Page 22 of Paper Flowers (Stonebrook #1)

The citrus and pine scent of his is intoxicating and I move closer to him.

With our hands now intertwined he turns his body towards mine.

Luke pulls us closer as he places his hand on my neck, his thumb grazes over my lower lip.

He leans down, and I close my eyes, feeling my heart pumping as fast as a hummingbird’s wings.

I open my eyes to see Luke’s gaze fall to my mouth and I bite my bottom lip in reaction to his touch.

“Please don’t do that.” Luke sighs, releasing his hold on me and taking a step back.

I shudder as the heat from his hand escapes my neck.

He runs his hands through his hair and opens the refrigerator.

He retrieves Sadie’s two tier birthday cake with flowers cascading downward.

I follow and grab the tub of cookies and cream ice cream and pick up the ice cream scooper off the island counter.

While Luke has both hands underneath the cake, his glasses slip down the bridge of his nose.

He tries to maneuver his head to get his glasses situated but to no avail.

I let out a little chuckle and help him.

I slid my index finger just lightly against his nose and with a little adjustment from me his glasses sat nicely on his face again. “There, that’s better.”

“Thank you for that.” He gives me a subtle nudge with his elbow and smiles. I can’t get myself to move away from him and I stare longer than I should at his ocean blue eyes. Just as I was going to tell him how much I’ve missed him, Nina walks in. Severing the look in our eyes.

“I—I came in here to see if you guys needed help but I can see you two have it covered.” Then proceeded to walk back out through the French doors quickly.

“Shit.” Luke says under his breath and calls out for Nina.

The look of betrayal on her face sends chills down my back. I feel sick again as the look replays in my head. I make my way to the bathroom quickly and close the door behind me. What the fuck are you doing…Get it together Dayna, this can’t happen.

Walking through Luke’s home is like walking through a photography exhibit. Family portraits of the three of them from various places. There are photos of Sadie as a baby and some of Luke in his college baseball uniform.

I walk through the French doors and see Sadie is in awe with her birthday cake. Luke is talking to Nina off to the side. Cara gives me a questioning look and I just want to throw up.

Luke then places the cake in front of Sadie.

He takes a couple of photos and lights the number 6 candle.

We collectively start to sing her Happy Birthday and my eyes wander to Nina.

Her tear-filled hazel eyes look straight into me.

I wince at the look she’s giving and I just want to leave.

I shouldn’t have come here and I regret ever talking to Luke again.

I’m selfish and I can’t add any more pain to what they are feeling right now.

Sadie blows out her candle and we all clap and take our seats.

I whisper to Cara, “I want to go home.” She gives me a subtle nudge to my leg with an agreement.

“Miss Sadie— Dayna and I are going to have to take off. I ate too much pizza and…” She moves closer over the table and loudly whispers the rest “... I’m lactose intolerant. ”

“I hope you enjoyed your birthday and I really hope you like our gifts.” Luke does his eyebrow scrunch, he doesn’t believe a word Cara is saying because he knows Cara isn’t lactose intolerant.

I’m the coward who is avoiding his mother-in-law.

“And I drove Cara here, it was really nice meeting everyone. Happy Birthday Sadie, thank you for having us, Luke. ”

Sadie rounds the table and gives Cara and I a group hug, “I am so happy you are my Daddy’s friends.

” Luke walks our way and before he reaches us, Dean steps between us and tells Sadie bye as well.

“I’ll walk them out and see that Cara makes it to the bathroom in time.

” We hear a couple chuckles and Cara flips off Dean behind his back.

“Feel better Cara. Drive safe and we’ll see you both Monday.” Luke says softly.

“No doubt, I’ll feel better thanks, Luke.”

The three of us leave Sadie’s birthday party and walk through Luke’s house. Dean mutters something about all the photos but I just ignore him and try to get to the front door quickly.

While we are walking back to our cars, Dean leans into me “I always wondered why you wore that ratty old Red Sox sweater that you never wanted to get rid of. No matter how many Dodger sweaters I got you, you always picked that one. Now I understand why. It’s as if he is the sole reason you enjoyed watching baseball games with me.

Hoping to hear his name or catch a glimpse of him?

What a shame what happened to his arm.” Dean says in a condescending voice that makes me sick to have ever loved this man.

He has no clue why I wear that sweater. He gets into his car and drives away.

Cara and I did not talk until we walked into my house. It wasn’t a long drive, but it felt like I would have thrown up on my steering wheel if I spoke. “So are you going to tell me what the hell happened back there? What happened to his mother-in-law? She came out of the house a little upset.”

“She walked in while I was standing next to him. We were pretty close.” I leave out the part where Luke almost kissed me. That led me to believe he is feeling more than what he says.

“But that doesn’t mean anything, you went in there to help him.”

“I know but I’m pretty sure I was eye fucking him.”

“Dayna…you really need to work on your facial expressions.”

“I know… ”

I can’t help what I feel. I loved him so much.

The memory of him has been engraved in my mind forever.

The way he held me close and how he brushed his fingers through my hair when I was sad.

When he would tease me after we kissed because my face was flushed.

Anytime he wanted to practice pitching, I’d be his catcher for him.

Our long conversations on the sofa about the books we read.

And our first time, he was so sweet and so gentle.

He held my hand the entire time, and that was the only way we ever had sex.

I’ve never forgotten the way he looked at me when he was above me.

I’d trace the veins on his arm with the tips of my fingers.

Then there was the quietness and the comforting breathing as we fell asleep together.

My heart has always been forever his, but I let that all go because I was scared. Now I live with regret of letting him get to me and pushing him away when all Luke ever did was love me.