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“Hey!” Emma called out, pushing her hair from her face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I didn’t either,” he said. “Well, I thought maybe after seeing Riley I might.”
She smiled. “Out for a stroll?”
Luke nodded. “It’s the perfect weather for it.”
“I agree,” she said, still standing a couple of feet from him.
“Oh! Lisa.” Emma turned to her friend as if she had forgotten she was there. “Thanks for taking Riley for me.”
“No problem.” Lisa handed over the leash.
“Have you two met?” Emma asked.
“Just now.” Luke reached down to scratch Riley behind the ears. “Well, this sweet boy came up to me first, and then I bumped into Lisa.”
“I can hold on to him for a little while longer,” Lisa said. “He’s good at snagging hunks that are walking along the beach.”
A crimson blush crept up Luke’s cheeks as he chuckled. He noticed Emma smile as she gave Lisa a slight elbow. Her smile held a mesmerizing power over him that soothed his soul and reminded him of all the wonderful things in life.
As Luke stared into Emma’s eyes, he recalled a card he had received from an old friend after Kate’s funeral. Written on it was a C. S. Lewis quote, originally penned in a letter to Mary Willis Shelburne in 1963:
There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
Ever since he first read it, he had wanted to believe those words—not to replace his love for Kate, but to find happiness again.
Maybe it is true, he thought.
At least he hoped it was.
Just then, the sounds of laughter and splashing caught Luke’s attention. A group of teenagers shrieked as a wave caught them off guard, sending them tumbling into the surf.
Weeks had slipped by since he last saw Emma, and now they stood together at the shoreline. The beach was a place of endless possibilities and seeing her again felt like a breath of fresh air. Being apart from her had made him realize how much he enjoyed her company, and he couldn’t wait to find out what else the day would bring.
17
Emma
The beach, a familiar sight, always had a way of speaking to Emma’s soul. Its timeless beauty had been the backdrop of many memories. But today, the unexpected presence of the one man she couldn’t forget took her breath away.
There, against the amber glow of the endless horizon, stood Luke. His white shirt, ruffled by the wind, seemed to merge with the foamy waves behind him, creating a vision that was as much a part of the beach as the sand beneath her feet. But it was his eyes, those deep pools of sapphire, that truly captivated her.
“I’m gonna take Riley further down.” Lisa grabbed the leash back from Emma. “Y’all should hang out.”
“Thanks for taking Riley. I’ll text you when I’m on my way back.”
“Take your time.” Lisa flashed a hashtag sign with her fingers and mouthed “Lemma” as Luke looked away.
Emma rolled her eyes and turned toward Luke as they began to walk down the beach.
“Had a good day back in the classroom?” he asked.
“It was so busy I hardly had a moment to think, but I loved every bit. Teaching just feels right for me.”
Just then, Chad’s biting comments about her teaching job seeped into her thoughts. Just a teacher, his voice echoed, as if she had settled for less. The weight of past criticisms tried to pull her into a spiral of insecurity, but she shook it off, focusing on Luke.
“What about you? Tell me about your work,” she asked.
