Rotary Park in memory of a beloved Cape May resident who passed away twenty-five years ago. Lucky you, you’re getting a preview tonight!
So, without further ado, please welcome your own favorite bartender, Melanie Glick, and her old friend—you may know him, too—” He gestures to Josh and me in the wings with a wink. “Josh Cote.”
Josh beams and immediately he’s in his element. I eye him cautiously because I am so not in my element. As we fall in step together, he whispers, “‘Wonderwall’?” It was the first one we played together—the first one we picked back up again recently.
I suck in a breath. “Okay…sure,” I whisper, uncertainly.
Josh doesn’t reply; he slings his guitar over his shoulder and steps up onto the stage.
He grabs an extra stool that’s off to the side and positions both stools on either side of the mic, taking a seat.
I hesitate for just a moment before taking my own seat.
Josh adjusts the mic, pulling it down to his mouth.
“Hey, everyone.” He flirts with the crowd, giving them an easy smile that does funny things to my insides.
There are murmurs of hellos throughout the audience and suddenly, I’m keenly aware of just how many eyes are on me. Goose bumps rise on my arms, and a nervous shiver runs through me. I try to focus my eyes on Liam and Sophie, their amiable faces bringing me comfort.
“Melanie and I first played this song twenty-five years ago, when we were just kids. Recently, we’ve started jamming again.” Josh glances sideways at me, offering a reassuring smile and a pat on the knee. All that does is cause butterflies to swarm my stomach.
I shudder, taking a shaky breath. This is fine.
“You ready?” Josh asks, strumming his guitar.
“As I’ll ever be,” I mutter and the crowd laughs.
Josh balances his guitar on his knee and starts the opening chords. The first verse instinctively belongs to me. He doesn’t miss a beat when he joins in, alternating verses and coming together in harmony on the chorus.
We don’t take our eyes off one another for the entire song.
When he strums his last chord, Josh leans in and plants a soft kiss on my lips.
I’m too stunned to even kiss him back. He pulls back smiling when the crowd erupts into cheers.
Regulars are calling my name, women are screaming for Josh.
Someone shouts, “Encore!” but Josh waves them off.
I might’ve gone for it, but he pulls the mic low to his mouth.
“I believe it’s Shane’s turn.” He winks and turns to me with a sultry grin. I’m a goner.
“Who could follow that act?” Shane shouts from the crowd.
We’re making our way back to our friends when a gangly man with salt and pepper hair steps in front of us with a business card in one hand and his other held out to Josh.
“Josh Cote, what a pleasure. My name is Jim Jones. I’m the morning show host on Lite Rock 94.1. I’d love to talk to you and Melanie about your concert sometime.” He’s beaming.
Josh shakes his hand, and I am just about to open my mouth to say I don’t think so when he says, “We’d love to! Isn’t that right, Mel?” When he looks at me, his whole face lights up. This is his thing.
I give both of them a weak smile. “Right. Sure, that would be great,” I mutter, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to excuse me. I’ve got to get back to work.” I duck around them, moving toward the bar.
“No problem at all—Josh and I will sort out the details here,” Jim Jones calls after me.
I turn back, giving him a wave. Just what did I get myself into?