Lucas had spent the last week at the motel, a temporary stay while he decided his next move. He had planned on leaving Ashwood once this was all over. It was supposed to be another case in his long list of unsolved mysteries, another town left behind with more ghosts than people.
But leaving didn't feel so simple anymore.
And it had everything to do with Emma Carter.
She had lost so muchâher parents, her childhood, the truth she thought she had known. But she was still standing, trying to rebuild, trying to heal.
And Lucas found himself wanting to be part of that.
One afternoon, as they walked along the quiet streets of Ashwood, Emma asked, "Have you decided what's next for you?"
Lucas glanced at her, considering.
"Thinking about staying," he admitted.
Emma looked surprised, but she didn't question it. "Yeah?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
She smiled softly. "Where?"
That was the question. The motel wasn't a long-term solution, and he wasn't about to impose on her, no matter how much he enjoyed her company.
But then, as they passed an old, empty house near the bookstore, something caught his attention.
It was small, but not too small. A charming little home with a porch that overlooked the quiet streets of Ashwood. It wasn't much, but it felt right.
Emma followed his gaze. "You thinking what I think you're thinking?"
Lucas smirked. "If you're thinking about me putting down some roots, then yeah."
She grinned. "I think that house has been empty for years. I know the owner. I can put in a word."
Lucas exhaled, looking at the place one more time before turning back to her.
"I'd appreciate that."
Emma nodded, her smile lingering. "Guess you're really staying, huh?"
Lucas studied her faceâthe warmth in her eyes, the way she didn't seem disappointed by the idea.
"Guess I am."
Moving in was easier than Lucas expected. The house had been abandoned for a while, but it didn't take long to clean it up, to make it livable.
Emma helped.
She brought him coffee in the mornings as he worked on fixing the place up. She gave him grief over his lack of organization, teasing him for being more of a drifter than a homeowner.
It was... nice.
Settling into something that wasn't a temporary motel or a fleeting case was foreign to him. But with Emma around, it didn't feel so strange.
One evening, after a long day of unpacking, Lucas found himself standing in his new living room, staring at the half-empty boxes.
Emma leaned against the doorway, watching him.
"You okay?" she asked.
Lucas exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Just... not used to this."
"To what?"
He glanced at her. "Staying."
Emma studied him for a moment, then stepped further inside, lowering herself onto the couch. "You don't have to have it all figured out, you know. No one expects you to."
Lucas sat down beside her. "Feels like I should."
Emma smirked. "Well, I don't expect you to. So that's one less person to worry about."
Lucas huffed a quiet laugh. "Lucky me."
They sat there in comfortable silence, the weight of the past few weeks still lingering but no longer suffocating.
Eventually, Emma nudged him with her elbow.
"Come over tomorrow," she said.
Lucas glanced at her. "Yeah?"
She nodded. "Dinner. You've been too busy with the house, and I haven't had an excuse to cook for someone in a while."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "You sure that's not just an excuse to get me out of here before I burn the place down with bad cooking?"
Emma grinned. "That, too."
Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright. Dinner it is."
Dinner turned into late-night talks.
Late-night talks turned into morning coffee runs.
And before Lucas even realized it, Emma had become a constant in his life.
She was always thereâwhether it was bringing over something she baked, or convincing him to take a break from unpacking, or dragging him out to explore the town he was now calling home.
And he didn't mind.
One evening, after another long day, Emma knocked on his door.
Lucas opened it, surprised to see her standing there with two cups of coffee.
"I figured you could use one," she said. "And I wanted to see how the place was coming along."
Lucas stepped aside, letting her in. "Well, it's still standing, so that's a good sign."
Emma snorted, handing him a cup before looking around. "It's starting to feel like you," she said after a moment.
Lucas looked around too. It was true. The place wasn't just a house anymore. It was his home.
And Emma had helped make it that way.
She turned to him, her expression soft. "I'm glad you stayed, Lucas."
Lucas met her gaze, something unspoken passing between them.
"Me too," he murmured.
They never really talked about what was happening between them.
It was just there, growing between them like something inevitable.
Neither of them rushed it. They didn't need to.
But one night, as they sat on his porch watching the stars, Emma leaned her head against his shoulder.
Lucas hesitated for a second before wrapping an arm around her, pulling her closer.
She sighed, closing her eyes.
"Don't overthink it," she murmured.
Lucas smirked. "I never do."
Emma laughed softly, nudging him. "Liar."
He didn't argue. He just held her a little tighter, letting the moment settle around them.
They weren't rushing into anything.
But they weren't running from it, either.
And for Lucas, that was enough.
For now.