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Luke stood, brushing sand off his pants. “Oh, he’s fine. He’s said a total of eight words to me since the big fight yesterday, so I think we’re making progress.”
“Baby steps. He’ll come around.” Emma offered an encouraging smile that seemed to say she had faith in the situation. “Listen, I was headed to grab lunch. If you’re not too busy, you should join us.”
“Sure. That sounds nice.”
At Phil’s Diner, Riley received a celebrity-like welcome from several customers, clearly enjoying his small-town fame. Carried along by the warm welcome, Emma spotted an empty booth and took a seat while Luke slid into the spot across from her.
Phil appeared with a plate of scrambled eggs. “For the honored guest,” he said, placing the plate on the ground for Riley. “How are you folks today?”
“Pretty good,” Emma said. “We ran into Luke on the beach and invited him to grab some lunch.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” Phil wiped his hands on his apron. “I’ll give y’all some time to decide what you want.”
As Phil walked away, Luke skimmed the menu, even though he was already familiar with it from his recent visits. Lifting his eyes, he caught Emma staring at him. “What is it? Do I have something on my face?”
She shook her head. “Did you get a haircut?”
“Got it this morning. Didn’t expect the salon to be packed.”
Emma chuckled. “Never go on Tuesdays. She books all her long-term clients then. You’ll eventually get in, but it’ll be a while.”
Luke ran a hand over his newly shorn hair. “I’ll have to remember that. Kate used to cut it at home for me and Jeremiah. Even after two years, I’m still getting use to going out to get it cut.”
Emma gave him a pitying look. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“No worries. It’s okay.” Luke appreciated her words but wasn’t looking for sympathy.
“It must have been really hard for Jeremiah to lose his mom at such a young age...”
“Yeah. They were like best friends. I worked a lot, and Kate stayed home with him. I know Jeremiah resents me for not always being there. And I’ve been trying to make it up to him, but most of the time I just feel like a terrible father.”
“I don’t think you’re a terrible father,” Emma said softly. “I mean, you’re acknowledging the fact that you and Jeremiah could be closer, and you’re actively trying to make that happen. To me, that’s what makes you a wonderful father.”
“Thank you, Emma,” he said, choked with emotion. “That means a lot to me.”
She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I want you to know that you’re not alone in this. And if you ever need any help or support, let me know.”
As her fingers tightened around his, the warmth of her grip seemed to fill a space in his soul that had been empty since Kate’s passing. He nodded. “I appreciate it, truly.”
Emma’s expression grew solemn. “When my mother died, my father became depressed and completely neglected me. There were so many times when I wanted him to ask me how my day was, or even yell at me when I didn’t clean my room. I just wanted some sort of reaction from him, but I never got it. He was too sad to even care and eventually left town without me. That’s why my grandparents raised me.”
Luke listened intently as Emma’s words echoed in his heart. Her story struck a deep chord within him, stirring up emotions over how he had failed Jeremiah through the years.
“That sounds terrible, Emma. How old were you when she died?”
“Twelve. So, a few years younger than Jeremiah. I’m sure some of his behavior is just normal teenage angst. He’ll eventually grow out of it, trust me.”
Luke hoped she was right. “You don’t have any kids, do you?”
Emma’s lips pressed into a thin line as she glanced away. “Chad and I argued about it a million times, but he didn’t want any. He said it was a career-killer. So, I rescued this fur baby instead.”
They both looked down at Riley, who had lain down for a nap.
Luke found himself enjoying Emma’s company more than he had expected. They had only just met, but there was a natural ease to their conversation, like they had known each other for years. From across the table, he admired how her auburn ringlets cascaded down around her shoulders into perfect curls, framing her face and highlighting her delicate features. He felt a magnetic pull toward the kindness in her warm, chocolate-brown eyes, almost getting lost in their depth.
With a resounding clap of his hands, Phil approached the table. “So, what’ll it be?”
Luke’s eyes darted down to the menu. “Uh, ham and Swiss. With potato salad if you have it.”
