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At the school, Luke spotted Jeremiah bursting through the main doors, making a beeline for the SUV. Once his son was settled inside, Luke rolled the window up and switched off the music.
“So, how was it?” Luke asked, turning out of the parking lot. “Make any new friends?”
Jeremiah turned away and stared out the window.
“Well, how about lunch? Was the food alright? We can pick something up later if you want to bring it in tomorrow.”
“Don’t act like you care,” Jeremiah said.
Luke’s body tensed, coiled like a tightly wound spring, as he pulled the car over to the side of the road.
Jeremiah whipped his head around. “What are you doing? I can’t be late to the rescue. Right?”
Luke centered himself with a measured breath to steady his nerves. “Look, son. I’m not perfect. And I know I’ve failed you in every possible way. But since Mom passed, I’ve been trying to make things right between us. I’m trying—I really am.” He hesitated, his voice cracking slightly. “You know, I lost her too.”
Jeremiah kept his eyes fixed out the window and didn’t respond.
Embracing the silence, Luke dropped the subject, hopeful that some of his words had struck a chord with his son.
As they arrived at Second Chance Rescue, Luke spotted a group of playful puppies tumbling around in the outdoor enclosure. “I’ll be back here in three hours. We can pick up some pizza for dinner—your choice.”
Jeremiah gave a faint nod and quickly stepped out and went inside.
With a few hours to spare, Luke wasn’t quite ready to head straight home. The nearby beach seemed inviting, especially with such great weather. He decided to drive over and parked right by the entrance.
After locking the car, he fell into step with the other beachgoers. The scents of saltwater taffy and popcorn drifted from the nearby vendors as seagulls circled overhead, their calls mingling with the murmur of the waves.
Venturing farther down the shoreline, he passed dunes covered in tall grass swaying in the gentle breeze. Beyond them, the water sparkled in the sunlight, reflecting the azure sky above. The sand was cool under his bare feet, and the water just as refreshing as it lapped at his toes. With each step, memories of Kate, Jeremiah, and the move to this small town surfaced in his mind.
Had it been the right decision?
Kate always seemed to think it would be. She didn’t mind the big city, but he knew she only lived there for him. She belonged in a place like this near the water, and strangely enough, now so did he.
Luke’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of a familiar face bounding toward him. “Riley!” he called out with a smile, kneeling to pet the dog he had come to know during his week-long stay. Riley wagged his tail, clearly happy to see Luke, as though they were old friends. “What are you doing out here, boy?”
Luke’s eyes swept the area, looking for Emma, hoping he’d see her again.
“Riley! Riley, where’d you go?” a woman called out.
Luke turned around to see a blonde woman he hadn’t met before. Her smile hinted at a curious sense of recognition, as if she already knew him.
“Luke, right?”
“That’s right,” he said, tilting his head. “But I’m sorry, I have no idea who you are.”
The woman burst into laughter. “I’m Lisa,” she said with a smile. “Emma asked me to bring Riley down here for a walk since she got stuck at school.”
He held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Lisa.”
“Likewise. And she’ll be here any minute now, in case you were wondering,” she said with a wink.
How’d she know?
Luke’s lips curved into a smile as he scanned the beach for any signs of Emma.
Lisa’s voice interrupted his search: “Oh, there she is.”
As Emma ran across the sand toward them, the breeze coming off the water made her auburn curls loosen and break free from her bun. Loose strands of hair bounced against her cheeks and neck, chasing each other across the canyon of her collarbones and chest. He had never seen her look more beautiful than she did at that moment.
