CHAPTER 3

OLD HAUNTS,NEW FACES

The next morning, Emma found herself wandering through the familiar streets of Westbrook, the town stirring to life around her. People moved at a slower pace here, the kind of pace that made her feel like she had all the time in the world to think. Which, of course, was exactly what she didn't want to do.

The streets were still as charming as she remembered, lined with quaint shops and cafés, their windows filled with hand-painted signs advertising freshly baked bread or seaside trinkets. It was as though time hadn't touched the town at all. Except maybe for the faces.

She passed Mrs. Jenkins' bakery and smiled. The smell of cinnamon rolls drifted into the street, pulling her back to childhood mornings spent with her friends, including Luke. They used to sneak out of their houses before sunrise to meet at the docks, always stopping for warm rolls on the way.

Emma slowed as she approached the café by the boardwalk, her old summer job. To her surprise, it was busier than she remembered, and a new sign hung over the door: The Seaside Brew.

She stepped inside, the bell above the door chiming softly. The café had been remodeled, brighter and more modern, with comfortable chairs and a cozy atmosphere. A few customers were scattered around, sipping coffee and chatting.

Emma approached the counter, and a cheerful voice greeted her.

"Good morning! What can I get for you?"

Emma looked up to find a young woman with dark curls and a warm smile behind the counter. "Just a coffee, thanks," she said, returning the smile.

As the barista prepared her drink, Emma couldn't help but glance around. She felt a little out of place, like she was standing in the middle of a life that had moved on without her. But that was the point, wasn't it? To come back and find her place again.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened behind her, and a voice that was too familiar made her heart skip.

"Morning, Sophie."

She didn't have to turn around to know it was Luke.

Emma's heart leapt into her throat at the sound of Luke's voice. She froze, her fingers tightening around the coffee cup she'd just been handed. The café, which had seemed so cozy and distant a moment ago, suddenly felt unbearably small.

The barista—Sophie, apparently—grinned at Luke as he approached the counter. "Right on time, as always. The usual?"

"You know me," Luke said, his voice easy and familiar, as if he hadn't seen Emma less than 24 hours ago.

Emma willed herself to turn around, to act casual, like she hadn't just spent the entire morning replaying their brief encounter on the cliff. But her body betrayed her, and before she could gather her composure, Luke's eyes landed on her.

There was a flicker of surprise in his gaze, quickly replaced by something softer, unreadable. For a brief moment, they simply stared at each other, the air between them charged.

"You're up early," Luke said, his voice a bit quieter than before, as if he, too, was trying to make sense of running into her twice in as many days.

Emma managed a small, awkward smile. "Couldn't sleep, I guess. Thought I'd check out the town. See what's changed."

Sophie placed Luke's coffee on the counter, completely oblivious to the tension. "Not much changes around here," she said with a laugh, turning to Emma. "Are you new in town?"

Before Emma could answer, Luke spoke up. "Emma's not new. She's… an old friend."

Sophie's eyebrows shot up, her smile widening. "Really? Wow, you must've been gone a while then. I've lived here for six years and I've never seen you around."

"Ten years," Emma corrected softly, feeling the weight of that number settle between her and Luke.

Sophie nodded, clearly sensing the history but not prying. "Well, welcome back. I'm sure Luke's happy to see a familiar face."

Luke didn't respond, though Emma noticed the way his fingers tightened slightly around his coffee cup. For a moment, she wondered if she should leave, let him get on with his day, but part of her wanted—no, needed—more time with him. More than a few stolen minutes at sunset or an awkward encounter at a café.

"You mind if I sit?" Luke asked suddenly, nodding toward the empty chair across from her at the small table by the window.

Emma blinked, a little taken aback. "Of course, yeah."

Sophie watched them with a curious glint in her eye, but said nothing as Luke carried his coffee over to Emma's table. He slid into the seat opposite her, and for the first time since she'd returned to Westbrook, Emma felt her pulse race not from nerves, but from the familiarity of sitting across from him, just like old times.

Luke took a sip of his coffee, his gaze lingering on her. "So, ten years, huh?"

Emma let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Yeah. Feels like a lifetime ago."

"You don't look any different," Luke said, his eyes softening as he studied her. "But you feel… different."

Emma looked down at her coffee, tracing the rim of the cup with her finger. "I am. A lot's happened. I'm sure you've changed too."

"Maybe," he said quietly. "But I'm still here. Still doing the same things. Fishing, fixing boats… nothing fancy."

She lifted her gaze to meet his, sensing the hidden weight in his words. "Why did you stay?" she asked softly, the question she had been too afraid to ask the night before. "You always talked about getting out, doing more…"

Luke's eyes darkened, and he looked out the window for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was low, careful. "Sometimes life doesn't go the way you plan. My dad got sick a few years after you left. I had to take over the family business. By the time things settled down, it just didn't seem right to leave."

Emma's heart ached at the quiet resignation in his voice. She had been so focused on her own path, Emma's heart ached at the quiet resignation in his voice. She had been so focused on her own path, her own dreams, that she hadn't stopped to think about what Luke's life had become after she left. The boy who had once dreamed of traveling the world, who had talked endlessly about living beyond the small town of Westbrook, had stayed. For his family. For obligations he hadn't asked for.

"I didn't know," Emma said softly, feeling the sting of guilt creep up on her. "About your dad, I mean."

Luke shrugged, though his gaze remained distant, focused on the horizon beyond the window. "I didn't expect you to know. We didn't exactly stay in touch."

Emma swallowed, the lump in her throat growing tighter. She hadn't stayed in touch because she hadn't known how. Leaving had been hard enough; reaching out after she'd built a new life in the city felt like reopening a wound she was trying to forget. But now, sitting across from him, she realized how selfish that had been.

"I should've called," she whispered, the words barely audible, but Luke heard them.

He turned his gaze back to her, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, maybe. But what's done is done."They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their past hanging heavily between them. Emma stirred her coffee, the clink of the spoon against the cup the only sound breaking the stillness. She could feel the pull of all the things left unsaid—apologies, explanations, confessions—but she didn't know where to start.

Luke leaned back in his chair, his eyes still on her. "So why are you really back, Emma? I know it's not just for the view."

Emma felt her chest tighten. She had been dreading this question, not just from Luke but from herself. She had come back because her life in the city had crumbled, because the person she thought she was there no longer existed. But explaining that to Luke—admitting that she had run away from her problems, just like she had run away from him—felt too raw.

"I lost my job," she said, finally meeting his gaze. "It's a long story, but… things fell apart. I needed somewhere to clear my head. Westbrook was the only place I could think of."

Luke studied her, his expression softening just a little. "I get that."

Emma felt a rush of relief at his understanding. But before she could say more, Sophie's voice called out from behind the counter.

"Hey, Luke! I forgot to tell you—Jake's looking for you. Something about a delivery down at the docks."

Luke sighed, glancing back at Sophie before returning his attention to Emma. "I should go. Work never ends, especially with tourist season coming up."

Emma nodded, though she wished they had more time. "I get it. I didn't mean to hold you up."

"You didn't," Luke said, standing up and giving her a small smile, the kind that still had the power to make her heart race. "It was good seeing you again."

"You too," Emma replied, her voice softer than she intended.

He hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something more, then gave a small nod before heading toward the door. Emma watched him go, the familiar jingle of the bell marking his exit.

As soon as he was gone, she felt the weight of his absence settle over her like a cold breeze. She had thought that seeing Luke again would give her the closure she needed, but now that she had, everything felt more confusing than before.

"Old flame, huh?" Sophie's voice broke through Emma's thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

Emma looked up, startled. "What?"

Sophie grinned as she wiped down the counter. "You and Luke. There's definitely history there."

Emma let out a soft laugh, though it was tinged with sadness. "Yeah, you could say that."

Sophie leaned on the counter, curiosity shining in her eyes. "Well, whatever happened between you two, it's not over. Trust me, I see a lot of people come through here, and the way he looked at you… that's not the look of someone who's moved on."

Emma's heart fluttered at the words, but she shook her head. "It's been ten years. People change."

Sophie shrugged, a knowing smile on her lips. "Maybe. But some things don't."

Emma didn't respond. Instead, she took a long sip of her coffee, letting Sophie's words linger in the back of her mind. Maybe Sophie was right. Maybe there was still something between her and Luke, something that had survived the years and the distance. But that didn't change the fact that they were two different people now, living two different lives.

She had come back to Westbrook to find herself, not to rekindle something that was long gone. But as she stared out the window at the ocean beyond, she couldn't shake the feeling that her story with Luke wasn't quite finished.