Chapter 13
Emma
It was a perfect day for a walk, Emma thought, as her footsteps echoed on the pavement, crossing the street with Luke by her side. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore could be heard in the distance as they made their way down to the beach.
As Emma spent time with Luke, she found herself drawn to his easy-going nature, his thoughtfulness, and his genuine kindness. He was a breath of fresh air, and she felt comfortable around him in a way she hadn’t with Chad.
Continuing down the boardwalk, Emma confided in Luke, giving him advice about Jeremiah, and he listened attentively, showing a level of care and understanding that touched her heart.
Although Luke’s warmth and sincerity was disarming, memories of her failed marriage with Chad lingered, reminding her of the fa?ade that some men put on in the early stages of a relationship, only to reveal their true colors later on. Emma was no stranger to ignoring red flags in the past. She had hoped Chad would change, so she turned a blind eye to the warning signs, only to end up where she was now.
Emma questioned her own judgment, fearful of repeating past mistakes and misjudging Luke’s true intentions. She wrapped herself in the comfort of their blossoming friendship, thinking it was the safer option. Yet in her quietest moments, when her heart whispered truths her mind dared not voice, she couldn’t ignore the undeniable connection growing between her and Luke.
As they approached the beach entrance, the smell of fried food wafted toward them from a nearby food truck.
“Is there anything here for you?”
Luke asked, his eyes scanning the menu.
Emma smiled, touched by his consideration. “I usually go for the boardwalk fries. I haven’t had them in almost a year.”
Luke turned to the cashier. “Can we get your largest size of boardwalk fries?”
“Coming right up!”
The man behind the window smiled as he took Luke’s payment.
Emma let out a soft, amused chuckle that hung in the air. It was the sound of someone who had been through this before and knew what to expect.
Luke looked at her, his brows knit together in confusion. “What?”
“That’s what.”
Emma raised her arm, pointing ahead.
Luke’s eyes widened as he turned back to the vendor. He had accidentally ordered the jumbo size, which was enormous—roughly equivalent to a quart of fries doused in vinegar and salt.
“Well, I hope you’re really hungry,”
Luke joked.
Emma smiled as she pulled out a piping hot fry and took a bite. “I actually am. I skipped breakfast this morning, so this will do nicely.”
As they stepped onto the sandy shore, Emma took the lead, moving in the opposite direction of the beachgoers who were frolicking in the water and lounging under the sun.
Luke glanced at Emma, puzzled. “Where are we going?”
Emma flashed a mischievous grin. “Just keep following me. I promise, it’ll be worth your while,”
she said, excitement lacing her words.
She led him to a stone wall and slipped behind one of the larger rocks. Curious, Luke trailed her, peering over her shoulder.
His eyes widened in amazement when he saw there was an entire path hidden behind the wall. “Wow! This is incredible.”
“Wait until you see where it leads,”
Emma teased with a smile.
As they walked along the hidden path, Luke looked up and saw a towering lighthouse in the distance.
Emma’s eyes scanned the surroundings until she spotted a picnic table nestled at the base of the lighthouse. “Let’s sit there and finish the fries,”
she said, nodding in its direction. As they strolled toward it, the ocean came into view, stretching out as far as Emma could see. A small sloop bobbed on the gray-green waves, leaving a trail of white foam in its wake. The palm trees lining the beach rustled and swayed with the gentle ocean breeze.
They sat down and talked about their lives, hopes, and dreams. Before they knew it, the jumbo bucket of fries was all gone, and they had been sitting there for two hours.
Emma’s eyes darted down to her watch, and her jaw dropped. “Is that really the time?”
Luke chuckled. “I guess it is. We should probably head back now, don’t you think?”
Emma nodded, and as she rose from the bench, she stumbled, her foot catching on a large rock. Luke reacted instinctively and grabbed her in one swift movement, his arms wrapping around her waist to steady her.
“Th-thank you,”
Emma stammered, her heart racing as she gazed into his eyes. “For catching me.”
Luke smiled. “Anytime.”
Emma turned away from him as her cheeks blossomed with crimson and the butterflies danced in her stomach. She hadn’t anticipated such a visceral reaction to being close to Luke. Her mind raced with thoughts, trying to rationalize her attraction to him. She couldn’t deny that she felt safe in his embrace, that something about his presence awakened the very core of her being.
As they walked back, Emma replayed the moment in her head, reliving the sensation of being held in his strong arms. A symphony of emotions, alluring yet terrifying, stirred within her, as she reconciled the magnetic pull Luke had on her with her fear of getting hurt again. Emma struggled to diminish the significance of her emotions, attempting to convince herself that it was only a fleeting moment of attraction. Still, she was compelled to acknowledge the gentle whisper in the back of her mind. It was a truth she wasn’t prepared to confront just yet; the possibility that their friendship held more beneath the surface, a fact that lingered in the silent spaces between each heartbeat.
When they arrived back at the rescue parking lot, Emma turned and faced Luke. “Thanks for the walk. And the fries. And also, for making sure I didn’t face plant,”
she said with a smile.
“Well, I wasn’t going to just watch you fall.”
Luke laughed. “Next time, I’ll think twice about ordering the jumbo size. I probably won’t have to eat lunch now. We should do it again sometime.”
Emma’s heart fluttered at the thought of spending more time with him, but she tried to play it cool. “Yeah, that would be fun.”
Arriving back at the rescue, Emma and Luke fell into an awkward silence, unsure of what to say to each other. Finally, Emma turned to Luke and spoke up.
“Well, I’d better find Grandpa before he ends up staying for an extra shift. He’s been known to do that,”
Emma said with a tinge of disappointment in her voice, not wanting their afternoon together to end.
“I’ll leave you to it then. Bye Emma.”
“See ya later, Luke.”
As they said their goodbyes, Emma walked toward the rescue building, replaying the day’s events. Lost in her thoughts, she was caught off guard as the rescue doors flew open and Charlotte stormed out.
“Ugh!”
Charlotte bellowed, almost running into Emma.
Emma reached out and grabbed her arm. “Hey, are you okay? What’s going on?”
Charlotte groaned. “Oh, nothing. And everything. Why do guys have to be so frustrating sometimes? Or all the time?”
“You’re going to have to give me a little more to go off of than that,”
Emma told her.
“He told me that I look prettier when I smile, but I’m not his type because I’m way ‘too bossy’ for him,”
Charlotte said, holding up air quotes. “Jeremiah’s mad because I had to babysit him today when we had to walk the dogs. He couldn’t even put on their leash harnesses without my help.”
Emma observed Charlotte’s uncharacteristic irritation and anger. She had never seen her so affected by anyone before, except when she argued with her mother, which was always infused with humor. She almost wanted to laugh but knew it wouldn’t help the situation.
At that moment, Jeremiah came walking out of the rescue and toward the car, looking over at Charlotte out of the corner of his eye. She spotted him and folded her arms, lifting her gaze up to the sky and doing everything she could to ignore him. Emma cracked a smile, which she hid under her hand.
After Jeremiah got in the passenger side, Luke pulled out of the parking lot, waving goodbye to Emma and she waved back.
Charlotte grabbed her hand and forced it down. “Don’t wave at him. He doesn’t deserve it.”
Emma turned back to the sulking teenage girl in front of her. “Who? Luke?”
She shook her head. “Not Luke. It’s the son who has some major issues. I think he might need to go back to preschool and learn the basics on being polite.”
Emma wanted to tell Charlotte to give him a break but decided against it. She was already mad enough, and she didn’t want to make it worse.
“Well, here’s my best girls.”
Liam walked up to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Don’t worry about that boy, sweetheart.”
Charlotte sighed. “I’ve got to go back inside.”
Liam and Emma watched as Charlotte hurried back through the main doors.
“Well, shall we go and get some ice cream?”
Liam asked.
“Oh...”
Emma put a hand on her full stomach. “Can I take a raincheck on that ice cream?”
Liam smiled. “Of course. It’s about time for my afternoon nap anyway.”
“Let’s head back to your house then.”
A few minutes later, Emma pulled onto the road and started off in the direction of Liam’s house.
“Hey Grandpa, how was Jeremiah today?”
Liam turned to her. “He was fine. Quiet, that one. Although he did say something to Charlotte that got under her skin.”
“His mother, Luke’s wife, passed away two years ago,”
Emma told him. “And since then, he’s been having trouble expressing his emotions and anyone else he comes into contact with, but more so his father. You saw the interaction between them. They don’t talk.”
Liam nodded. “He’s hurting, that’s all. He’s in the anger stage of grief, most likely. He’ll come around. Jeremiah’s a bright boy. I just wish he didn’t upset poor Charlotte.”
Emma chuckled. “Poor Charlotte indeed.”
“So, why do you care so much about Luke and his son?”
Liam teased. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
“Grandpa, come on.”
“Where did you two run off to? Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
Emma blushed and looked out her window. “We just took a walk. It was nothing.”
Liam grinned. “Okay, Em. If you say so.”
After dropping her grandfather off, Emma headed home. As she opened the front door, Riley eagerly greeted her with enthusiastic jumps and slobbers. Letting out a yawn, she realized an afternoon nap was exactly what she needed. After taking Riley out for a quick bathroom break, she returned inside and promptly dozed off on the couch.
A few hours later, Emma had woken up and tidied up the house before making dinner. She pulled out a bag of frozen vegetables and tofu to stir-fry. When she had thrown everything into the wok, her phone started buzzing. She rushed to grab it from the counter, noticing that it was a text from an unknown number. Anticipation bubbled up inside her as she opened and read the message.
Luke: Hey, it’s Luke. I hope it’s alright if I text you.
The grin on Emma’s face spread from ear to ear.
Emma: Of course, it’s alright. But how’d you get my number? And why didn’t you ask for it earlier? : )
Luke: I got it from Ada, who insisted I reach out to you, even though I told her I just saw you this afternoon. And I didn’t ask for it today because I didn’t want to seem too forward.
As they texted back and forth, Emma tapped away at her phone, her hands almost blurring in speed. Her eyes kept flicking to the stir-fry bubbling on the stove, but she paid no mind as she scorched the tofu. Meanwhile a fire lit in her chest, her heart beating wildly as she waited for each response from Luke, every syllable consuming her thoughts more than the food itself.
Emma sat down at the table and salvaged the food she hadn’t burned, experiencing a little thrill every time her phone buzzed with a notification.
Emma: It’s not too forward. Text me anytime. : )
Luke: Okay, I will.
As they texted back and forth, Emma sank back into the chair with a contented sigh, savoring the last bites of her dinner in a blissful silence. She found herself wandering down a mental path leading to Luke, his presence in her mind as comforting as his actual one. She imagined what it would be like to be with him, captivated by his trustworthy aura and the way he held her so perfectly in his arms, even if it had only been to keep her from falling on her face.
Admitting to herself that she had a bit of a crush on Luke, Emma realized that discovering what this meant would be best taken one day at a time, just as the most beautiful of sunrises couldn’t be rushed. For now, she would live in the moment, relishing each flutter of her heart, and let destiny chart its course.