Chapter 17
Meg watched her videoa third time, making sure she sounded good and it didn’t need any further editing. It sounded just like it did the last two times she’d played it. Why was she so nervous to put this one up?
She bit her lip and pushed away from the computer desk. This one was different, and no matter how she wanted to treat it the same, her heart knew the difference. It wasn’t a cover of a popular song. The lyrics came from a place of deep loss and sorrow. She’d written it a few weeks after she watched Cade dragged away in handcuffs by the police.
She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since, and it had been over six months. Not that she hadn’t followed the news. She knew he’d been exonerated. In fact, he was released earlier that week. Maybe that’s why putting up this song was making her so flustered. She was paying tribute to what they had shared. Releasing it.
It was her goodbye song.
Even though she felt foolish admitting it, she’d fallen for Cade. Hard. And maybe a part of her had hoped a little too much that he would contact her. A phone call or even a letter would have made her happy. After the police let her go, she’d gotten a job in Omaha. She’d been dumb enough to think Cade would want to see her, or at least communicate with her. She’d even gone so far as to contact Nicholas and give him her address and phone number.
Stupid.
Cade hadn’t made one move to get in touch with her. And the last time she’d called Nicholas, he’d basically said he had given her information to him, and it was his call if he wanted to talk. The silence spoke volumes.
At least Travis was completely out of her life now. Once he got his car back, he was happy. Didn’t try to get her back or anything. In fact, she’d heard he was with another girl now. Good luck to her.
Meg clicked her mouse and held her breath while the song uploaded to YouTube. There. She’d done it. Now she could officially let Cade go. Obviously, he didn’t feel the same for her, or he would have contacted her. It was time to move on.
She closed her laptop as soon as the song went live and walked into her bathroom. She had to meet Val in an hour for dinner and wanted to get ready. Not that Val would care. Her co-worker wouldn’t notice if Meg showed up in sweats. But they were going to be in public, and there was a possibility she’d run into Cade.
Meg shook her head. No. She couldn’t be thinking about Cade anymore. It showed how pathetic and desperate she really was. She needed to forget all about him.
After a quick shower, Meg stood in front of her closet looking through her clothes. Why was it that she never felt like she had anything cute to wear? It wasn’t like she never went shopping. She groaned and pulled out a pink blouse. She’d pair it up with her nice pair of jeans.
Val was the kind of friend everyone should have. Extremely loyal and dependable, her sunny personality brightened up the workplace. The first day at her new job and Val introduced herself and invited Meg out for drinks after work. They’d formed a fast friendship.
Meg drove to the restaurant, an authentic Mexican place that served handmade corn chips and salsa. She met Val at their regular booth near the back. She slid onto the seat opposite Val. “Hey.”
“Did you do it?”
Val was also quite direct. Meg nodded. “It’s done.”
Her friend grinned. “Really? It’s up?”
“I don’t know why you’re so happy. The rest of my heart is now dashed to pieces.”
A sympathetic look came over Val’s face. She brushed her bottle-blonde curls over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I know how hard it was for you to write that song. But I’m happy because I know what a hit it will be.”
Meg tried not to roll her eyes. “I only have four hundred followers.”
“That’s four hundred more than when you started.”
A waitress took their drink orders and left them a basket of chips. Val poured salsa into a small bowl and they both attacked it. After Val swallowed, she said, “I’m proud of you for putting it up.”
“I almost chickened out.” As it was, it took her weeks to get the thing done. Singing it was hard. So much of Cade was wrapped up in the lyrics, she had a difficult time with her emotions. “You should see all the takes where I broke down and couldn’t finish singing it.”
“The emotion you poured into it is what made it so good.” Val dipped another chip. “How many people have watched it so far?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to check.”
Val made a face. “What? Why not?”
