Josh and Emma Kiss in the Hallway

Dinner with Adam was supposed to be simple—one last night, one last chapter closed. But fate had other plans: the unforgettable Josh and Emma hallway kiss begins here, in the most unexpected place. Keep reading! 

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“I’m going to step into the bathroom for a moment. I’ll be right back,” I tell Adam, rising before he can ask questions. His gaze lingers, but he doesn’t press.

As I weave through the restaurant, something tugs at my attention—a faint, familiar voice near the bar. It’s low, warm, laced with laughter. My stomach tightens, but I brush it off. I’m just on edge tonight. The hum of conversation in the packed restaurant blends into a blur of indistinguishable chatter.

Still, as I push open the bathroom door, I swear I catch the sound of my name—quick, barely there. A trick of my imagination, surely.

I slip my phone out of my purse, my pulse quickening, a nervous thrill skimming just beneath my skin, like fingertips brushing piano keys before the first note.

Sure enough, there’s a message from Josh, waiting like a loaded secret on my screen.

Emma, Dad and I had a great time playing golf, and we are grabbing dinner at Harp + Bard. How’s your night going? I look forward to seeing you later tonight. He had added a kiss emoticon, too.

My heart pounds erratically, each beat echoing like footsteps closing in from behind. The chatter around me dulls to a hum, a pressure building behind my ribs, tightening like a coil ready to spring.

My fingers tremble slightly, the phone screen blurring momentarily as my pulse spikes. I blink hard, reading the words again. What?

Of course, they’d come here—why wouldn’t they? This is a kind of coincidence that only happens in movies, where the guy you can’t stop thinking about just shows up at the same restaurant while you’re on a date with someone else. It’s like the universe is playing some kind of twisted joke.

I grip the edge of the bathroom sink, trying to steady my breath. No way he knew I’d be here. Adam and I only picked Harp + Bard after we met up—Josh couldn’t have possibly planned this. But the feeling in my stomach doesn’t settle.

I type quickly.

Josh, you will not believe this. You’re at the same place we’re having dinner… I’m literally hiding in the bathroom right now.

Before his response comes through, the door swings open and two girls enter, their conversation spilling into the quiet space.

I jump slightly, instinctively clutching my phone tighter as my heart lurches. Their laughter bounces off the tiled walls, carefree and oblivious. I edge closer to the row of stalls, praying they don’t notice me standing here like some deranged rom-com extra having a meltdown under fluorescent lights.

“Oh my God, did you see him?” one of them says, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Josh McGuire. Josh freaking McGuire. He’s sitting at the bar. I almost died.”

The other girl giggles, grabbing a paper towel. “I know! He looks even better in person. I swear, if I don’t get a picture with him before we leave, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

My stomach tightens. Of course, people noticed him. Block 213 isn’t just some forgotten band from the past—people still recognize him. And here I am, acting like I can slip through the night unnoticed, as if fate isn’t already playing its hand.

My phone buzzes in my grip. Josh’s reply.

Shut the front door! That’s wild. I’d love to see you, but I know that’s not possible right now. We’re sitting at the bar, having a beer. I don’t normally drink, but we wanted to celebrate our win on the golf course.

The bar.

I swallow hard. I’d walked right past him without realizing. Had he seen me? Had his dad?

A new buzz—this time, it’s Adam.

Emma, are you okay?

Guilt prickles at my skin. Crap. I knew he’d wonder. The last thing I need is for him to come looking for me and—Oh God. The thought makes my stomach twist. What if he runs into Josh first?

I stare at the screen, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.

I’m okay. Just needed a minute. I’m heading back.

I hit send before I can overthink it. It’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth either.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. I can’t hide in the bathroom forever. I have to walk past the bar to get back to our booth. My heart pounds harder at the thought—what if Josh sees me? What if his dad sees me? What if—shoot!

Another buzz.

I can’t wait to see you later.

I exhale shakily and type back.

I have to get back to Adam, but yeah… later.

I push my phone back into my purse, willing my heartbeat to slow. The two girls are still talking about him as they fix their hair in the mirror, their words like little needles pressing into my already-wound-up nerves.

“I can’t believe he’s just sitting there like a normal guy. He probably doesn’t know how many of us grew up obsessed with him,” one of them says, fluffing her curls. “Should we go say something?”

The other one hesitates, biting her lip. “I don’t know… maybe when he’s not with his dad? I feel like that would be awkward.”

I take a steadying breath. The last thing I need is to overhear someone gushing over the guy who just informed me he can’t wait to see me. I need to get out of here.

I step toward the door, past them, keeping my head down. But the moment I push it open—I nearly collide with Josh.

He’s leaning casually against the wall, waiting. His eyes lock onto mine, piercing through the chaos in my head.

Before I can say a word, he steps forward, cups my face, and kisses me.

Right there, in the hallway.

His lips crash against mine—warm, urgent, overwhelming. Everything else vanishes. The restaurant, Adam, the noise of the world—gone. My fingers instinctively grip his shoulders, grounding myself in the one thing that still feels familiar. Josh.

A deep, aching surge of memory and longing rushes in.

And then—

A sound.

Faint, behind me.

The subtle click of a door opening.

I stiffen slightly but don’t pull away.

Josh doesn’t seem to notice. His hands are firm at my waist, his lips still moving against mine like the world outside us doesn’t exist.

But I feel it.

The shift.

When we finally break apart, breathless, I turn slightly—and there they are.

Those same two girls, frozen just outside the bathroom door. One of them throws a hand over her mouth, stifling a gasp like she’s just witnessed the juiciest secret in town. Her friend just gapes, eyes bouncing between us like we’re the live taping of a soap opera.

They didn’t interrupt.

They just… watched.

And now, realization spreads across their faces like wildfire.

“Oh my God,” one of them whispers, almost reverently.

The second girl blinks, then a slow grin breaks across her face. “Did we seriously just witness that?”

Before I can even breathe, she’s already digging through her purse, pulling out a flip phone. “Hold still—I need a picture. My friends will never believe this.”

She flips it open with a snap and lifts it toward us. “That is definitely Josh McGuire.”

“Wait—don’t,” I blurt out, panic rising in my throat.

But it’s too late. The shutter sound chirps, sealing my humiliation in a blurry flash.

Heat scorches my face. There’s no denying it—they saw everything.

The first girl glances between us, practically glowing. “This is so not what I expected when I said I wanted to get a picture with him.”

📌 Note: The images I share are character created for my author journey. They’re meant to give readers a glimpse into how I imagine my characters—not official representations. The heart of this project is my novel, Unfinished Melody. 💙

Meet Emma & Josh – The Heart of Unfinished Melody

Read more about Josh and Emma Here

And here: The Night Everything Changed

Check out Harp + Bard, the restaurant where it all “happened”