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However, the stack of papers in her arms and her phone went flying as she accidentally collided with someone turning the corner. She looked up and saw Jeremiah.
“I’m so sorry! I should’ve looked where I was going.”
“No, my bad. Let me help you with these.” Jeremiah offered, bending down to pick up the scattered papers.
“Thank you,” Emma replied, picking up the papers that had fallen at her feet.
“That’s a nice bracelet,” Jeremiah remarked as he handed back a stack of papers.
Emma looked down at her wrist, realizing that the bracelet that Luke had given her was in full view after she had pushed up her sleeves.
She thanked Jeremiah as she took the papers and moved them over her wrist, hiding the bracelet Luke had given her. She didn’t want Jeremiah to figure it out just by looking at it, although she knew he didn’t know it was from Luke.
Jeremiah finished picking up the rest of the papers and handed them back to Emma, along with her phone. He then stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked down at the ground.
“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, and this year I feel like I might actually do well in this class.”
Emma’s smile radiated warmth, 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 the 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.
Dumping all of her papers and bag in the backseat, she got in her car and started it up just as Jeremiah was pulling his bike from the rack. She watched as he got on and pedaled away toward town.
Jeremiah had come a long way since he first started at Hadley Cove High. In the first couple of weeks, Emma remembered him sitting in the back of the classroom, quiet and withdrawn from the rest of the students. He barely ever spoke unless Emma called on him and forced him to solve a problem she’d written on the board.
But now he was like a different person. He would pal around with Charlotte and Tate most of the time, being polite and engaged in class. She’d even heard the other teachers talking about the transformation he was making in their classes.
Emma thought it was time to tell Jeremiah about her relationship with Luke. He was in a better place now, and she felt like he would react more maturely. She planned to discuss it with Luke later when he came over.
In the meantime, Emma took off her bracelet and looked at it once last time before putting it in her purse. She didn’t want to risk Jeremiah finding out it was from Luke before they told him, or anyone else, for that matter. It was best to keep it a secret for the time being. She’d had a hard enough time explaining where the flowers had come from.
***
Emma drove into town to grab some essentials from the market before heading back to the cottage to take Riley for a walk on the beach. When they returned, Emma felt exhausted and knew a nap was tempting, but she also knew it would ruin her sleep schedule. Besides, Luke was coming over in a couple of hours, so she wanted to stay awake. Instead, she tackled some bookkeeping she had been putting off, which only made her more tired.
As Emma worked, Riley slept soundly in his dog bed. Emma couldn’t help but feel envious of his peaceful slumber. After staring at her computer screen for forty minutes, Emma leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. Riley remained asleep, his feet sticking straight up in the air.
“Lucky,” she muttered. Emma stood up and made herself a cup of coffee, an unusual choice for her at this time of day, but she needed the caffeine to stay awake. As the coffee brewed, Emma preheated the oven and started to gather the ingredients for the dog treats she needed to bake.
Emma knew that she had to make a few orders that were due soon, so she decided to get a head start. Baking would also help her stay awake, unlike bookkeeping. The sun had just begun to set when she heard Luke’s car pull up outside the cottage. Emma quickly 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 up at Luke.
“Riley! Stop it! That’s rude.”
Luke’s laughed echoed throughout the room as he bent down to pet Riley. “I know, I know. I missed you too, boy.”
Emma rolled her eyes, knowing it had only been fifteen hours since Riley had last seen him. She walked back into the kitchen, with Luke following closely behind her.
“It smells good in here. What are you making?” he asked, surveying the kitchen.
“Dog treats,” she said, placing the treats she had just pulled from the oven on a cooling rack.
“Well, I guess I won’t be a taste-tester then.”
