Page 50 of Paper Flowers (Stonebrook #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

LUKE

T he house is too quiet. I didn’t notice it at first, not when I was making coffee, not when I was scrolling through my phone at the kitchen counter.

But now, as I stand in my closet, shifting things around, the silence feels…

loud. This morning, Dayna and Sadie went to the mall in the neighboring town.

They picked up Cara and are going to make it a girls day.

Sadie needs this one-on-one time with Dayna.

Honestly, so does Dayna. The two of them have gotten so close, so fast, and I still can’t quite wrap my head around it.

Not because I didn’t expect them to get along— I knew they would.

But because watching Sadie trust someone new so completely, seeing her light up around Dayna, hearing her laughter come easier, freer.

It does something to me. It’s been over a year since Juliette passed.

For the longest time, it felt like Sadie and I were just surviving, going through the motions.

Now?

I see her thriving. I see her happy. I know Dayna has a lot to do with that.

Being home alone gave me time to catch up on laundry, organize the house. More importantly time to think. I’ve been slowly making room for Dayna. Small changes here and there, an empty drawer, an extra section in my closet. She hasn’t officially moved in yet, but… It’s starting to feel inevitable.

I glance at the empty space on the wall.

The place where our family photos used to be.

Putting them away was a huge step for both me and Sadie.

It felt right. Sadie helped me pick out her favorite ones, and we hung them in her room.

The rest? They’re in the attic for now. Dayna’s reaction when she noticed had my heart in knots.

She felt bad— like she was intruding. Like she was somehow replacing something that wasn’t hers to replace.

She wasn’t. I knew that. Sadie knew that.

But still, I had to reassure her. Because this was my choice.

I don’t regret it.

With the girls gone, I decide to make a quick trip to the hardware store. Dayna’s Christmas gift has been on my mind for weeks, and while I already have one thing planned, I want to let Sadie pick something out for her too. They spent all day yesterday buying gifts for everyone else.

Now it’s my turn.

There’s one more thing I need to take care of.

Keys.

Because if I’m being honest with myself, Dayna practically lives here already. Might as well make it official.

I pull into Egan’s Hardware , the bell over the door chiming as I step inside. The place smells like sawdust and fresh paint. It’s small, but well-stocked, with shelves filled with every tool, nail, and fixture you could ever need. I glance around, looking for an employee. Then I spot him.

An older man in a blue flannel button-up and khaki pants. Keys jingle from a carabiner clipped to his belt loop as he walks toward me. His silver hair is neatly combed back, and his smile is soft, warm, reaching all the way up to his hazel eyes.

Something about him feels... familiar.

Like I’ve known him forever.

“Hi there, welcome to Egan’s Hardware . I’m Preston Egan. What can I do for ya?” I shift my keys in my hand.

“Nice to meet you, Preston. I’m Luke Beckett—I moved here in August. I was hoping to get a couple of copies made of my house key.

” Preston nods, hiking a thumb over his shoulder.

“Well, certainly, Luke. Let’s head on back and get that started for ya.

” I follow him through the aisles, the familiar scent of lumber and metal settling around me.

Preston leads me to the back counter, flipping on a key-cutting machine.

I set my keys down and point to the one I need copies of.

“You want a fancy key? We got ‘em in all kinds of colors and patterns. Or would a classic brass one do?” I glance at the display tray. The flashy ones aren’t my style. I pick up a plain brass key, rolling it between my fingers. “I’ll stick with this one.”

“Good choice. Won’t take but a few minutes.”

As Preston works, I pull out my phone and shoot Dayna a quick message.

Send me a picture of Sadie’s dress.

Dayna: Absolutely not. She wants you to be surprised.

I chuckle, shaking my head. Sadie is stubborn as hell— just like her mother was. A few seconds later, another text pops up.

Dayna: You might not want to check your bank right now. She went a little overboard at the mall.

I immediately check my bank app. There it is— three separate charges. My eyebrows shoot up at the total. I did tell her to get what they both needed. Jokes on me.

I text her back.

Did you pick something up for yourself?

Dayna: I found a cute dress and got you a new dress shirt. But like Sadie has requested, you can’t see our outfits yet .

Fully intrigued by my text conversation, I hear Preston close the key-cutting machine.

“All set, Luke.” Preston hands me two fresh copies of my house key. I run my thumb over the cool brass, weighing them in my palm.

“Are they just spares?” he asks. I glance at the keys. Then shake my head.

“Not exactly. I’m asking my girlfriend to move in with me. One is for her.”

Preston nods knowingly. “Big step.”

“Yeah.” I exhale. “The other one is for her best friend. She won’t be moving in, but those two are a package deal. So… it’s more symbolic.” Preston chuckles. “The way to a girl’s heart is good food and getting best friend approval.”

“That seems to be the way it is with those two.” I smirk, handing over my debit card. He rings me up, tucking the keys into a small paper bag.

“It was nice meeting you, Luke.” I nod, shaking his hand. “Same to you, Preston. If all goes well, I’m sure I’ll be back for paint and house project supplies soon.”

Preston grins. “Good luck, son. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.” As I walk out, the bag weighs heavier than it should.

It’s just two keys. But somehow, it feels like something much bigger. Like the start of something new. Like the start of home.

When my girls finally got back, they went straight up to Sadie’s room to drop off their shopping bags.

Cara was dropped off to prepare the final decorations for the Christmas program.

I was a bit shocked she missed an opportunity to stay the night.

But can we really be shocked? It’s the biggest event of the year.

We ate dinner and Sadie showered, she passed out on the couch before Dayna moved her to her bed upstairs.

A day of shopping really got her knocked out cold.

Now, we’re both outside on the back deck, the overhead heater humming softly above us.

Dayna props her legs over my thighs, tucking her feet beneath my hoodie.

I drape my arm over her crossed legs, running my palm over the fabric of her leggings, trying to keep her warm.

The cold air is sharp tonight, crisp, clean, but the heater keeps it bearable.

I take a slow sip of my beer, looking over at Dayna as she tilts her head up toward the sky.

Her dark brown hair catches the glow of the strung lights, the amber hue bringing out the red undertones in her strands.

She’s beautiful.

As if she feels my gaze, her whiskey-colored eyes shift to meet mine. I smirk.

“My brother texted me today.”

She shifts a little, adjusting the way she’s sitting.

“Yeah? What’d he say?” I tell her about our conversation, about him planning to visit in March for my birthday.

Sadie’s gonna be excited, she wants him to get married and have babies so she can have more cousins.

“She loves her older cousins at her grandma’s house. ”

Dayna smiles. “She really does, huh?” Her voice trails off toward the end. Her expression shifts— something unspoken lingering in her eyes. A look of longing and sadness.

I immediately picked up on it.

“Hey.” I squeeze her thigh gently. “Talk to me. What’s on that beautiful mind of yours?” She shakes her head, waving a hand like she’s brushing it off. But I know better.

“I’m being overly emotional.” I sit up a little. “Dayna… tell me. Please?” She takes her bottom lip between her teeth, releasing it with a slight wince. I narrow my eyes. I know that wince. She bit herself trying not to moan the other day.

My poor girl. She inhales sharply, her chin wobbling slightly as she gathers her words.

“I’m going to miss her, Luke.” Her voice is so soft, I almost don’t hear her. Her eyes lift back to mine just as a stray tear spills down her cheek. I reach over, wiping it away gently. “Miss who?” Her throat bobs with a hard swallow.

“Sadie.” Her voice cracks on her name. “When she leaves for the week, I’m going to miss her.

My heart hurts just thinking about it.” She turns her face away, wiping at another tear quickly.

I set my beer down and pull her into my lap.

She curls against me, her face tucked beneath my jaw.

I move a strand of hair behind the shell of her ear, watching another tear fall.

“This will be the first time I’m away from her for so long.” Her voice shakes.

“One week, and I’m a mess. Is this normal? Is there something wrong with me?” I cup her face, letting her press into my palm. She places her tiny hand over mine, a stark contrast against my larger hand.

“Baby, it’s completely normal to feel this way. You love her. Trust me— she’s gonna miss you even more than she’ll miss me.” Dayna lets out a small hiccup, blinking up at me.

“She already asked if we could FaceTime her at bedtime while she’s there.”

Her lips part slightly. “She did?” I nod, rubbing small circles into the side of her thigh.

“She loves you, Dayna. I hate that your heart hurts like this, but I love that you love Sadie the way you do. You’re a part of her world now.”

She nods slowly, eyes glistening.