No Love Lost: Lost For Words
Losing Sleep
Addy Wilcox thought this might be the best day ever. And that was saying something. She’d had a lot of highlight days over her lifetime.
Meeting Heath at that coffee shop.
Their first kiss.
Their first time making love.
Nina’s birth.
All of Nina’s firsts.
Buying her first home.
Meeting with Heath again. Okay, that day had started out badly, but things had ended up well.
Their first Christmas as a family, which was also the day they’d got engaged.
Their New Year’s Eve wedding.
And now this.
It wasn’t something they’d talked about much. The previous few months had been a whirlwind of emotions and activity.
The three of them were firmly settled into their farmhouse and the renovations were progressing as time allowed.
She laughed at that thought. Some of those renovations would need to be accelerated.
Addy showered, and dressed in leggings and one of Heath’s sweatshirts. She added her polar bear slippers. It might be early April, but in Vermont that meant the possibility of snow wasn’t over.
It also meant spring was on the horizon. Even the relentless drizzle of rain didn’t dampen her mood. Nothing could today.
Nina was off at school, and Heath was working at the brewery with their friends. They were planning out the variations they wanted to attempt this year. Heath hadn’t arrived in town soon enough last year to help with the whole process of choosing hops, growing them, and brewing the beer. She knew he was excited about it.
Addy grabbed a banana and headed to her desk in the living room. Soon she’d have an office but that wasn’t at the top of the priority list. And it wouldn’t be for a while.
Animosh stirred from where she snoozed on her doggie bed, and came over to Addy for a rubdown. “Good morning, sweet girl. I can’t believe I slept through the others leaving. Did you see them all off?”
Animosh wagged her tail, and led Addy to her computer. The dog often sat at her feet while she wrote.
A sticky note on her monitor made her smile.
Good morning, Addy. The tea in your travel mug is hot. Glad you got some sleep. Let me know if you need anything. Love, H.
She’d been so tired lately, and Heath would have trapped her in bed to catch up on that sleep in he could. He was such a good man, and she couldn’t be happier he was back in their lives.
She was so in love with him and the life they were building in Phail.
And it was only going to get better.
Lost In Thought
Heath sat back in his chair and listened to Levi explain the process of planting hops. Because Heath had been a dumbass, he’d missed last season. He hadn’t been part of the group as they’d chosen the varieties of hops to use. He hadn’t been a part of planting. Or watching the plants grow. Or harvesting.
Worse, he’d lost out on months of time with Addy and Nina. Months he’d never get back. All because he’d felt tied to Boston. The last place he’d seen his Addy.
If he’d listened to Troy and the gang, he would have found her months earlier.
Epic shoved his shoulder. “We boring you, Slick? Or did you fall asleep on us?”
Heath shook himself out of his thoughts. Because these guys were his best friends in the world, he was able to be honest. “Sorry. Just wishing I’d been here last year for all of this. And for Addy and Nina, too. I missed out on months with them because I didn’t take a chance.”
His friends nodded soberly. They knew what had happened in his past. They’d helped take care of Addy and Nina, even when they’d had no idea of Heath’s connection to them both.
Marcus, the quintessential team leader, nodded. “It’s hard knowing you missed so much time with them both. I’m sorry none of us put it together earlier. We never wanted to pester Addison about Nina’s father or her past.”
Troy sighed. “Yeah. I know Nina’s mostly a carbon copy of her mom, but there’s enough of you in there that I feel bad we missed it.”
Across the table, Sean nodded. “It sucks, but maybe things happened the way they needed to. Without the dramatic way you two met, maybe there would have been more yelling and less panic. That panic led to you guys working through your past pretty quickly.”
Heath’s heart rate rose at the memory. Seeing him on a cold, blustery day had triggered a severe asthma attack in Addy. Scared him shitless. Especially when she’d been obviously terrified he was there to take her child away from her. A child he hadn’t known existed. Worst moments of his life.
But they’d led to the very best moments too.
Addy had brought all of those best moments. She’d opened her life to him, encouraged the relationship between him and Nina. She was pure magic.
Levi, always the quietest of the group, leaned forward. “Let the past go, Heath. Enjoy the now. And the future. You’ve got decades of it. Don’t let the past ruin it.”
Heath’s eyes filled and he had to blink the moisture away. “You’re a wise man, Oz. Some might say a wise wizard.”
Everyone groaned and laughed.
Heath grinned, and turned his focus back to the group. “Okay, I’m good. Let’s get this year planned so I can head home and check on the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Garrett frowned. “Check on her? Is Addy sick?”
He shrugged. “Don’t think so, but she’s been tired out. She was still sleeping when I left this morning. Just want to make sure she’d okay.”
All the men nodded. “Let’s finish choosing the hops for this year’s planting. We’ll do the rest another time.”
And this was why he loved them all.
Losing Touch With Reality
Ziigwan climbed the tree with a grin. Only a year before, she’d only heard about trees from books. She hadn’t really believed they’d ever existed. Now, she knew first-hand the differences between at least a dozen varieties. She’d learned which were good for climbing and hiding. Which ones housed birds and small creatures she’d never known existed either. And she knew which grew poisonous berries.
It was the poison she was after now.
Ziigwan hoped she’d never need to use the poison but she’d learned to be prepared. They were never going to leave her alone. She knew too much about the twisted dealings in the city. She knew they killed easily and often to cover their tracks. If she wanted to survive and help the people of her world, she needed to be open to all the possibilities.
A timer shrieked and Addy jumped out of her chair. Hand over her heart, she blew out a breath. “One of these days, I’m going to hear the first two timers.”
“I doubt it.” Heath’s voice and his deep chuckle behind her had her whirling around. He lounged on the couch with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand. Animosh sat beside him, the timer having roused her as well.
Addy grinned and backed up her work. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
He laughed. “Or make the coffee. Or put on some soup. Or let Mosh here out.”
Her eyebrows rose but she smiled. “I was in the zone.”
He patted the couch beside him, and she dropped into the spot. His arm came around her shoulders and he squeezed her into his side, and kissed her forehead. “Zone with a capital Z. Your fingers fly over that keyboard.”
She snuggled in with a happy sigh. “Ziigwan is making plans.”
“Good. I hope she’s figuring out how to keep her new friends safe.”
“She is. I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Which is why she’d set the timer for lunch. She needed to make sure she ate regularly. When the stories sucked her in, she often didn’t even remember to take a bathroom break until she was desperate.
“I wanted to check on you. We decided on the hops for this year’s planting, so that was the main thing. How are you feeling?”
Her entire body lit up at his words. It was early, but it was time.
Found Out
Heath had felt better when he’d walked into the house to find Addy lost in her words. She couldn’t be feeling too awful if she was attached to her keyboard with her fingers creating her magic. Hopefully the extra sleep had done her some good.
She didn’t always remember to eat or take care of herself when she was writing, so he’d made up some minestrone soup, and had set it to simmer while she finished up.
Of course, Addy had mostly ignored the first two timers she’d set. If the words were flowing well, she barely heard them. Her hand moved to her phone to slap off the timer, and then returned to the keyboard with barely a pause.
He’d been prepared for the shriek of the third timer, but he’d still nearly jumped out of his skin. Animosh had lifted her head from her snooze in his lap, and checked on Addy. Even the dog was used to her routines and timers.
When he asked how she was feeling, he felt her body shift. Tighten.
He set his mug on the table and turned to face her. He picked up her hand with one of his, and tilted up her chin with the other. “What is it? Are you sick? What can I do?”
Addy’s eyes misted with tears, and she rolled her lips together.
Shit. “What’s wrong? Tell me.”
She shook her head and swallowed hard. “I’m okay.”
He frowned. “Are you sure? Something’s wrong. What is it?”
One tear slipped over, and he brushed it away, trying to still the panic. But instead of fear in her eyes, he saw joy. She smiled. “I’m okay. More than okay. I know we didn’t talk about it or plan it, but I’m happy. Overflowing with happy.”
He stared at her as her words registered. “Wait. What? You’re pregnant?”
She nodded. “According to the stick I peed on this morning.”
“You’re pregnant.” His heart nearly exploded in joy. But fear was there as well. “Are you sure? Are you okay? How’s your heart? What should we do?”
Addy laughed as more tears spilled over. “I’m okay. Everything feels fine, but I’ll talk to Lia soon.”
“You’re pregnant.”
She smiled. “I’m pregnant.”
“We’re going to have a baby.”
She nodded and caressed his jaw. “We’re having a baby.”
“We’re having a baby.” Heath cupped her face with both hands and stared into her eyes. He saw nothing but joy. No fear. “We’re having a baby.” Then he kissed the hell out of her.
Find The Time
Addy felt light-headed when they pulled back from the kiss. This feeling she couldn’t blame on the pregnancy. That was all Heath.
His hands continued to frame her face, and he brushed his thumb over her jaw. “We’re having a baby.”
She nodded again. At first she’d been worried about his reaction. Pure panic. But the joy had crowded out the panic, and it radiated from his eyes.
He’d missed out on knowing about Nina from the beginning. He’d missed everything until they’d reunited a few short months before when Nina was almost a teen. This time, he wouldn’t miss a thing.
“We’re having a baby.”
She laughed at his repetition of the phrase. His gruff voice was full of so much emotion.
“And you’re okay? You’re going to be okay?”
She nodded. “I’m okay and I’m going to stay that way.”
He kissed her sweetly. “We’ll make sure of it.”
The fierce promise in his voice filled her up. He’d missed so much the first time, including the fear. This time, she wouldn’t be afraid. Not when she had this incredible man at her side. And him and Nina filling her heart.
“We’re having a baby.”
This time, his voice was full of pure joy, making Addy laugh. “We are.”
With a happy whoop, he scooped her up from the couch and spun her around in circles, laughing. “We’re having a baby!”
Laughing, she hung on for the ride. Heath walked through to the kitchen and set her on the island. Then he moved between her legs, and kissed her again. Love and heat. And joy.
When he pulled back, he leaned his forehead on hers and whispered. “We’re having a baby.”
“So I hear. But we’ll have to get Lia to confirm. Sometimes the sticks are wrong.”
“Should we tell Nina before we talk to Lia? She’s going to lose her mind with happiness.”
Addy smiled, knowing it was true. “She’s going to be the best big sister on the planet.”
He grinned. “And she’s going to be a mother hen about you.”
She sighed. “That means I’m going to have two mother hens.”
He nodded with a grin. “True. Okay, let’s call Lia to see if we can see her today.”
Addy laughed. “Pregnancy is normal, not an emergency. I don’t think we need to see her yet.”
He leaned down and studied her with serious eyes. “Last time, you were alone, and without a lot of resources. You did an amazing job anyway, but this time, we’ve got all the resources we need to ensure you and the baby are healthy. We’re going to use those resources, and that means seeing Lia as soon as possible. We need to find out how to take care of that heart of yours, and find out if we need to do anything special to keep your asthma under control. She’ll know which meds might affect the baby.”
Addy brushed her hand over his face and her thumb over his lips. He’d missed so much. He blamed himself for Addy not having the money to have regular doctor’s appointments. She knew he had a difficult time letting the guilt and regrets go. “I’ll call Lia and see when she can fit us in.”
Lost No More
Heath forced his heat rate to stay in control. His fears for Addy had outweighed his desire to have another baby. Another bunch of babies.
He didn’t know how Addy could be so calm.
Lia had hugged them both when they’d told her the reason for the visit less than an hour after Addy had told him she was pregnant.
She’d weighed Addy, taken all her vitals, and asked a million questions.
Finally, Lia nodded. “You’re young and healthy. This time around, you’re going to have access to regular medical appointments. You’re also more aware of the risks and the precautions to take. Preeclampsia is a possibility, especially when you had the condition in the first pregnancy. We’ll be sure to monitor regularly and keep an eye out for signs.”
She smiled. “There’s no reason to think this pregnancy is going to be anything other than wonderful. Especially with this guy around. I’m pretty sure he’s going to have an eagle-eye trained on you for the next eight months.”
Heath nodded. “Or the next eight decades.”
Lia laughed and motioned him closer to where Addy lay on the bed. She gently probed her abdomen with a smile. Then she brought Heath’s hand over. The doctor moved his hand into position. “Gently press down. Feel that? That’s your baby in there.”
Tears instantly filled his eyes. Their baby. This time he wasn’t missing a damn thing. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the spot. “Welcome, little one. You’re going to have a wonderful life. You’ve got the best mama in the world.”
Addy’s intake of breath had him looking at her. Tears misted her eyes.
Lia rubbed Heath’s arm and mumbled something about getting vitamins for Addy. Then she left them alone in the room.
Heath leaned down and kissed Addy properly. “We’re having a baby.”
As he hoped, the repetition of words he hadn’t been able to stop saying made her laugh and banished the tears. “We are. You’re not going to miss a single thing this time around.”
“Damn right.” He helped Addy to a sitting position and then wrapped her in his arms. “I feel like I’m going to burst from the happiness pumping through my veins.”
Her arms squeezed him tightly. “Me too.”
“I love you so much, Addy.”
A knock preceded Lia re-entering the room. “Here’s a bottle of pre-natal vitamins to start taking. I’ve also got some information on how asthma can affect pregnancy. And more info on preeclampsia. I think you’ll both feel better with the real information. Remember the internet can be full of disinformation and extreme stories. If you have any questions, call me anytime. Day or night.”
“Congratulations, both of you. And to Nina, too. She’s going to be an amazing big sister.”
Heath grinned. “She is. She’s only asked a hundred times if we’re going to give her a brother or sister.”
Addy’s skin flushed as she laughed. “She’s going to be thrilled.”
Lia nodded. “We’ll know after an ultrasound in a few weeks, but I suspect this new little one will be her favourite Christmas gift.”
Heath blinked at that. A baby for Christmas. He’d arrived in town a few weeks before this past Christmas, lost and alone. Now he had a wife and daughter he adored, and a new child on the way.
He laughed and pulled both Lia and Addy into a hug. “Merry Christmas, everyone. It’s going to be the best one yet.”
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this bonus scene to the No Fail Heroes Romantic Suspense series!
The next book in the series is No Bones About It spotlighting Garrett and Kimi!