Page 31 of No Love Lost

Nina flopped back on her beanbag chair. “That was so much fun, but I’m starving. Can we make the pizzas now?”

They moved easily together, laughing and teasing as they made and topped their own pizzas. Heath grinned at hers. “Still love the mushrooms, do you?”

Addy nodded. “Best pizza ever.” She’d loaded it with three varieties of mushrooms and a sprinkle of Feta on the top.

When Heath took a pineapple out of the bag he’d brought, Nina laughed. “You’re one of those pineapple-on-pizza guys?”

“Absolutely. I could never talk your mom into it. You brave enough to try?”

Nina grinned. “Of course. I make mine different every time. You brave enough to try pickles on yours?”

Heath’s eyebrows shot up. “Pickles?”

Nina grinned and waited.

Heath shrugged. “Toss some on there, Spitfire, and we’ll see.”

Nina grinned, obviously loving both the nickname and the teasing.

Addy’s eyes misted with tears, and she turned to the sink to hide her emotions. This was everything she’d dreamed of when she’d learned she was pregnant. Could they really have it all? Could those old dreams come true after all this time?

As they were eating, Heath’s face turned serious. “I’m going to head to Boston this week.”

Nina’s face dropped. “You’re leaving?”

Heath reached over to grab her hand even as Addison’s stomach dropped. Heath took her hand as well. “No. Well, yes, but not the way you’re thinking.”

He took a deep breath. “I need to go for a few days for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I need to pack a bigger bag. I didn’t know you’d both be here, and I only packed a small duffel for a couple of days.”

Relief coursed through her. He wasn’t leaving them.

Heath squeezed both of their hands. “You’re both too important to me. I won’t ever leave for any length of time. But I need to bring my things here and close up some business stuff I have going on. I can do most of my work online and with the phone, but I need to do a few things in person.”

He huffed out a breath. “And I need to talk to my parents. I think I’m almost calm enough to speak to them. But I have to find out what they did and why. I lost a dozen years of having you two in my life, and I can never forgive them for that. But I need to have the conversation.”

Addison gulped back the tears, but they streamed down Nina’s face. She blinked at Heath. “You’re really sad about not knowing us, aren’t you?”

Heath nodded, his own eyes watery. “More sad than I’ve ever been about anything. I can’t get that time back, and it hurts.”

Nina threw herself at Heath and wrapped her arms around him as she cried. “I’m sad and angry too. I wish you’d always been here.”

That had Addy’s tears loosening and Heath’s as well. She stood and moved to wrap her arms around them both.

Her whisper was fierce. “We can’t change the past, but we can make sure we get the most out of every day from now on.”

Heath nodded. “Agreed. Every day. We find the best in every day.”

Addy’s heart nearly burst with joy. And she realized she was thinking of herself as Addy again. Another thing she’d lost. Another thing she could regain.

Along with her family.

CHAPTER 10

Find Your Way

The school his daughter attended was over in the next town, so Heath offered to pick her up from their house in the morning to bring her. Apparently, there was a small bus she normally took, but he wanted to spend time with her, especially when he was planning to head to Boston for an overnight visit.

He pulled into the driveway, happy when Nina didn’t bounce right out because he’d hoped to see Addy as well. He knocked on the door and grinned when she opened it with a smile on her face.

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