Chapter 3
THREE
Melody woke up to the sound of cold Seattle rain pattering against the hotel window, a familiar lullaby that usually soothed her.
But this morning, it only served to amplify the emptiness of the bed beside her.
She reached out, half-expecting to feel Nate's warmth, but her hand met cold sheets instead.
"Well, crap," she muttered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
The events of last night came flooding back in a tidal wave of memories.
The publishing event, meeting Nate, their witty banter, and then... the best sex of her life. She flopped back onto the pillows, grinning like an idiot despite her disappointment.
But even a few more minutes of wallowing couldn’t make her forget how bold the wine made her last night. Three glasses of courage and suddenly she was channeling her inner romance heroine. She—the woman who's spent the last fifteen years choosing manuscript deadlines over messages.
It's not that she never dated. She had…
She thought.
There were ‘attempts,’ scattered through her thirties like poorly plotted subplot points.
A few coffee meetings between freelance articles.
Some halfhearted swipes on dating apps while waiting for editor feedback.
But somewhere between getting her Creative Lit degree and publishing her first book, she had decided that writing about love was safer than actually pursuing it.
Then Mom got sick, and suddenly she was thirty-eight and spending her evenings reading manuscripts aloud in a hospice room instead of meeting eligible bachelors for drinks. By the time she hit forty, her dating life had become as theoretical as the plots of her novels.
But last night...
God, last night was different.
Maybe it was the wine, or the way Nate looked at her like she was the only woman in the room.
Under his unwavering gaze, she forgot about the gray ‘natural highlights’ she didn’t even have to pay for.
She glazed over the laugh lines that had started to fold in around her eyes, the extra curves that came with choosing writing marathons over actual marathons.
Last night, Mr. Broad-and-Blue-Eyed made her feel wanted. Craved, even. He made her feel seen.
That thought stayed with her until she saw something herself. A note on the pillow next to her. She snatched it up, her heart racing as she read Nate's hurried scrawl:
Mel—
Had to run. Early meeting.
Last night was incredible.
—Nate
She stared at the message, torn between elation that he bothered to leave anything at all and frustration that he didn't leave his number.
"Really? 'Last night was incredible'? That's all you've got?" she groaned, flopping back onto the bed. "What am I supposed to do with that? Send a carrier pigeon to every office building in Seattle asking for the hot guy named Nate?"
Taking a few minutes, she let the wallowing turn to groan-out-loud mode before dragging herself out of bed. As she showered and got dressed, her mind kept drifting back to Nate. The way his hands felt on her skin, the sound of his laughter, the deepening color of his ocean-colored eyes when he...
"Nope, stop right there, Melody," she scolded herself as she applied mascara. "You're not some airhead who doesn't understand how one-night stands work. You're a successful author with a meeting to get to."
But as she gathered her things and headed out of the hotel, she couldn't help but scan the lobby, half-hoping to see a tall, dark-haired figure.
No such luck.
The taxi ride to her agent's office was a blur of rainy streets and internal debate.
Part of her wanted to track Nate down, to see if what they had was more than just a one-night stand.
But the rational part of her brain (admittedly, a rather small part) knew that was crazy.
He didn't leave his number for a reason.
It was just one night of fun, nothing more.
She arrived at Carmen's office building, still lost in thought. The elevator dinged, and she stepped out onto the 15th floor, greeted by the familiar scent of coffee and old books.
Carmen's assistant, a perky blonde named Tiffany, waved her in. "She's waiting for you, Melody. Nice dress, by the way. Hot date last night?"
She felt her cheeks flush. "Something like that."
Her literary agent Carmen Martinez’s office was a reflection of her personality: sleek, modern, and intimidating as hell. She looked up from her computer as Melody entered, her dark eyes sharp behind her designer glasses.
"Melody, darling, there you are," she said, gesturing for her to sit. "How was the event last night? Make any useful connections?"
She sank into the plush chair across from her desk, fighting to keep a straight face. "Oh, you know, the usual. Schmoozing, networking, trying not to spill wine on anyone important."
Carmen raised an eyebrow. "And yet you look like the cat that got the cream. Give."
She fidgeted with the strap of her purse. "Well, I may have met someone. But it's not a big deal. Just a... a fun night."
"Uh-huh," Carmen said, clearly not buying it. "And does this 'fun night' have a name?"
"Nate," she admitted. "But it doesn't matter. He left before I woke up, and I probably won't see him again."
Carmen's eyes softened for a moment. "Oh, honey. Men are idiots. But let's focus on what's important, shall we? Your career."
She straightened up, grateful for the change of subject. "Right, of course. What's on the agenda?"
Carmen shuffled some papers on her desk. "Well, I have some news. Carlisle Publishing is making some changes, and it's going to affect you."
Her stomach dropped. "What kind of changes?"
"They're bringing in a new editor for your next book. Someone they say has a 'fresh perspective' on the romance genre."
She frowned. "But I liked working with Sarah. She understood my vision."
"I know, darling. But Sarah's been moved to a different department. This new editor... well, let's just say the higher-ups have high hopes for him."
"Him?" she repeated, her frown deepening. "Great. Just what I need. Some guy who probably thinks romance novels are all heaving bosoms and throbbing members."
"Give him a chance, Melody. Who knows? He might surprise you."
She slumped in her chair. "I doubt it. You know how hard I've worked to write romances that are real, Carmen. Characters with flaws, relationships that take work. What if this new guy wants me to write cookie-cutter happily-ever-afters?"
"Then you fight for your vision," Carmen said firmly. "That's what I'm here for. To back you up."
She nodded, but she couldn't shake the knot of anxiety in her stomach. "When do I meet this paragon of editorial wisdom?"
Carmen checked her calendar. "Tomorrow afternoon. 2 PM at Carlisle Publishing."
"Fantastic," she muttered. "I can't wait."
As Carmen went over some other business matters, her mind wandered back to Nate. She wondered what he was doing right now. Was he thinking about her? Or had he already forgotten their night together?
"Melody? Earth to Melody!" Carmen's voice snapped her back to reality.
"Sorry, what?"
She sighed. "I said, do you have any questions about tomorrow's meeting?"
She shook her head, trying to focus. "No, I think I've got it. Meet new editor, defend my artistic vision, try not to commit homicide if he suggests I write about sparkly vampires."
Carmen laughed. "That's my girl. Now go home and get some rest. And for God's sake, stop mooning over this Nate character. He's not worth it."
"Right. No mooning. Got it."
As she left Carmen's office, she couldn't help but feel like she was standing on the edge of something big.
A new editor could mean big changes for her career, for better or worse.
And yet, as she stepped out into the rainy Seattle afternoon, her mind kept drifting back to a pair of blue eyes and a crooked smile.
She hailed a taxi, giving the driver her address.
As they weaved through traffic, she pulled out her phone and opened her notes app.
Despite her anxiety about tomorrow's meeting, a new story idea was already forming in her mind.
A tale of missed connections, of two people who share one magical night and then struggle to find their way back to each other.
She started typing furiously, barely noticing as the taxi pulled up to her apartment building. She paid the driver and hurried inside, still lost in her fictional world.
Tomorrow, she would worry about new editors and career changes. But for now, she let herself get lost in a world where love wasn't just a one-night stand, where people fought for their happily ever afters.
As she settled onto her couch with her laptop, she couldn't help but smile. Who knows? Maybe this new story would be her best one yet. And maybe, just maybe, it would help her figure out what she really wanted—both in her career and in her love life.
The rain continued to fall outside her window, a constant backdrop to the words flowing from her fingertips.
She wrote late into the night, fueled by coffee and the lingering memory of Nate's touch. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, she lost herself in the world of her characters, where anything was possible and love always found a way.