Tag: Childhood Sweethearts

Dear Diary: A Summer Dance (1987)

Before fame, heartbreak, and second chances, Emma Sinclair and Josh McGuire were two kids growing up together in Boston.

This Emma and Josh diary entry takes us back to the summer of 1987, when a family cookout and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” turned an ordinary summer evening into a memory worth keeping.

Here’s a little glimpse into Emma’s world before everything changed. ❤️

Emma and Josh Diary — Summer 1987

Dear Diary,

Today was the best day!

I know I say that a lot.

We went over to the McGuires’ for a cookout. Their backyard is huge, and they always have strings of lights hanging up for when it starts getting dark.

I call them twinkle lights.

Anyway, it wasn’t even dark yet, and I was sitting in a chair talking to Molly when “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” started playing on the radio.

It’s a new song, and I love it!

Next thing I know, Josh is pulling me out of my chair to dance.

He didn’t even ask me!

He just grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

I tried to protest because I didn’t want to put on a show in front of everybody.

Josh, on the other hand?

He’s the showman.

I laughed the entire time as he spun me around till I was dizzy.

We ended up falling onto the grass, laughing so hard I could barely catch my breath.

When Josh started to get up, he stopped and leaned over me, his face close to mine.

He just stared at me.

For a second, I thought he might kiss me.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he stood up and held out both hands to help me off the ground.

I was still a little dizzy when I got to my feet, and Josh noticed.

He grabbed me before I could fall again and said, “Careful Em. You’re gonna fall for me.”

I just rolled my eyes and said, “In your dreams, McGuire.”

He grinned.

When I went back to sit with Molly, she had this stupid smile on her face.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said.

“Molly!”

She started laughing.

“You should’ve seen the way he was looking at you.”

I could feel my face getting hot.

“He was just being Josh.”

“Uh-huh. Sure.”

I wanted to throw something at her.

Sisters are so annoying sometimes!

Anyway, I can’t wait for the next cookout.

And I hope Whitney Houston comes on the radio again.

Want to hear the song that inspired this diary entry? You can find it here ➡️ I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston

Read more diary entries here: Emma’s Diary

The First Time Josh Really Saw Emma | Unfinished Melody Bonus Scene

Before Emma and Josh became each other’s first love, there was a moment when ten-year-old Josh first began to see his best friend’s little sister differently. In this Unfinished Melody bonus scene, we step into Josh’s point of view and revisit the moment he realized there was something special about Emma.

Josh’s POV — 1983

I don’t remember the first time I laid eyes on Emma.
Not really.
Our families had known each other for as long as I could remember. She was Mitchell’s little sister. She was always there.
But I remember the first time I really saw her.
I was ten years old.
She was sitting on the front porch of her house, reading a book.
I smiled at her.
She smiled back.
She was wearing a blue knit dress covered in little white daisies, and her blonde hair was braided.
I remember asking what she was reading.
“Charlotte’s Web,” she said in that soft, sweet voice.
I’d seen Emma sitting on that porch with a book a hundred times before.
But for some reason, that day was different.
That was the moment I realized I liked her in a way I didn’t like any other girl.

Song for this memory: Just One Look – Doris Troy – YouTube Video

New to Emma and Josh’s story? Explore the World of Unfinished Melody and discover where their story begins.

Dear Diary: Tonight Something BIG happened

In this entry from Emma’s Diary, thirteen-year-old Emma remembers her first Block 213 concert and the night Josh turned an unforgettable performance into something much more personal.

Dear Diary,

Tonight! Tonight something BIG happened.

I went to a Block 213 concert. Mom got tickets for me and Olivia.

I was so excited.

Let me just tell you.

Josh KISSED me.

It wasn’t just a peck either.

In front of a whole crowd of fans.

There were thousands of girls screaming for these guys.

Then there was me.

Standing in the front row with Olivia.

He dedicated the song to me.

He started singing it, and at the end, he jumped off the stage and came right up to me.

I know my face turned beet red.

Not because he kissed me.

But because he did it in front of EVERYONE.

Then he kissed me again when I went backstage to see him.

He seemed so happy to see me.

I was so happy to see him too.

I just got home and couldn’t wait to write about it.

The way it felt.

What I felt.

It wasn’t like before.

I can’t even explain it.

All I know is, I love him.

And I believe he loves me too.

Interested in reading more about Emma and Josh’s history? Check out more from Emma’s Diary

Want to read the full story? Read paperback, eBook or with Kindle Unlimited here: Unfinished Melody – Amazon