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Luke was slightly disappointed Emma wasn’t going to be here, but he hid it and held out his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lisa.”
“Likewise.” Lisa winked at him. “She’s on her way.”
Luke’s heart skipped a beat at Lisa’s words. “What?” he asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
Lisa chuckled, enjoying the effect her words were having on Luke. “Emma. She’ll be here any minute,” she said reassuringly. “In case you were wondering.”
Emma was coming. Luke couldn’t help but smile at Lisa’s teasing tone. He eagerly looked around, scanning the beach for any sign of Emma’s arrival.
“Oh, there she is,” Lisa said, pointing her out to Luke.
Luke’s head swiveled in the other direction, seeing Emma running 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 up and down against her cheeks and neck, chasing each other across the canyon of her collarbones and chest. She had never looked so beautiful than she did at that very moment. His heart skipped a beat as he felt a rush of anticipation and nervousness.
“Hey!” Emma called out, pushing her hair from her face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I didn’t either,” he said. “Well, I thought maybe after seeing Riley I might.”
She smiled. “Out for a stroll?”
Luke nodded. “It’s the perfect weather for it.”
“I agree,” she said, still standing a couple of feet from him. Both of them seemed hesitant to move forward.
“Oh! Lisa!” Emma turned to her friend as if she had forgotten she was there. “Thanks for taking Riley for me.”
“No problem.” Lisa handed over the leash.
“Have you two met?” Emma asked.
“Just now,” Luke answered as he reached down to scratch Riley behind the ears. “Well, this sweet boy came up to me first, and then I bumped into Lisa.”
“You know I can hold on to him for a little while longer,” Lisa insisted. “He’s good at snagging hunks that happen to be walking on the beach.”
A crimson blush crept up Luke’s cheeks as he chuckled at Lisa’s compliment. He noticed Emma had smiled as she gave Lisa a slight elbow, signaling that her comment might have been too much. Her smile had a mesmerizing power over him that calmed his soul. Maybe it was the carefree innocence about it that reminded him of all the wonderful things in life.
As Luke stared into Emma’s eyes, he thought about a card he had received from an old friend after Kate’s funeral. It contained a C. S. Lewis quote, originally written in a letter to Mary Willis Shelburne in 1963.
There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
Ever since he first read it, he’s wanted to believe those words—not to replace his love for Kate, but to find happiness again. Maybe it is true, he thought to himself. At least he hoped it was.
Just then, the sound of laughter and splashing caught Luke’s attention, and he saw a group of teenagers playing in the water. They shrieked as a wave caught them off guard, sending them tumbling into the surf.
A few weeks had passed since the last time he saw Emma and now they were here together again. The beach was a place of endless possibilities, a haven of relaxation and fun. Seeing her again felt like a breath of fresh air. The short time away from her had only made him realize how much he enjoyed her company, and couldn’t wait to catch up and see what adventures the day would bring.
Chapter 17
Emma
Emma really hadn’t planned on making Lisa take Riley out. But when she got stuck in an extra-long tutoring session, she shot her a quick text asking if she could use the spare key and take Riley for a quick bathroom break. He was probably about to burst, after being inside all day since early that morning.
While she found it peculiar that Lisa had walked him all the way there, it ended up being easier for her to get here straight from school. What she wasn’t expecting was to find the one man she couldn’t seem to forget, standing there and petting her dog.
“I’m gonna to take Riley further down,” Lisa said, grabbing the leash back from Emma. “You two should hang out. Maybe grab a bite to eat at The Point?”
The thought of walking along the beach with Luke made Emma’s heart race. “Thanks for taking Riley, Lisa. I’ll text you when I’m on my way back.”
