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Emma chuckled. “Poor Charlotte indeed.”
“So, why do you care so much about Luke and his son?” Liam teased. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
“Grandpa, come on.”
“Where did you two run off to while we were volunteering?” Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
Emma blushed and looked out her window. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s nothing.”
Liam grinned. “Okay, Emma. If you say so.”
After dropping her grandfather off, Emma headed home. As Emma opened the front door, Riley eagerly greeted her with enthusiastic jumps and slobbers. Letting out a yawn, Emma realized an afternoon nap was exactly what she needed. After taking Riley out for a quick bathroom break, she returned inside and promptly dozed off on the couch.
A few hours later, Emma had woken up and tidied up around the house. Feeling hungry, she decided to make dinner and pulled out a bag of frozen vegetables and tofu to whip up some stir-fry. Just as she had thrown everything into the wok, her phone started buzzing. She rushed to grab it from the counter, noticing that it was a text from an unknown number. Anticipation bubbled up inside her as she opened and read the message.
Hey, it’s Luke. I hope it’s alright if I text you.
The grin on Emma’s face spread from ear to ear. Wanting to respond with something clever, she began to type a message back.
“Of course, it’s alright. But how did you get my number? And why didn’t you ask for it earlier?”
She added a smiling emoji to convey her goo-natured tone.
I got it from Ada, who insisted I reach out to you, even though I told her I’d just seen you this afternoon. And I didn’t ask for it today because I didn’t want to seem too forward.
As they texted back and forth, Emma tapped away at her phone, her hands almost blurring in speed. Her eyes kept flicking to the stir-fry bubbling on the stove, but she paid it no mind as she scorched the tofu. Meanwhile a fire lit in her chest, her heart beating wildly as she waited for each response from Luke; every syllable consuming her thoughts more than the food itself.
Emma sat down at the table and salvaged the food she hadn’t burned, feeling a little thrill every time her phone buzzed with a notification.
Emma thought back to her conversation with her grandfather
How was Jeremiah today? Did you hear anything?
Luke wrote back right away.
He was quiet and didn’t really talk to anyone. He was more focused on his tasks.
I guess that’s better than him getting into a fight with anyone. I still wish he would be a bit more social though. He could use some friends around here.
Emma dropped her fork on the plate and grabbed her phone.
He’ll make friends. He just needs some time. He’s still hurting right now. It’s all about those baby steps.
They texted back and forth a few more times before Luke ended the conversation and told her ‘Good night.’
Emma sank back into the chair with a contented sigh, savoring the last bites of her dinner in a blissful silence. Lost in thought, she imagined what it would be like to be with Luke, captivated by his trustworthy aura and the way he held her so perfectly in his arms, even if it had only been to keep her from falling on her face. Admitting to herself that she had a bit of a crush on him, Emma acknowledged that taking things one step at a time was key. Her mind wandered to Lisa’s words from earlier that morning, wondering if Luke could be the one for her. The possibilities left Emma feeling both excited and apprehensive.
Chapter 14
Luke
The evening air was alive with the soft chirping of crickets, a tranquil chorus that eased Luke’s restless mind. Glancing at his phone, he realized he had texted Emma impulsively, like a lovesick teenager. Although he had used his nosy neighbor as an excuse to initiate a conversation with her, the truth was that he just wanted to talk to her.
Luke entered the kitchen and surveyed the aftermath of their dinner. How could two people create such a mess? To his surprise, Jeremiah had actually sat down at the table with him and eaten his meal, though in complete silence. The clink of forks against plates and the faint sound of chewing filled the air. As soon as dinner was over, Jeremiah retreated back to his room and closed the door, leaving Luke to clean up the mess alone.
After wiping down the counters and rinsing the dishes, Luke moved to the living room and turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels until he found a baseball game he was somewhat interested in watching. During the commercials, he pulled out his phone and reviewed the messages exchanged between him and Emma. The blue light from his phone illuminated his face as he scrolled through their conversation, tracing over each word with intent focus. As he lay back on the couch, he pondered the meaning of his feelings for her. Were they real or just a fleeting infatuation? Would she ever feel the same way?
Luke couldn’t deny his attraction to Emma. She was beautiful, kind, and had a great sense of humor. However, she had recently gone through a painful divorce and wasn’t ready to jump into a new relationship. Meanwhile, he was still grieving the loss of Kate. Although it had been a year, he wasn’t ready to move on. At least, he didn’t think so.
