CHAPTER FOUR
A Better Opportunity
Monday morning arrived far too quickly.
Luke stood in front of the bathroom mirror adjusting his work shirt while Emily leaned against the doorway brushing her hair.
“You know,” she said, “I think Mondays should be illegal.”
Luke chuckled.
“I’d vote for that.”
“They’re rude.”
“They really are.”
Emily walked over and straightened his collar.
“There.”
“What would I do without you?”
“You’d leave the house looking like you got dressed in the dark.”
“I resemble that remark.”
She smiled and kissed him before he headed out the door.
“Have a good day.”
“You too.”
The morning dragged.
Luke tried to focus on work, but his mind kept wandering.
He thought about the little farmhouse they dreamed about.
The horses.
The dogs.
Evenings at home instead of getting back after dark.
During lunch, he opened his phone and began searching local job listings.
One posting caught his attention.
A maintenance supervisor position for a manufacturing company just twenty-five minutes from home.
Monday through Friday.
No overnight travel.
Weekends off.
He read it twice.
Then a third time.
His heart beat just a little faster.
“This could be it,” he whispered.
That evening, Luke walked through the front door with a grin Emily noticed immediately.
“What happened?”
“I found something.”
Emily raised an eyebrow.
“What kind of something?”
“A job.”
Her eyes widened.
“Really?”
He nodded.
“I haven’t applied yet.”
“But?”
“I think I will tonight.”
Emily wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m proud of you.”
“I haven’t even gotten an interview.”
“You took the first step.”
Luke smiled.
“That counts.”
“It absolutely counts.”
After dinner, Luke sat at the kitchen table with his laptop open.
Emily sat beside him reading every line of his résumé.
“You forgot to capitalize Oregon.”
“I did?”
She pointed.
“Right there.”
Luke laughed.
“Good catch.”
“And this sentence sounds like a robot wrote it.”
“It probably did.”
Emily laughed.
“Let’s fix it.”
An hour later, Luke clicked the Submit Application button.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.
“Well…”
Emily smiled.
“Well?”
“It’s out there.”
She reached across the table and squeezed his hand.
“No matter what happens…”
Luke looked at her.
“I’m proud of you for trying.”
He smiled.
“Thanks.”
She tilted her head.
“Now…”
“What?”
“I think this deserves ice cream.”
Luke didn’t hesitate.
“I like the way you celebrate.”
They drove to their favorite little ice cream shop just before sunset.
Luke ordered a double scoop of huckleberry.
Emily ordered chocolate with cookie dough.
“You always steal my cookie dough,” she said.
“I don’t steal.”
“You absolutely steal.”
“I sample.”
She laughed.
“That’s called stealing.”
Luke grinned and scooped one cookie dough bite from her cone.
“There.”
“You just proved my point.”
“Worth it.”
Emily shook her head, smiling as they walked toward a nearby bench.
For the next hour they talked about everything.
Dream houses.
Future vacations.
Horse names.
Dog names.
Jobs.
Life.
None of it was certain.
But for the first time, it finally felt like the future wasn’t waiting for them.
It was something they were beginning to build together—one choice, one dream, and one mile at a time.