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“Hopefully it stays that way,” Luke said. “Or if I wasn’t included at all in the Hadley Cove gossip, that’d be fine too.”
“I definitely can’t promise that, but I can promise you that no one will find out about us,” Emma said, her voice reassuring. “And don’t worry too much about Jeremiah. You’ll know exactly what to say when it’s time to talk to him.”
Relieved, Luke let out a sigh, “Thank you. That makes me feel better.” He glanced up at the illuminated house, grateful that Jeremiah’s bedroom didn’t overlook the backyard.
“How did it go with Jeremiah when you picked him up?” Emma asked.
“Really well, actually. We stopped and grabbed a pizza, and he actually told me about his day without me prompting him every five seconds. It was a huge step in the right direction.”
“That’s wonderful, Luke! I’m really happy for you. It’s all about those baby steps and little victories that make everything worth it.”
“It’s nice to hear that someone’s on my side.”
“I’ll always be on your side,” Emma said. “So, what are you thinking?”
Luke stopped pacing. “About what?”
“For our date next week.”
“Oh. Well, maybe dinner again?”
“I do like to eat,” Emma said. “How does Sea Breeze Tavern sound? It’s a little off the beaten path and not many people from town go there.”
“Then Sea Breeze sounds like a great spot. How’s next Tuesday?”
“I think I can make that work,” Emma said. “7:00?”
“That sounds great to me. I suppose I’d better let you go now, since you got to get home and everything.”
“Good night, Luke.”
“Good night, Emma.”
As Luke walked onto the patio and opened the door, he was startled to see Jeremiah in the kitchen standing there, holding a glass against the fridge’s water dispenser.
“Who was that?”
Luke had to be quick on his feet. “Just a client I had to call back from earlier.”
“Oh.” Jeremiah didn’t ask any follow-up questions and headed out of the kitchen toward the stairwell. He stopped just short of it and turned to face Luke. “Thanks for the pizza night, Dad.”
“Anytime, son,” he said, relishing the sound of the word ‘Dad.’ “We’ll do it again soon.”
Luke stood in the kitchen, his heart swelling with emotion as he watched Jeremiah walk away. It had been a challenging journey, fraught with ups and downs, but moments like this made it all worthwhile. The word ‘Dad’ carried a weight that Luke had longed for, and he couldn’t help but feel full of gratitude and hope.
He looked forward to more moments like this, where the challenges they faced would be overshadowed by the joys of building a meaningful connection with each other. This small victory was a reminder of what he was fighting for, and Luke was committed to being the dad that Jeremiah deserved, no matter how tough the journey may be.
Luke’s footsteps were heavy as he ascended the stairs, a weight of guilt pressing down on him for keeping the truth from Jeremiah about his relationship with Emma. He knew it was inevitable that he would have to come clean, but he was determined to handle it delicately, without undoing the progress he had made in rebuilding the connection with his son. It wouldn’t be easy, but he was willing to do whatever it took to keep his relationship with Jeremiah intact, while also building a future with Emma. Love and honesty were both important to him, and he was determined to find a way to honor both without sacrificing either.
Chapter 21
Emma
The following Tuesday, when Emma arrived home from work, she ran into her bedroom and rummaged through her closet, trying to find something to wear that she’d look great in. Most of her outfits were modest school clothes, so tonight she really wanted to wear something that made her stand out.
Of course, she’d been going through her wardrobe mentally all last week. There was the purple dress, but she’d have to wear a dress sweater with it and it was too warm for a sweater. There was the green skirt and white blouse, but it was a little too casual. She must have gone through fifty combinations in her head, all finding a reason for them to not work out.
Emma browsed through rack after rack, trying to find the perfect outfit. She had almost lost hope when she pushed the last rack over, and saw it; a dress that she had bought last summer and completely forgotten about. It was a light, sea-foam color, with white lace along the bodice and the hem. She pulled it out and tried it on quickly, then went to stand in front of the mirror. It fit like a glove. She paired it with a pair of tan strappy heels and wore her hair down. At that moment, she closed her eyes, remembering how Luke had reached up and pushed one of her curls behind her ear. Her daydream was interrupted as she remembered the last time she’d dressed up like this was the night Chad served her with divorce papers. She exhaled, pushing that thought aside as she stepped out of her bedroom and walked over to Riley’s dog bed.
