Hearts Ablaze

Chapter 5: Old Memories

The sun was just beginning to set as Emma stood in front of her closet, scrutinizing her reflection for what felt like the hundredth time. She smoothed down the front of her emerald green wrap dress, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach. It was just dinner with an old friend, she reminded herself sternly. No need to get worked up.

But as she slipped on her favorite pair of low heels, Emma couldn't quite shake the feeling that tonight was more than just a casual catch-up. She and Liam had history, after all. Deep, complicated history that couldn't be erased by ten years of distance.

The sound of the doorbell jolted Emma out of her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs.

When she opened the door, the sight of Liam standing on her porch nearly took her breath away. He was dressed in dark jeans and a crisp white button-down, his hair slightly tousled as if he'd run his hands through it nervously. In his hands was a small bouquet of wildflowers.

"Hi," Liam said, his voice a little rough. He cleared his throat. "You look beautiful, Em."

Emma felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "Thanks. You clean up pretty well yourself." She nodded towards the flowers. "Are those for me?"

Liam looked down at the bouquet as if he'd forgotten he was holding it. "Oh! Yeah, I, uh, picked these on my way over. I remember how much you used to love the wildflowers that grew behind the high school."

The thoughtfulness of the gesture made Emma's heart flutter. She took the flowers, bringing them to her nose to inhale their sweet scent. "They're lovely, Liam. Thank you."

As Emma put the flowers in water, a comfortable silence fell between them. It was strange, she thought, how even after all these years, being around Liam felt so... natural.

"So," Emma said as they headed out to Liam's truck, "where are we going? Please tell me it's not The Rusty Nail. I don't think I could handle reliving our awkward high school dates."

Liam laughed, a rich, warm sound that sent a shiver down Emma's spine. "God, no. I think I'm still traumatized from that time I spilled an entire plate of nachos in your lap."

Emma giggled at the memory. "You were so mortified. I thought you were going to pass out."

"Hey, in my defense, I was a sixteen-year-old boy trying to impress the prettiest girl in school. Coordination wasn't exactly my strong suit," Liam protested good-naturedly as he opened the passenger door for Emma.

As they drove through the familiar streets of Maplewood, Emma found herself relaxing. The easy banter between them felt like slipping on a favorite old sweater – comfortable, warm, and full of memories.

"So, where are we going?" Emma asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Liam grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "It's a surprise. But I think you'll like it."

About fifteen minutes later, Liam turned onto a dirt road that Emma recognized immediately. Her heart rate picked up as they wound their way through the trees, finally emerging into a clearing overlooking the lake.

"Sunset Point," Emma breathed, taking in the view. The setting sun painted the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink, reflecting off the still surface of the water. "I can't believe it's still here."

Liam parked the truck and came around to open Emma's door. "I couldn't believe it either when I found it the other day. Looks like the local kids have kept it pretty well-maintained."

As Emma stepped out of the truck, she noticed a picnic blanket spread out on the grass, a wicker basket sitting in the center. She turned to Liam, eyebrows raised. "You planned all this?"

Liam rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture so familiar it made Emma's heart ache. "Yeah, I, uh, I wanted to do something special. For old times' sake, you know?"

Emma felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She blinked them away, not wanting to get emotional. "It's perfect, Liam. Thank you."

They settled onto the blanket, and Liam began unpacking the basket. Emma's eyes widened as she saw what he'd brought – all her old favorites. Fried chicken from Mabel's Diner, potato salad, fresh strawberries, and...

"Is that..." Emma gasped, reaching for a familiar-looking tupperware container.

Liam nodded, a soft smile on his face. "Your mom's apple pie recipe. I, uh, I asked Sarah if she still had it. Took me three tries to get it right, but I think it turned out okay."

Emma felt a lump form in her throat. The gesture was so thoughtful, so quintessentially Liam, that it made her heart ache. "I can't believe you remembered," she said softly.

Liam's eyes met hers, intense and sincere. "I remember everything about you, Emma."

The weight of his words hung between them, heavy with unspoken emotions. For a moment, Emma thought Liam might lean in, might close the distance between them. But then he cleared his throat, breaking the spell.

"We should eat before it gets cold," he said, his voice a little rough.

As they dug into the food, conversation flowed easily between them. They caught up on the past ten years – Emma's journey to take over the bakery after her parents passed, Liam's rise through the ranks of the Boston Fire Department. They swapped stories about mutual friends, laughed over shared memories, and marveled at how much had changed while so much had stayed the same.

"Do you remember," Liam said as they finished off the last of the strawberries, "the first time we came up here?"

Emma nodded, a fond smile playing at her lips. "Junior year. After the homecoming dance. You were so nervous you could barely string two words together."

Liam groaned, covering his face with his hands. "God, I was a mess. I'd been working up the courage to kiss you for weeks."

"If I recall correctly," Emma teased, "I ended up having to make the first move."

Liam peeked out from between his fingers, a grin spreading across his face. "Best decision you ever made, if you ask me."

The air between them suddenly felt charged, laden with memories and possibility. Emma found herself leaning in almost unconsciously, drawn by the warmth in Liam's eyes.

But before anything could happen, a loud crack of thunder split the air. They both jumped, looking up to see dark clouds rolling in rapidly.

"s**t," Liam muttered, scrambling to his feet. "I didn't even notice the weather turning. We should pack up before we get soaked."

They hurriedly gathered up the remains of their picnic, tossing everything haphazardly into the basket. But they weren't quick enough – just as they reached the truck, the skies opened up.

Emma shrieked as the cold rain hit her, fumbling with the door handle. Liam was there in an instant, yanking the door open and practically shoving her inside before running around to the driver's side.

As Liam slid into his seat, slamming the door behind him, they both burst into laughter. Emma looked over at Liam, taking in his rain-soaked hair plastered to his forehead, his white shirt now practically see-through. Her breath caught in her throat.

Liam turned to her, his laughter dying as he caught the look in her eyes. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the only sound the pounding of rain on the roof of the truck and their own ragged breathing.

Then, moving as if drawn by some invisible force, they came together. The kiss was electric, ten years of pent-up longing and unresolved feelings pouring out in a single moment. Emma's hands found their way into Liam's damp hair, while his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Emma felt like her whole world had been turned upside down. She searched Liam's face, finding her own mix of shock and desire mirrored there.

"Emma," Liam breathed, his voice husky. "I—"

But before he could finish, Emma's phone began to ring, shattering the moment. With shaking hands, she fished it out of her purse. "It's Molly," she said, her voice unsteady. "I should..."

Liam nodded, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, of course. Go ahead."

Emma answered the phone, trying to keep her voice level. "Hey, Mol. What's up?"

"Em? Where are you? Are you okay?" Molly's voice was tight with worry. "There's a big storm rolling in. The weather service just put out a severe thunderstorm warning."

Emma glanced out the window at the sheets of rain. "Yeah, we, uh, we kind of got caught in it. But we're fine. We're in Liam's truck."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. When Molly spoke again, her voice was full of barely suppressed glee. "We? As in you and Liam? Emma Lawson, do you mean to tell me you're out in this storm on a date with Liam Harper?"

Emma felt her cheeks heat up. She snuck a glance at Liam, who was politely pretending not to listen. "It's not... we were just having dinner. As friends."

Molly's snort of disbelief was audible even over the sound of the rain. "Uh-huh. Sure. Well, 'friend', you should probably get home soon. This storm's supposed to get worse before it gets better."

After assuring Molly that they'd head back right away, Emma hung up. An awkward silence fell over the truck.

"So," Liam said after a moment, "I guess we should head back?"

Emma nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. As Liam started the truck and began carefully navigating the muddy road, Emma's mind raced. What had just happened? What did it mean? And more importantly, what did she want it to mean?

The drive back to town was tense, the air between them thick with unspoken words and lingering desire. When Liam pulled up in front of Emma's house, neither of them moved to get out.

Finally, Emma turned to face him. "Liam, I—"

"Emma, wait," Liam interrupted, his expression serious. "Before you say anything, I need you to know something. That kiss... it wasn't just because of the moment or the memories or anything like that. I've been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you in the bakery."

Emma's heart felt like it might beat out of her chest. "Liam..."

He reached out, taking her hand in his. "I know we have a lot of history. I know things ended badly between us before. But Emma, I've never stopped thinking about you. And being back here, seeing you again... it's made me realize that my feelings for you never really went away."

Emma felt tears prick at her eyes. "Liam, I... I don't know what to say. This is all happening so fast."

Liam squeezed her hand gently. "I'm not asking for anything, Em. I just needed you to know how I feel. Whatever happens next, whatever you decide... it's up to you."

Emma nodded, overwhelmed by the sincerity in Liam's eyes. "I need some time to think. To process all of this."

"Of course," Liam said, his smile a little sad but understanding. "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere."

As Emma climbed out of the truck, she paused, turning back to Liam. "For what it's worth... I've missed you too. More than I realized."

Liam's smile widened, a spark of hope lighting his eyes. "Goodnight, Emma. Sweet dreams."

Emma watched as Liam's truck disappeared down the street, her mind whirling with thoughts and emotions. As she let herself into her dark, quiet house, she was hit with a wave of memories.

She remembered the first time Liam had dropped her off after a date, how he'd kissed her so sweetly on this very porch. She remembered the day he left for Boston, how she'd stood in this same spot and watched his car drive away, taking a piece of her heart with it.

And now here she was again, ten years later, feeling just as confused and exhilarated as she had back then. But this time, she wasn't a starry-eyed teenager. She was a grown woman with a life she'd built for herself, with responsibilities and fears and hopes of her own.

As Emma got ready for bed, her lips still tingling from Liam's kiss, she knew she had a lot of thinking to do. But for now, she allowed herself to relive the evening – the thoughtful picnic, the easy conversation, the earth-shattering kiss. Whatever tomorrow might bring, she had tonight's memories to hold onto.

And as she drifted off to sleep, the sound of rain still pattering against her window, Emma couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, the universe was giving her and Liam a second chance at first love.