Page 32 of Paper Flowers (Stonebrook #1)

“My parents were killed in a boating accident when I was a sophomore in college. They never recovered my dad’s body, but my mom was found two days later.

We had one funeral for both but my mom has a separate plot near her family.

” He says with his eyes miles away as if he’s reliving the moment.

I step as close as I can get our bodies and wrap my arms around his waist. He leans into me and puts his chin on the top of my head. We fit so perfectly.

“I—I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am. You have lost so much in such a short time. I really loved Claire. I can’t believe she’s gone.” I hug him tighter.

“Thank you, Baby. But it doesn’t change how I feel about my father. He was wrong to threaten you.” His father did a number on both the Beckett boys and it is such a shame. The hurt we endured from his threat still stings.

“I wish I would have told you, but I knew you needed to be focused and make your dreams come true. I mean, look at you now, Luke. You earned that full ride baseball scholarship. Your collegiate career was absolutely incredible. I knew when I saw you run into her arms, it was time for me to truly move on.”

He releases me and walks back a couple steps, putting space between us. I feel the heat escaping me from where he was just holding my body. Luke’s puzzled gaze is broken when Sadie calls out for Luke. He doesn’t say anything to me when he turns on his heels to jog upstairs.

I hear their voices floating downstairs and a door is closed gently.

I take this time to gather myself and take deep breaths.

Walking down the stairs he turns slowly towards me, Luke finally says “Sadie was asking if you were still here and she wanted to let you know that she’s watching Wreck-It Ralph again.

” It does something to my chest knowing she asked about me.

I’m not surprised she’s watching that again, because she was watching it last time I was here.

I clear my throat not knowing what to do.

“What do you mean you saw me with her? You saw me with Juliette? When?” He asked quietly.

“It was our senior year of college. You just won the championship game at LBS.”

I begin to explain how I can still feel the rumble of the stadium under my feet when he hit that game ending Grand Slam. “After everything settled down, you ran straight to her and you kissed her. I was there in the stands with Cara, it was the only college game I ever saw you play.”

I replay that entire memory in my mind more than I care to admit. The way he looked at her that day was the same way he used to look at me. I knew he was in love because when Luke Beckett loved someone, he loved with every inch of his soul.

“You saw me play in the biggest game of my life, why didn’t you reach out to me?” He said with an ache in his voice. “I saw you with Juliette, and Luke— you were happy. What was I supposed to do? Go up to you and ruin that? I couldn’t do that to you.”

He closes the space in front of us and leads us to the sofa. Luke sits me down and takes a seat across from me on the ottoman. He places his hands on the back of my thighs to pull me between his thighs. My heart is beating so hard. I have no idea where things go from here.

“I wish you would have told me about the scare. I would have understood…If I only knew you did this for me, so I could have this life, I don’t know how I could ever thank you. I wouldn’t have my Sadie and I can’t imagine my life without her.”

“I let being scared pull me away from you the first time. I know I’m doing it again.

I’m scared Sadie won’t like me. I don’t know anything about raising a child but what I do know is, how strongly I feel about her.

Sadie is worth the heartache I lived with all these years.

She is such a wonderful little girl, you two really nailed the parenting thing for her.

But what if I can’t live up to that? She deserves so much. ”

“Baby, I appreciate your concern for Sadie. That is one of the reasons why I feel the way I do about you. You think of her first and her feelings. You are truly an amazing woman. Being scared is part of raising a child, it’s normal to feel like that.”

Hearing him call me Baby after all this is giving me hope that maybe we are doing the right thing. I laid out my fears, and he still is willing to be all in with me.

“Where do we go from here?” I ask him softly.

“Well for starters, I think we should establish what our relationship is. If we still have one?” Luke said calmly as he pulled me onto his lap. I put my hands through his gorgeous beard, bringing our faces closer.

“I don’t want to rush you, I’m happy being in your life again.

” He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear and kisses my lips softly.

I can’t help but moan quietly. He makes me feel so beautiful and wanted.

It’s been years since I’ve felt that way.

He brings his mouth to my ear, “I’d really like it if you will be my girlfriend, Dayna Evans.

” I giggle at the sound of his smile in his voice.

“I would want nothing more than to be with you.” I replied. Luke kisses me so hard I swear I would have tumbled backwards if his hands weren’t gripping my ass.

As much as I want to stay here and kiss Luke Beckett until my lips are sore, I need to go home. I miss him already and I haven’t even left yet.

“I was thinking of taking Sadie to the park tomorrow morning and then make us lunch back here, if you’re not busy, I would like it if you came with us.”

“I’d like that. What time?”

“I’ll pick you up at 9.”

“I’ll be ready. I’m going to head home. Can you tell Sadie I said good night?”

“I will. Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.

” I get off Luke’s lap and he subtly adjusts his crotch.

Walking to the foyer he opens the door. There’s a slight breeze and the stars are shining throughout the night’s velvet blue sky.

We approach my car in the driveway. Luke reaches for my car door and opens it.

Before getting in, I give him the biggest hug I can give.

With my arms wrapped around his neck “Thank you for everything, Luke. You don’t know how much this means to me. ”

“No, Baby, thank you. I’ll see you soon. Let me know when you get inside your house.”

“I will.”

The kiss he gives me before I get into my car is different this time. I feel it in my soul, he loves me.