Page 28 of Since the Day We Wished

Emma’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. “I’m being serious. It was nothing and won’t ever be anything. Not anymore.”

Liam reached over, placing a comforting hand on her arm. “Em, it’s perfectly okay to take a breather, to allow your heart to mend. But from what I know about life, it has a mysterious way of bringing people together when we least expect it.”

The weight of his words echoed in her mind, gently nudging her guarded heart. She knew his advice came from a place of love, but the memories of her failed marriage were still vivid, like an open wound that hadn’t quite healed. It was a pain she didn’t want to revisit.

When they arrived at Second Chance Rescue and got out of the car, Charlotte ran over and went straight for Liam, hugging him like she hadn’t seen him in years.

“Hello, sweetheart. How have you been? How’s school?”

Charlotte bubbled over with excitement as she spoke. “Well, I was voted president of the history club. And I think we have a real chance of bringing home the State Championship in the History Bee this year.”

“That’s great news!” Liam raised his hand for a high-five. “I guess I’ll have to keep telling you my old stories so you can win.”

Emma looked on, a smile playing on her lips, observing Liam and Charlotte’s animated conversation. After retrieving bags of dog food and other supplies from the trunk, she made her way into the rescue center. As she walked in, the familiar chorus of barks and meows greeted her, guiding her to the volunteer room.

No sooner than she had placed the bags on the table, Kara's voice rang out. "There you are!" She approached Emma with a smile and gave her a hug.

“Hey you!”She squeezed Kara tightly then pulled back, scanning the room. “Looks like there’s a lot of new arrivals since last weekend.”

Kara sighed, “Yeah, it’s been a busy week. But every bit of help counts. Oh, and before I forget, this is for you.” She handed Emma a volunteer shirt. “What do you think? Lisa designed them for us.”

“Love these! They’re cute. Yeah, I just saw her an hour ago.” Emma slipped into the shirt.

“Oh yeah? We all need a girl’s night soon.”

“Yes! We totally should.”

As the conversation wrapped up, Emma joined the others in cleaning the kennels and feeding the animals. It was always a humbling experience for her to see the resilience of these animals who had been abandoned or abused. They still had so much love to give, and she felt privileged to be a part of their journey in finding a forever home.

After a few hours of hard work, it was time for a quick break. Emma grabbed a bottle of water and sat in the courtyard, where Liam and Charlotte were walking some of the dogs.

While she sipped her water, Liam's words from the car ride replayed in her mind.

Maybe lifereallyhad brought her and Luke together for a reason.

There was an undeniable charm about him, she thought, a gentle warmth that drew people in. As much as she enjoyed their time together, in her heart, she had already labeled it: a brief intersection of lives in a small town.

Nothing more.

After everything she had been through, she wasn't ready to risk her heart again, not yet. Even if, deep down, a small part of her wished things could be different, it was much safer for her to believe that all they would, and could only ever be, was friends.

Chapter 12

Luke

Luke glanced at his watch, then called up the stairs. “Jeremiah, come on, we’ve got to go!”The rescue was only a few miles away, but he didn’t want Jeremiah to be late for his first day of mandated community service.

“Be right there!” Jeremiah’s voice resonated through the house as he descended the staircase.

“Didn’t mean to yell. Just want you to be on time. That’s all,” Luke explained as he quickly opened and shut the front door. The rescue was only a few miles away, but he didn’t want Jeremiah to be late for his first day of mandated community service.

On the drive over, Jeremiah didn’t speak a word. Luke suspected he wasn’t excited about doing community service, but hoped that this experience might change his mind.

As they pulled up to the animal rescue, Luke observed the quaint nature of the building with its bright red door and white trim. The architecture was reminiscent of a small cottage with a pitched roof and small windows adorned with flower boxes. A polished brass sign hanging above the entrance featured a silhouette of a cat and a dog engraved with the text,Second Chance Animal Rescue.

Getting out of the car, Luke saw the girl from the Sheriff’s station standing a couple yards away. He glanced over at Jeremiah, thinking he would be thrilled to work with her, especially after he had protected her from her ex-boyfriend. Instead, Jeremiah’s face turned red, and he lowered his head, walking over to Luke.

“I changed my mind. I’d rather do the roadside clean-up,” Jeremiah whispered.

---