Page 57 of Since the Day We Wished

Emma’s heart skipped a beat. “Luke, what is this?”

“Everyone needs a present on their birthday. Go ahead. Open it.”

Emma carefully lifted the lid and found a shiny, silver bracelet inside. “It’s beautiful, Luke! You really didn’t have to, but I love it!”

“It’s a charm bracelet,” Luke explained, taking it and clasping it around her wrist. “One charm is a dog, and the other is a lighthouse.”

Her voice quivered with emotion as she examined the shape of the dog charm. “It looks just like Riley!”

Luke’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Yes, that charm represents how we met, when Riley ran back to your old house.” He paused for a moment, taking her hand in his. “And the lighthouse symbolizes the place where we had our first kiss.”

Tears welled up in Emma’s eyes as she leaned across the table and pressed her lips against Luke’s. “I love it so much, Luke. Thank you,” she whispered.

Luke smiled; his eyes filled with tenderness. “I wanted it to be special. Every moment, every detail,” he said, his voice soft and sincere.

Just then, the waiter came arrived their meals. After not eating anything today but her veggie wrap, Emma couldn’t wait to try her portabella steak.

She took a bite and watched as Luke did the same. “How is it?” she asked.

Luke’s eyes lit up as he wiped his mouth with the unrolled linen. “This is incredible! I can obviously tell there’s a difference from regular steak, but still, I’m impressed.”

“Yeah, plant-based food has come a long way over the years. Honestly, it used to be terrible, but not anymore.”

They carried on bantering and downing wine until a man they hardly noticed approached their table. “Luke? Is that you?”

Chapter 26

Luke

Luke couldn’t believe that he actually knew someone here, in Savannah, of all places. It was Adam Peterson from the Chicago office, and given that they were of a similar age, they had started their careers in finance around the same time. Luke plastered a business smile on his face and reached out to shake his colleague’s hand.

“Adam! What are you doing all the way down here?”

“We’re taking a short trip, checking out the sights,” Adam replied. “Macey and I always wanted to visit Savannah, but never got around to it. We had a free week, so we booked the flight! How about you? You live here now, right?”

Luke nodded, glancing over at Emma, then back to Adam. “I do. About an hour south from here in Hadley Cove.”

Adam shrugged his shoulders. “Never heard of it. So, you like it down here? You don’t miss the hustle and bustle of Chicago?”

“Not as much as I thought I would,” Luke admitted. After living in Chicago for so long, he was surprised by how much he didn’t miss it.

“Well, I guess you needed to slow down after working so hard,” Adam teased, grinning and patting Luke’s shoulder.

Adam Peterson was one of those rare businessmen who truly understood what mattered most in life. He knew the value of a happy home life and cherished it above all else. Luke admired him for his unwavering commitment to his own family. Adam had even turned down a coveted position as the director of a multinational corporation because it would have meant traveling for four months out of the year, and he didn’t want to miss out on spending time with his loved ones.

In some ways, Luke looked up to Adam for his steadfast priorities. But in other ways, he found him a bit annoying. When they worked together on clients, Adam would always leave at 5:00 sharp, never staying late or coming in on weekends. Meanwhile, Luke often found himself working well into the evening, lucky to make it home before 8:00. Kate would just leave him some dinner in the fridge to warm up.

Luke had always been driven by his ambition for success, his sights set high on climbing the corporate ladder. He was willing to put in long hours, sacrificing precious time with his family, to chase the higher-paying clients around the country. But as the years went by, and his career progressed, he began to see what he had lost in the process.

When he finally opened his eyes to what was truly important, it was too late. The damage was done, and he felt guilty about the sacrifices Kate had made for him. She had put her own ambitions on hold, supporting his career and taking care of Jeremiah. After Kate’s life was cut short, Luke was left with an overwhelming feeling of regret for all the time he had lost with his family.

Adam always told Luke he needed to make time for his family. While his advice was well-intentioned, it was difficult for Luke to take it to heart. Adam had grown up in the lap of luxury, the son of a tech mogul, and had never known what it was like to struggle financially. He was a smart guy, no doubt, and he knew how to succeed in business, but he had never had to worry about paying the bills or putting food on the table. Even if he lost his job tomorrow, he would still have his trust fund to fall back on. Adam couldn’t understand the pressure that Luke was under to provide for his family and maintain the comfortable lifestyle they had become accustomed to. Luke knew that he had to work hard and sacrifice time with his family to keep everything afloat, and it wasn’t a choice he made lightly.

“So, how is the office?” Luke asked, trying to be friendly.

Adam chuckled. “Oh, you know I don’t like to talk business when I’m on vacation, Luke. But it’s going well overall.”

Luke titled his head upward, forcing a smile. “Did you say your wife is here?”

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