Page 11 of No Love Lost

And she knew he was going to do everything in his power to make up for lost time.

CHAPTER 4

Found Out

Heath struggled to process. In the last couple of hours, his entire life had changed several times. He’d been on a trip to visit his buddies. To drink a few beers, find out about their secret project, and maybe even have a family Christmas.

Ha.

Now he knew he actually had a family. A family of his own. Or at least a daughter of his own.

And if his mind immediately put him and Addy together as a couple, it couldn’t be helped. He’d gone from totally pissed at her to understanding.

Seeing her phone had nearly broken him. She’d called, texted, and emailed. Not just once but dozens of times.

I know you haven’t responded, and I’m not asking anything of you, but I thought you’d like to know that Nina took her first steps today. I wish I’d taken a picture of the pure joy on her face. She was so proud. She looked so like you when your team won the hockey playoffs.

Nina wants to skate. I’ve never understood why anyone wants to balance on tiny blades.

Nina presented a speech in front of her whole school today. On climate change and actionable items for kids her age. She’s got your gift for charming people.

When Nina is absorbed in a project, she taps her fingers just like you do.

So many precious moments he’d missed. So much love he’d lost.

And the only ones who could be responsible for it were his parents. “Where did you mail the packages you sent me?”

Her eyes had been almost closed, and he regretted asking the question. She’d had a severe asthma attack earlier, and she needed to rest. But the question had popped out as he looked through the pictures on her phone.

Pictures which were all Nina. No other men, which made him unreasonably happy.

“To your home in Boston.”

His parent’s home. He wanted to ask if she’d paid for registered mail to see if they’d been delivered, but he didn’t.

While the photos showed a happy, clean, and healthy Nina in every picture, they also showed that there hadn’t been excess money.

He could have helped with that. He should have helped with that. Guilt swamped him.

And then he refocused on her answer. There was a possibility one package might have gone missing, but to have them go missing every year? That was impossible. “My parents had to have known. They must have hidden the packages. Or thrown them away. They’re the only ones who could have kept this from me.” How could anyone throw something so precious away?

She nodded, her eyes sad and not triumphant that he believed her. “I didn’t tell them about the baby, but when I went to see them, they told me you wanted nothing to do with me anymore. That you’d joined the Army and wanted a fresh start with a new life and no ties to the past.”

And he’d thought his heart couldn’t handle another stab. “I’m so damn sorry, Addy. I never said that. You know that I planned on joining the military eventually, but I wanted to finish college first. And I had no intention of cutting ties with anyone, least of all you.”

He swallowed hard as he decided to tell her the rest. “On my eighteenth birthday, my dad told me to get in the car. I thought maybe there was a birthday surprise. Instead, he dropped me off at the recruitment office and said he’d see me in eight years.” Because every Wilcox served at least two terms.

Addy’s hand squeezed his. “That’s horrid. I’m so sorry you went through that.”

His laugh didn’t hold any humor. “And I’m so sorry you went through the pregnancy and birth alone. You must have been terrified. Tell me how you did it.”

Her hand flinched in his. Instead of releasing her, he ran his thumb over her hand.

“I was lucky.”

Doubtful. Her foster home hadn’t been great, but at least it had been safe from creeps.

“I already had the college scholarship. I found a nearby café that needed a server. They had a room I was able to rent at the same time.”

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