Page 14 of No Love Lost

“It’s fine. You’re welcome to what we have.”

“Okay. By the way, I found a box of cereal knocked over and spilled. I cleaned it up so you don’t attract any critters. In this cold, they’ll be sniffing out any food they can find. Now, let’s eat, and I’ll talk so you don’t have to wonder any longer.”

He knew her so well. She was a rip off the bandaid type. And he’d cleaned up her pantry. Nina rarely ate cereal, so Addy must have knocked over the box without realizing it.

“First. I want to get to know Nina. I’ve missed so much of her life, and I want her to know I didn’t shun her. I want her to know she’s important to me and that she can count on me to support her any way I can.”

Addison’s eyes filled with tears. Those were amazing words.

He took a bite and then pointed his fork at her. “I heard you in the parking lot this morning. I didn’t have a clue what you were talking about at first, but I figured it out. I have no desire to take Nina away from you. I wouldn’t do that, and I’m sorry that you think I would.”

That made her flush. “I’m sorry. It was a panic reaction. I couldn’t imagine any other reason you would show up without calling first.”

He blew out a breath. “I didn’t have a clue you were here. I was actually in town to meet up with some friends who live here.”

“That’s a bizarre coincidence. This is a really small town.”

He grinned. “Which is why I avoided coming in the first place.” His smile faded. “If I’d shown up when they’d first asked me, I would have found you and Nina months ago. More regrets I have to live with.”

“It’s not your fault, Heath.”

“Thanks for saying that, but the guilt is kind of all-consuming at the moment.”

Addison put down her fork. “I hate to say this, but I think the entire fault lies with your parents. They kept this from you. And maybe I could have tried harder to get in touch with you.”

His lopsided smile had always touched her heart. That hadn’t changed. “I scrolled through your phone. You tried. It’s not like I have any social media profiles out there. My business doesn’t have a website with my name or picture on it.” He sighed. “I’ve been thinking about the phone thing. When my dad dropped me off at the recruitment office that day, he also gave me a new phone. Said he wanted me to have the top of the line if I was going overseas. He’d had the data transferred and all my contacts were there, including you.”

He swallowed hard. “My dad is a bulldozer and has a lot of connections. He always gets his way. I think he must have used one of his contacts in the tech industry. They did something to my phone so that your number wouldn’t work, but it would look like it worked. Even when I changed phones.”

“Is that possible?”

Heath shrugged. “No idea. But it fits what we know. Maybe there’s some kind of malware in my phone attached to your contact info. My dad’s enough of a jerk to not have any qualms about doing it.”

Wow. That was a horrible thought. “I’m sorry they did that to you.”

“Me too. And I’m going to take that issue up with them both soon. They have a lot to answer for.”

Addison doubted either of them would think they’d done anything wrong, but she hoped for Heath’s sake she was mistaken.

Heath took another bite before he spoke again. “The most important thing is Nina. How do we tell her? When do we tell her? I’ve got a place I can stay in Phail and I can work from anywhere. I want to be here in town, but I also want you to be comfortable. We can do this your way and on your schedule. You obviously know her best. What do you think we should do?”

Her heart warmed. We, not I. He was approaching this as she would have expected before all the heartbreak. Like the good man he was. She smiled at him and was about to speak when the back door flew open, and her whirlwind of a daughter flew in.

Nina barely spared Addison a glance. Her gaze was locked on Heath. She studied him intently for a few seconds. When she spoke, her voice shook. “Are you my father?”

CHAPTER 5

Making Up For Lost Time

Heath studied his daughter. The girl had raced in like a cyclone, although she’d stopped to kick off her boots.

He’d seen the concerned glance she’d shot at Addy and then she’d moved herself to her mom’s side as if to protect her.

She deserved nothing but the truth. “I am. I’m Heath Wilcox, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you.”

Nina scowled at him and crossed her arms in front of her. “If you were happy about it, maybe you should have done something about it, I don’t know, maybe twelve years ago.”

Her fierce sarcasm had him smiling ruefully. “You’re right. I should have.”

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