Page 78 of Since the Day We Wished

They gazed into each other’s eyes, filling the moment with tenderness and tension. Luke reached down and grabbed Emma’s hand, squeezing it. Her mind wandered to the time Luke looked into her eyes before kissing her on top of the Bridwell Lighthouse. She could still recall every intricate detail, as vividly as if it happened yesterday. The woody and spicy notes of his cologne, which blended seamlessly with the scent of the crisp night air. The starlit sky, with its twinkling constellations, casting a magical glow around them. In her mind, she had replayed that night countless times, each memory more cherished than the last.

At that moment, Luke’s phone rang, breaking the spell between them. Clearing his throat, Luke pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked down.

“Sorry, it’s Jeremiah. Hold on one second.”

He hit the talk button and took a step back.

“Hey bud. What’s up? Dinner? Uh, yeah, I can pick something up. What are you in the mood for? Subs? You got it. I’m heading into the store now to grab your calculator, and then I’ll pick up the food. I’ll be home soon. Okay. Bye.”

Luke hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. “Looks like I’m grabbing dinner for the prisoner.”

“How is the suspension going?” Emma asked.

“Good. Great, actually.”

Emma wanted to ask more about Jeremiah and how they were getting along, but knew it was none of her business anymore.

“So, how about you?” he asked. “Are you headed home?”

That’s when Emma remembered her car troubles and threw her hands in the air. “Oh. Well, I can’t. My car won’t start. It was fine when I drove here, but now it won’t turn on.”

Luke’s face filled with concern. “Oh no. Can I do anything? Do you need a ride home?”

Emma was torn, her heart longing to be alone with him again but her head telling her it would only make things harder. She let out a sigh, a mix of frustration and disappointment. “No, no, that’s okay. But can I use your phone? I was going to call for a tow, but I realized I left my phone at home.”

“Of course.” Luke fished in his pocket and pulled out his phone, punched in the unlock code, and handed it to her.

“Thank you. I’m just going to call Lisa to come pick me up.” Emma punched in her number and hit send while Luke waited.

“Hey, Lisa. It’s Emma.”

“What? Why are you calling from Luke’s phone?” Lisa asked. “Are y’all back together?”

Emma hoped Luke didn’t overhear Lisa’s question. “No. I’m calling because I left my phone at home and my car is dead. Can you come and pick me up? I’m at the supermarket.”

“Say no more. I’ll be there in twenty minutes!”

After hanging up with Lisa, Emma handed the phone back to Luke. “Thank you. That really saved me from trying to track down a payphone. I doubt any exist anymore.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen one,” he said. “Well, I should probably—”

“Yeah, you should probably do your shopping. I’m going to wait here until Lisa shows up.”

“You don’t need anything from inside?” Luke asked.

Emma let out a bubbly laugh, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I already went in. It was good to see you, Luke. And thanks again for helping me.”

“Anytime. It was the least I could do,” he said, giving her a knowing wink before walking away.

Emma turned and got back into her car. She huddled into the seat and took a deep breath. As her eyes traveled up to the rearview mirror, she watched Luke walk across the parking lot and into the store. He wasn’t walking with his usual swagger. His shoulders were slumped, and his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jeans. Although he had seemed to be doing alright, maybe he was hurting as much as her. Her heart and head warred against one another, struggling for the upper hand. What her heart wanted and what she needed were two different things, and it would take all her strength to stay the course. She had broken up with him for a good reason: to avoid furthering strife between Luke and Jeremiah’s already strained father-son relationship.

Emma wiped away a tear as she thought about the future. It was bittersweet to think about Luke and Jeremiah moving forward without her, but it was what was best for everyone involved. She had to stay strong, no matter how hard it was, and trust that everything would work out in the end.

Chapter 40

Luke

The scent of Emma’s hair lingered, wafting up from his shirt as he entered the supermarket. His thoughts were consumed by her and the seamless way she nestled into his arms as though they were designed just for her. He didn’t want to leave Emma, especially knowing she was in so much distress.

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