Page 35 of The Perfect Melody

A snort of laughter makes my shoulders twitch.

Me:

Asking the important questions I see.

Bailey:

Obviously.

He’s my boss.

That’s not a no.

Objectively speaking, he’s handsome. Not that it matters.

Because he’s your boss or because you don’t find him attractive?

Because we barely tolerate each other.

Never underestimate the power of a good hate fuck.

I’m so scandalised I nearly drop my phone. She’s such a ray of sunshine that I didn’t expect her to come out with something like that. Considering she’s with Liam and I know exactly what he can be like, I really should have known better.

Me:

Bailey! HE IS MY BOSS!

Bailey:

So bang it out and don’t tell anyone. Except me, obvi. Secrets can be sexy.

Your relationship with Liam was only secret for like five minutes.

Rude. Fair though, but it was a really hot five minutes.

Whatever. It doesn’t matter because there’s no way in hell I’m hooking up with Austin.

It’s honestly a miracle we got through a mostly civil car ride last night. The idea of us hooking up is laughable. My stomach growls and I glance at the time, only just realising how late in the morning it is. I can’t believe I slept in for so long.

Me:

OK, I need to get downstairs if I don’t want to miss breakfast. Thanks for checking in. Talk to you soon.

Bailey:

No worries. Congrats on making it through your first shift.

I set my phone on the nightstand, then throw back the covers. While staying in bed, hiding from the world, and maybe catching up on some more sleep sounds appealing, I really am hungry, and I know from experience that I’ll feel better if I get some fresh air. Plus, I clearly need a distraction given thethoughtsI had about Austin before talking to Bailey—best to nip that nonsense in the bud immediately. At least here I’m not expected to put on a front for everyone to maintain my ‘nice girl’ image. The idea Melody Night has to look happy all the time is bullshit—even nice girls feel like shit sometimes.

I pull out my clothes for the day—high waisted jeans and a soft grey sweatshirt, dressing for comfort because I can. One of the great things about being just Cassie, the new girl in town, is that I don’t have to dress up for anyone if I don’t feel like it. I take my medication, then go through the rest of my morning routine. Staring at my reflection in the mirror over the bathroom sink, I wonder if anyone would miss me if I stopped being Melody.Sure, there’d be some initial upset, but people would forget about me soon enough. Maybe then it would be easier to be just Cassie.

I can count on one hand the number of people who would miss the real me—something I try not to think about too often because it always leaves me feeling hollow. Pine Grove is different, though. I’m well on my way to making my first friend in Mei, and Esther’s lovely to talk to. While I’ve still got a long way to go, for the first time in years I feel like I’m starting to really live instead of watching my life pass me by like a movie I’m not that interested in.

* * *

It’s nine on Friday night and Bowman’s is packed to the brim. If it’s this busy tonight, I can only imagine what it will be like tomorrow for the grand reopening party Austin has planned. The atmosphere has been great, if a little overwhelming. You’d think I’d be used to crowds, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been thrust into the middle of one like this without Ant or other security around to protect me. I started the evening with my hair down, still finding comfort in being able to hide behind it when I need to. Unfortunately, between the sheer volume of people in the bar and the weather we’ve been having, I got so hot I had to throw it up into a high ponytail.

After my rainy welcome, I worried the entirety of my time here would be smothered by a blanket of dark clouds, but the weather has been steadily improving this week. I said as much to Esther this morning when she joined me for a cup of tea while I ate breakfast—it’s become our little routine and I’m glad she seems to enjoy my company as much as I enjoy hers. She warned me that there’s supposed to be a storm tonight. With how thick and muggy the air felt on my walk from the B&B to Bowman’s,it won’t surprise me if the forecast is correct. I don’t mind. Now that I’ve had a taste of sunny Pine Grove, I’m happy. Any more beautiful days we might get before it’s time for me to leave will be a bonus.