Page 43 of No Love Lost

Pride filled him at Addy’s words. More lust.

And now, excitement at taking her to a moment from their past. He took a circuitous route so she wouldn’t realize where he was taking her too quickly.

He drove through several neighborhoods and pointed out more places he’d visited with his grandparents.

As they drew closer to the MassArt area, she recognized a few buildings. But it had been more than a decade since she’d been here, and he wasn’t using the same route her bus had taken.

He pulled into a parking lot, and she smiled. “I’m not sure where we are.”

“Then my surprise is still intact for a moment.”

That moment didn’t last long. When they turned the corner, her laughter filled him up. “Our café. This is perfect.”

Inside, they found that not much had changed. The booths were now covered in red fabric instead of the checked pattern he remembered. The countertops had been refreshed but the layout remained the same.

Addy grabbed his hand and tugged him to an empty booth. She pointed to a side for him, then took the one opposite. “This is exactly where you sat when I first spotted you. You were so cute and sexy, I almost dropped my tray. Then you looked at me with that twinkle in your eye, and I thought I’d stumbled into my very own fantasy world.”

That filled him up. “You wore that horrific neon-green uniform shirt, and you looked like you could be on a runway in Paris.”

Her cheeks heated, and she ducked her head. Hiding behind her hair. He reached and brushed her hair back. “Don’t hide from me, Addy. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world, and you should hold that head up no matter what.”

She smiled softly as her eyes misted. “I love you, Heath.”

“Love you right back, Addy.”

A server came over and they ordered a plate of nachos to split and lemonade, just like they had many times before.

“Tell me about the heart condition.”

She leaned back in her chair, eyes wide. “It’s fine.”

He rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t. I want to know it all. Even the tough stuff.”

For a long moment, she was quiet. He hoped she was gathering her thoughts and not avoiding the topic. When she looked up, her deep eyes were serious. “You’re not allowed to feel guilty about any of this.”

“I already do. I should have been there. If I’d known, I could have paid for medical treatments and visits, even if I’d been deployed. I know you wouldn’t have had excess money.”

“I had enough.”

That had him smiling. “You did. And from everything I’ve seen, all the photos you’ve shown me, I know Nina has always had everything she’s needed. I also know that she comes first for you, and she always has. I’m betting you had incredibly difficult choices to make regarding money, and that Nina’s needs won out every time.”

Her eyes misted, and her smile was soft. “I couldn’t afford my asthma medication all the time. I tried to only use the inhalers when I was desperate, but it wasn’t enough. The asthma developed into preeclampsia.”

He nodded. “I wondered about that. I’ve been reading up. Did you develop cardiomyopathy?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “You have been reading up. No, I was lucky. When Nimii and her grandmother dragged me to the doctor, she said I was at risk for cardiomyopathy, but the condition never worsened.”

“I’ve noticed you always have inhalers with you now. Do you have to take any medications for your heart? Is there any lingering worries with it? What other meds do you need?”

Addy patted his hand. “I’m fine. Preeclampsia generally disappears when you give birth. It did for me. I have regular checkups now and my heart is healthy.”

“No long-term effects?”

“No. With help from Nimii and her grandmother, I could afford the medications. They made sure Nina and I were safe and healthy.”

That made his heart thump. “I’m so glad you met Nimii. She is an amazing friend.”

Addy nodded. “The best. She, her grandmother, and Ginny are family.”

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