AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A thud echoed through the hallway. The stack of papers she held, along with her phone, scattered everywhere as she collided with someone from around the corner.
She looked up and saw Jeremiah. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.”
“No, my bad. Let me help you with these.” Jeremiah bent down to pick up the scattered papers and her phone.
Not wanting him to see Luke’s name flash across her phone screen, she stepped over the papers and reached down for the phone. But he beat her to it. “Here ya go,” Jeremiah said as he handed them back to her. “Nice bracelet, by the way.”
Emma looked down, realizing the bracelet Luke had given her was in full view after she had pushed up her sleeves. “Thank you.” She took the papers and moved them over her wrist to hide the bracelet.
“You know, I’ve never had a teacher who made math so easy to understand. It’s always been a problem for me in school, but this year I feel like I might actually do well in this class.”
Emma’s smile radiated, touched by his unexpected compliment. “It’s all you, Jeremiah. The work you’ve been putting in this semester is really making a difference. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re making an A in class by the time the holidays roll around.”
“Thanks. Well, I’d better get going. Don’t want to be late for my shift at the rescue.” Jeremiah’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled back.
“I’ll pass by the rescue on my way home. Do you need a ride?”
“No thanks, I got my bike. See ya.” Jeremiah turned and walked over to the front entrance as Emma went to the side door and out to the parking lot.
Tossing all the papers and her bag in the back seat, she got in her car and started it up as Jeremiah was pulling his bike from the rack. She watched as he got on and pedaled away toward town.
Perhaps now was the time to tell Jeremiah about her relationship with Luke. He was in a better place now, and she believed he would handle the news with maturity. She planned to discuss it with Luke when he came over later.
Emma drove into town after leaving the school to grab some essentials for a dog treat order she needed to fulfill. When she arrived home, a nap was tempting, but she knew it would throw off her sleep schedule. Instead, she tackled some overdue bookkeeping, which only exhausted her further.
As Emma worked, Riley slept soundly in his dog bed, his feet sticking straight up in the air.
“Must be nice,” she muttered.
After staring at her computer screen for forty minutes, she rubbed her eyes and stood. She headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee—an unusual choice for her at this time of day, but she needed the caffeine to stay awake. As it brewed, she preheated the oven and gathered the ingredients for the dog treats she needed to bake.
The sun had begun to set when she heard Luke’s car pull up outside the cottage. She took off her flour-covered apron and flung it over the back of a chair.
Riley, who had been sleeping, jumped up and ran to the door, barking loudly. Emma tried to hold him back as she opened the door, smiling at Luke.
“Riley, stop it! That’s rude.”
Luke’s laugh filled the room as he bent down to pet Riley. “I know, I know. I missed you too, boy.”
Emma rolled her eyes, amused. It had only been fifteen hours since Riley had last seen him. She motioned for Luke to follow her into the kitchen.
“It smells good in here. What are you making?” he asked, surveying the countertops.
“Dog treats,” she said, placing the treats she had pulled from the oven on a cooling rack.
“Well, I guess I won’t be taste-testing then.”
“Feel free to try one. Technically, they’re human friendly.” Emma smirked.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Luke walked over to her side, taking the spatula from her hand and turning her to face him.
“Luke, those need to cool,” she said. “You’re distracting me from my work.”
“That’s the point,” Luke said with a devilish look in his eyes.
In a heartbeat’s pause, Luke had pulled her into his arms and kissed her, sending shivers through her skin as her arms clung tighter around his neck.
But their moment was interrupted by a few scratches at the back door, followed by a whine. Emma pulled away from Luke, sighing.
