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After feeding Riley, Emma took a quick shower. Once dressed, she headed to the small office nook in her living room, flipping open her laptop. An unread email caught her eye—it was from a supermarket in the nearby town of Bridwell Bay. As the words registered, her eyes widened. Bayview Foods had placed the largest order she had ever received for her homemade dog treat business.
A thrill coursed through her veins, and she let out a gasp. “Well, today just got interesting.”
Riley ambled into the living room and put his head on Emma’s lap, signaling he was ready for his morning walk. “Okay boy. It’s gonna have to be a short one. Momma’s gotta run to the store.”
After sending a quick thank-you reply and closing her laptop, she made her way toward the backdoor. Riley jumped and pawed at her legs. “Hold on, mister!” she laughed, fumbling for his leash. “Let me get this on you first.”
The moment the door opened, Riley dashed out, dragging Emma behind him.
When they returned, her breath came in quick, shallow bursts. “Where’d all this energy come from?” she asked Riley, more a statement than a question, as he darted through the cottage.
In the kitchen, as she poured herself a glass of water, Riley trotted in, tongue lolling. “Wore yourself out, huh? I bet you’re thirsty too, after all those zoomies,” she said, pouring fresh water into his bowl.
Guilt gnawed within Emma at the thought of leaving him alone, especially with the Fourth of July approaching and the possibility of early firework displays. She knew he hated the loud noises.
“I need to head out for a bit, buddy.” She bent down, ruffling Riley’s fur and gave him a gentle kiss. “You be a good boy, okay?”
With a final affectionate glance, she grabbed her purse and walked out the front door.
6
Luke
July 3
Luke approached the window and peeled back the curtains, revealing the soft, warm sunlight of a new dawn. He stood motionless, enchanted by the morning songs of the birds and the glimmering reflections in a pond nearby. Slowly, he turned to his king-size bed, making it with deliberate care—each fold a step toward a new chapter in his life.
Before the move, Luke had bought new furniture, deciding to part with the bed he and Kate once shared. Letting go of the tangible reminders of their love was gut-wrenching, but trying to hold onto them had proved just as painful. Although guilt tugged at him for doing so, he believed Kate would have wanted him to find happiness and move forward, especially for their son’s sake.
Glancing over at his nightstand, he was surprised to see it was only seven. Jeremiah wouldn’t be up for a while, probably hours, especially since school hadn’t started yet. Kate would always cook a big breakfast for their son whenever he was down in the dumps, and it seemed to work most of the time. He recalled watching Jeremiah devour nine pancakes in one go. That fond memory sparked an idea: he would surprise Jeremiah and pick up one of those breakfasts with pancakes, hash browns, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
After slipping into a wrinkled shirt and worn jeans, he went downstairs into the kitchen and opened the fridge. The only thing in it was a box of leftover pizza from the night before. Kate would have never let the fridge get this empty.
He’d have to pick up some groceries.
Grabbing his keys, Luke headed out the door and drove to the nearest store he remembered seeing when they first arrived in town. This was a familiar errand. But today it felt different, tinged with the sadness of being in a new place and facing life’s daily routines without his beloved Kate.
The golden glow of the morning sun had touched everything in its path when he pulled up in front of the local supermarket. A couple of people on ladders were tying patriotic streamers to the lampposts as a gentle breeze blew, making them flutter in the wind. Luke smiled at the festive atmosphere, his heart light and mind at ease, knowing in some inexplicable way he was exactly where he needed to be.
After parking, he stepped out and the breeze caught his hair, bringing with it a profound realization: he had arrived at a new phase of life, one small task at a time, each one drawing him away from the past and toward a future where he might find peace.
As he made his way through the parking lot to the doors, he saw a note taped to the glass:
Closed for the holiday weekend.
If only he had thought about going to the store last night. They’d have to make do with the pizza leftovers.
As he returned to his car, the sign for Phil’s Diner across the street caught his eye. Through the window, he saw a bustling crowd of locals chatting and laughing over plates piled high. Maybe this place would have what he was looking for, and the groceries could wait until tomorrow.
Crossing the street, he smiled at a few people passing by with curious glances. Their knowing looks seemed to suggest that, like Ada, they were aware he had just moved to town. It was a change that would take some getting used to. In the fifteen years they’d owned their condo in Chicago, he could count on one hand the number of times he’d talked to their neighbors. The contrast from big-city life was striking, and he felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement about becoming part of this tightly knit town.
Pushing open the diner’s door, the tantalizing scent of pancakes wrapped around Luke like a warm embrace. As he went over to the counter, an older woman in a light-blue waitress uniform zoomed past him with a large plate of steaming hash browns in her hand. Luke slid into one of the red booths, eyes roaming over the fifties-themed décor. The counter stretched down the room; little jukeboxes adorned the white tabletops and oldies songs pumped from a speaker.
Luke grabbed a laminated menu and read through the breakfast options.
Just as he was losing himself in the choices, the waitress popped up on the other side of the counter. “Alright, honey, what can I get ya?”
Luke ordered two Phil’s platters to go.
