CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
One More Drive
A week before the wedding, Luke looked over at Emily during breakfast.
“I’ve got an idea.”
Emily smiled.
“Should I be worried?”
“Probably not.”
She laughed.
“That’s not exactly reassuring.”
Luke grinned.
“Let’s take one more road trip.”
Emily tilted her head.
“Where?”
“Nowhere in particular.”
She smiled.
“I like the sound of that.”
? ? ?
They climbed into Luke’s pickup just after sunrise.
Oscar watched from the front window, whining dramatically as they pulled away.
“I know,” Luke laughed. “We’ll be home tonight.”
Kira calmly sat beside the window, watching them leave.
Winston barely lifted his head from the porch before deciding another nap was far more important.
Emily looked back and smiled.
“I think they’ll survive one day without us.”
“I think Oscar will write us a strongly worded complaint.”
? ? ?
They followed the Columbia River east, windows down and country music playing softly through the speakers.
The familiar cliffs and winding river reminded them of so many earlier adventures.
Emily rested her hand on Luke’s.
“I’ve always loved this drive.”
“So have I.”
About thirty minutes later, Emily looked over with a sheepish grin.
Luke smiled before she even spoke.
“You have to pee.”
Emily burst into laughter.
“How do you always know?”
“I’ve been trained.”
She laughed so hard she had to wipe away tears.
“You make it sound like a special skill.”
“It absolutely is.”
Luke took the next exit toward a rest area.
As Emily climbed back into the truck a few minutes later, she smiled.
“Thank you.”
“I had it planned.”
“You planned for this?”
Luke grinned.
“I’ve learned a few things over the years.”
? ? ?
Later that afternoon, they found a quiet overlook high above the Columbia River.
A gentle breeze swept through the trees as they sat on a weathered wooden bench.
Emily looked out across the water.
“You know…”
Luke glanced over.
“What?”
“We’ve had some pretty amazing adventures.”
“We have.”
“The concerts.”
“The fairs.”
“The fireworks.”
“The vacation.”
“The horse shows.”
Luke smiled.
“And the gummy bears.”
Emily laughed so hard she leaned against him.
“You promised you wouldn’t bring that up.”
“I made no such promise.”
She shook her head.
“I should’ve known.”
? ? ?
They stayed until sunset.
The sky slowly turned orange, pink, and deep purple as the river reflected every color.
Luke slipped his arm around Emily.
“If you could relive one day…”
Emily thought for a moment.
“I couldn’t.”
Luke looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because every day led us here.”
Luke smiled.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
She looked at him.
“What about you?”
“I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Not even the hard days?”
Luke shook his head.
“Especially not the hard days.”
Emily squeezed his hand.
“They made us stronger.”
“They made us appreciate the good days.”
? ? ?
As darkness settled over the Gorge, they headed home.
The farmhouse lights glowed warmly in the distance as they turned into the driveway.
Oscar greeted them with dramatic whining, as though they’d been gone for weeks.
Kira happily wagged her tail.
Winston slowly walked onto the porch, gave them one sleepy glance, and yawned.
Luke laughed.
“I think that’s the warmest welcome we’re getting from him.”
Emily smiled.
“I think so.”
They stood together on the porch for a long moment before going inside.
In just one week, they would stand before their family and friends and promise forever.
But tonight…
It was just another quiet drive.
Another shared laugh.
Another memory added to the thousands they had already made.
And Luke knew that, years from now, these ordinary days would be the ones they remembered most.