Chapter 19
Emma
“Ah, that’s my reminder,”
Luke said, looking down at his phone. “Jeremiah’s done volunteering. I have to pick him up. You wanna walk back with me?”
The intense moment with Luke had left her flustered and unable to focus. Despite her desire to leave with him, she found herself rooted to the spot, feeling like her knees might buckle beneath her if she tried to stand. “I think I’m gonna hang out a bit longer and wait for Lisa. I’m sure she’ll want to grab something to eat. It’s the least I could do after she watched Riley for me.”
Luke smiled at her and stood up. “Alright, well I’ll call you soon.”
He leaned over and gave her a quick hug, then walked off the terrace and onto the beach.
Pulling out her phone, she sent a quick text to Lisa.
I’m done. Can you meet me at The Point?
Emma set her phone down and looked back into the restaurant, observing the other couples who were eating, drinking, and laughing. She was relieved that she didn’t see Chad and Ashley anymore; their table had been cleared and refilled. Though the band was still playing, the music had faded in the background of her thoughts, which were consumed by the warm and spicy scent of his cologne that still lingered. She kept replaying how he grabbed her hand and led her to the terrace. As he pulled her in closer, it was as if a spell had cast upon them. But then, he stepped back, breaking the enchantment.
Although Emma wished Luke had kissed her in that perfect moment, she knew she had to tread carefully to protect her fragile heart. She wanted to explore her feelings for Luke, but she was also wary of rushing into something she might not be fully ready for. To Emma, it wasn’t just about finding love again, but also about finding herself and healing the wounds of her past.
Carmen returned to their table as Emma was lost in her thoughts about Luke. “Where is your man? Did he leave already?”
“He had to leave and pick up his son.”
Carmen took the seat Luke had vacated moments ago. “You look so happy with him. Girl, he’s a keeper.”
“Well, he is a great guy,”
Emma said, blushing with a shy smile.
Just then, Lisa showed up on the terrace with Riley in tow. She pulled up another chair and sat down between the two of them. “What did I miss?”
“I’ll tell you about it on our walk home. I need a few minutes,”
Emma said, rubbing her knees.
Lisa gave Emma a knowing look and laughed. “Don’t make me wait. Can we stay for one drink? Please? I did watch your dog for you while you went on a date with your dream guy.”
“It wasn’t a date,”
Emma said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “It was two friends grabbing lunch. And yes, we can stay for a drink. I’ll even buy it since you so graciously watched Riley for me.”
“That sounds like a good deal. Carmen, can I get a Pi?a colada?”
“And I guess I’ll take another margarita,”
Emma added.
Carmen sprang up from her chair. “I’ll be right back!”
As she left, Emma bent down to give Riley a head scratch. “Did you have fun with Aunt Lisa?”
Riley put his nose up to her hands, smelling the food she had eaten. “You’re probably hungry. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you when we get back home.”
“Well, here’s a little something to tide you over in the meantime.”
Lisa reached into the beach bag she had with her and pulled out a small container with treats, handing one to Riley. Seeming satisfied for now, Riley stretched and laid down at their feet.
“Alright, you have to tell me what happened,”
Lisa urged her. “And don’t spare any of the details!”
“Okay. So, we were walking down the beach toward The Point....”
Nearly an hour had passed before Emma finished telling the entire story. The sun had descended toward the horizon, painting the sky in a warm palette of oranges, pinks, and purples, casting a serene glow over the beach.
Lisa leaned back in her chair with her mouth dropped open.
“I can’t wait to root for #teamLemma!”
She reached up, forcing Emma to give her a high five. “So, how did you two leave it? When are you going to see him again?”
“He said he’d call,”
Emma said wistfully.
Lisa sensed something was bugging her. “Emma? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I’m a little worried that it’s too soon after the divorce to have feelings for another man.”
“Emma, you look happy, and that’s what matters to me,”
Lisa reassured her, reaching over to grab her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “There’s no set timeline for matters of the heart. The heart wants what it wants, and it doesn’t always have to make sense.”
“I just wonder—did I ever truly love Chad? Because if I did, how can I have feelings for someone else so soon after the divorce? What if I’m using Luke as a rebound guy? I don’t want to hurt him like that.”
Lisa gave Emma a reassuring look. “You’re overthinking things again, Emma,”
she said softly. “It’s okay to have feelings for someone else after a divorce. You deserve to be happy, and Luke seems to bring that happiness to you. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
Emma took a deep breath, realizing she was putting unnecessary pressure on herself. “You might be right,”
she admitted, grateful for Lisa’s comforting presence.
Lisa swirled the straw in her empty glass. “Should we get another one?”
“No way,”
Emma told her. “I’m already gonna have a headache tomorrow, and I don’t want to be hungover in a classroom full of kids. I think it’s time for us to go.”
Lisa reluctantly agreed and gathered her things as Emma’s phone began to ring. They both looked down at the name on the ID and gasped. It was Luke.
“I can’t answer it,”
Emma told her, pushing the phone away. “I have too much on my mind about all this.”
“Come on, don’t be a baby,”
Lisa teased, picking up the phone and answering it. She then handed it to Emma, forcing her to talk to him.
“Hey, Emma.”
Her heart fluttered as she heard Luke’s deep, husky voice on the other end of the line. Lisa’s words echoed in her head, urging her to stop overthinking things.
She had dismissed her lunch with Luke as only friends hanging out, but deep down, Emma knew there was something more to it.
She couldn’t deny the chemistry between them, the way his presence made her feel alive. Despite her efforts to downplay her feelings, she found herself drawn to him in ways she couldn’t fully comprehend.
The more she tried to rationalize her emotions, the more she realized that matters of the heart defied any attempts at explanation.