Mile after mile (The miles #2)
CHAPTER ONE
Home Again
Luke Carter groaned, reached across the nightstand, and slapped it silent before it could wake Emily completely.
He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling for a moment.
Life had changed.
Not all that long ago, every morning had started with uncertainty. Now there was warmth beside him, the soft rhythm of Emily’s breathing, and a little rented house that somehow felt more like home than anywhere he’d ever lived.
Emily stirred beside him, her hair covering half her face.
“You’re staring again,” she mumbled without opening her eyes.
Luke smiled.
“I was thinking.”
“Dangerous.”
“For you maybe.”
She cracked one eye open.
“What are you thinking about?”
He shrugged.
“How lucky I am.”
Emily rolled her eyes dramatically.
“Too early for cheesy.”
“It was worth a shot.”
She reached over and squeezed his hand.
“I still love you.”
“I know.”
“But if you don’t leave for work in fifteen minutes, we’re going to be living under a bridge.”
Luke laughed.
“Good point.”
By seven o’clock, they were sitting at the tiny kitchen table sharing breakfast.
Bills were scattered between the coffee mugs.
Emily sighed as she looked at another envelope.
“I swear they multiply overnight.”
Luke leaned back.
“They probably do.”
“The power bill went up.”
“I noticed.”
“The insurance went up.”
“I noticed that too.”
“And groceries…”
“I definitely noticed groceries.”
Emily looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“You’re taking this surprisingly well.”
Luke grinned.
“If I panic too, then we’re both in trouble.”
She smiled despite herself.
“I hate how expensive everything is.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
“You always say that.”
“Because we always do.”
Emily reached across the table and took his hand.
She believed him.
Not because life had been easy.
Because somehow, no matter what happened, Luke always found a way forward.
That evening Luke pulled into the driveway just before sunset.
Emily was already waiting on the porch.
“You look exhausted,” she said.
“I am.”
“Long day?”
“The longest.”
She wrapped her arms around him.
The stress of the day melted away.
“Come on,” she said.
“I made dinner.”
“What are we having?”
“You’ll see.”
“If it’s another salad…”
She laughed.
“It’s not.”
“Then today just got better.”
After dinner they sat on the porch with two glasses of sweet tea.
The summer air was warm, and the neighborhood was quiet except for children riding bicycles somewhere down the street.
Emily rested her head on Luke’s shoulder.
“You ever think about what comes next?”
“Every day.”
“What do you see?”
Luke didn’t answer right away.
“A little house.”
Emily smiled.
“Bigger than this one?”
“Much.”
“A porch?”
“Absolutely.”
“A barn.”
“Yep.”
“Horses.”
“Two.”
Emily looked up at him.
“And dogs?”
Luke grinned.
“A few.”
“So more than one?”
“Yeah.”
Emily laughed.
“And what kind?”
“Well, my family has always had Boston terriers.”
“That sounds like you—energetic at times, playful for a few minutes, then pretty lazy, hard to wake up, and definitely a snorer.”
“Very funny.”
“I have always wanted a bigger dog.”
Luke pretended to think.
“We can look around and try to find something for both of us.”
Emily closed her eyes and smiled.
“It sounds perfect.”
“It’ll happen.”
“You really believe that?”
“I do.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“I never said it would.”
He squeezed her hand.
“We’ve already made it through the hardest miles.”
Emily looked toward the fading sunset.
“So what are these?”
Luke smiled.
“The rest of them.”
She leaned against him as the sky turned shades of orange and pink.
Neither of them knew what tomorrow would bring.
Neither of them expected a single message to change everything.
But for one quiet evening, they simply enjoyed being home.