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“Me either—Pizza?”
Luke grinned. “You read my mind. Let’s get a veggie one with the Violife cheese. The reviews said it was really good.”
“Aww. You’re so thoughtful.” Emma was surprised again by Luke’s consideration, like at the restaurant last night. She loved he was willing to try new things and embrace her beliefs, unlike her ex-husband. On several occasions, Chad had made fun of her in front of their friends for not eating “real” food. He did this even knowing veganism was a moral conviction to Emma, not just a preference. Emma wondered why’d she let him treat her poorly for so long. It was probably the fact he had gotten into her head and, with his hurtful words, destroyed her self-worth. Not all at once, but a slight here and there, and over the years, it compounded to the point she had forgotten her own value. But she was glad those days were over. With Luke, she felt safe and loved.
After she ordered the pizza, they settled on the couch and decided to watch a movie. Emma handed him the remote to choose, since that’s what she always did with Chad.
“You don’t want to pick one?” Luke asked.
“I’m okay with whatever you pick.”
Luke shot her a side-eye. “So, Gladiator is a good choice?”
Emma grabbed the remote from him. “Well, maybe I’ll pick one this time. Don’t worry, I won’t make it too girly.”
Luke threw his arm around her. “It’s okay if you do. I don’t mind chick flicks.”
Emma settled on Crazy, Stupid, Love, since she enjoyed anything with Steve Carell in it. And the fact it also starred Ryan Gosling was a plus. Just as the movie started, the pizza arrived. Luke got up to answer the door, making sure Riley didn’t get out and jump all over the delivery guy.
Emma paused the movie and grabbed plates and napkins, as well as a couple of soda cans. Once they had everything they needed, they dug into their dinner and started the movie. When they finished eating, Emma cuddled up to Luke on the couch and got comfortable enough to where she wasn’t even paying attention to the movie anymore. I could definitely get used to this, Emma thought, as her eyes fell heavy and closed. She rested her head against his chest, feeling Luke’s thudding heartbeat, which drowned out the sound from the movie. Only minutes had passed before her consciousness could no longer linger in that place between being awake and asleep. Before she knew it, Emma had drifted off for the night, embraced by the man she loved and who loved her.
Chapter 30
Luke
Luke knew Emma had been sound asleep in his arms for the last hour, her gentle breathing a comforting lullaby. As the credits rolled on the TV screen, he knew it was time to go. He didn’t want to disturb her peaceful slumber, knowing that she had a long day ahead at school.
Carefully, he reached for the remote and turned off the TV, the room suddenly plunged into silence. His thoughts drifted to the past, when he used to carry his son Jeremiah to bed after he fell asleep watching movies. He wondered if he could do the same with Emma, without waking her up.
Slowly, he slid his arm beneath Emma’s slender frame, cradling her like a precious jewel. With utmost care, he lifted her up and headed toward her bedroom. It was his first time in her room, and he was struck by the beautiful decor, the blue flowery bedspread, and the serene ocean paintings that adorned the walls.
As he laid Emma gently on her bed, Riley jumped up and nestled at her feet. Luke pulled a warm blanket over her, ensuring she was comfortable and secure. Just as he was about to leave, he heard her sleepy voice.
“Where are you going?”
“Heading home so you can get some rest.”
“Will you stay with me?” Emma’s hand reached out, grasping his.
Luke smiled, unable to resist her. “Of course. I’ll stay with you.”
Luke took off his shoes and Emma moved over in the bed so he could lie down next to her. She cuddled up to him as he put her arms around her, falling back asleep just moments later. Luke watched her for a long while, thinking about how lucky he was that he had met Emma. As he drifted off to sleep, he knew without a doubt that he had fallen in love with her.
The next morning, Luke woke up as sunlight filtered into the room through Emma’s curtains. He looked over and saw her sleeping peacefully. Sliding out of bed as gently as he could, he grabbed his shoes and tiptoed out of the room. He’d have just enough time to get home before Jeremiah woke up, he thought. Hopefully he wasn’t having an early day. Luke hadn’t received a text from Jeremiah, a sign that all was well, but still didn’t want to have to explain to him where he’d been all night.
Finding a pen and a pad of paper in the kitchen, he wrote a quick note to Emma telling her he had to go, and that he’d call her tonight. After making sure he wasn’t leaving anything behind, he walked out the front door and headed home.
As Luke drove back through the slumbering streets of Hadley Cove, a sense of solitude hung in the air. The only sign of life was at Phil’s Diner, where through the window he saw only one patron sitting at the counter. The man seemed to be at home in this tranquil corner of the world, as if he had found a sanctuary from the chaos of modern life. Luke hadn’t been through town this early before and its serenity felt like a rare gift, punctuated by the occasional chirping of birds and the gentle hum of the morning breeze. It was much different from life back in Chicago, which he did not miss at all. He couldn’t help but feel grateful for the small town’s charm and this unexpected moment of peace it had brought to his life.
After pulling into the driveway and gently shutting the car door, Luke snuck inside as quietly as possible and stepped inside, listening for any sound of movement throughout the house. There was nothing but silence. Exhaling a sigh of relief, he crept upstairs to his bedroom and closed the door, then walked into the bathroom and started the shower.
But just as he dunked his head under the hot, streaming water, he heard a knock on his door.
“Dad! Dad, can you hear me?”
Luke hesitated before poking his head out from behind the curtain. Fearing Jeremiah may have heard him come in this morning, His mind raced to find a plausible excuse for being gone all night. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“I gotta leave for school and I need lunch money!”
