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Nearly an hour passed before Emma finished telling the entire story. The sun had descended toward the horizon, painting the sky a warm palette of oranges, pinks, and purples.
Lisa’s mouth dropped open as she leaned back. “I’m all in for Team Lemma!” 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.
“What’s wrong?” Lisa asked.
“I’m a little worried that it’s too soon after the divorce to have feelings for another man,” Emma confessed, her gaze dropping to the table, fingers tracing the rim of her glass.
“Em, he makes you happy. That’s what matters.” Lisa reached over to grab her hand. “The heart wants what it wants, and it doesn’t always have to make sense.”
“I just wonder—what if I’m using Luke as a rebound? I don’t want to hurt him like that,” Emma said, taking a sip of her margarita.
Lisa tilted her head. “You’re overthinking things again, Em,” she said softly. “Love has no timeline. You deserve to be happy. And if Luke is the one providing that, then so be it. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“You might be right,” Emma admitted.
Lisa swirled the straw in her empty glass. “Another round?”
“No way,” Emma told her. “I’m already gonna have a headache tomorrow with a classroom full of kids. I think it’s time for us to go.”
Lisa sighed, nodding as she began collecting her belongings.
Just then, Emma’s phone buzzed with an incoming call, drawing both their attention to the caller ID.
“I can’t answer it.” Emma pushed the phone away. “I have too much on my mind about all this.”
“Stop stalling,” Lisa teased, picking up the phone and answering it.
She handed it to Emma.
20
Luke
As the fourth ring filled the night, Emma’s voice finally broke through. Luke could almost feel her presence beside him, even from a distance. His shoulders relaxed and he took a deep breath, soaking in the gentle chirping of crickets and the distant hoot of an owl.
“Hey, Luke. Did you forget something?”
“No, I said I’d call you. Remember?”
“Didn’t expect you to call this soon,” Emma said with a light laugh.
“Oh.” The faint strains of music reached Luke’s ears. “Are you still at the bistro?”
“Um, guilty,” Emma said. “Lisa wanted to grab a drink, so I indulged her.”
“That was nice of you.”
She sighed. “Yeah. But I think we’re heading home now—or back to my place.”
Luke hesitated, adjusting his grip on the phone. The background music from Emma’s location seemed distant, overshadowed by the pounding in his ears. His thoughts swirled, battling between doubt and the desire to be transparent. Taking another steadying breath, he prepped himself for a conversation he’d been pondering since their time at the beach.
“You know, Emma,” he began slowly, “there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
“Really? What’s up?”
He inhaled deeply, weighing his words. “After everything with Kate, it’s been tough to be open about my feelings. But I find myself drawn to you in a way I haven’t felt in a very long time.”
