“I never sit in the kitchen. It can wait until some other time,” she said, waiting for Jack.
“All right. What sounds good for lunch? What about Mexican food? I know a good ramen place a few blocks down,” he suggested.
“Mexican sounds great,” she said as Jack hurried over to them.
“It’s in stock. We can deliver the two pieces tomorrow afternoon,” Jack informed her.
“Oh, great,” she murmured. “I’ll take them.”
She followed Jack over to his desk and waited while he processed the order and scheduled delivery. Handing him her credit card, she signed the paperwork, feeling giddy at picking out something of her own.
A few minutes later, Liam drove them to a small Mexican restaurant and led her to a secluded table toward the back, where he sat against the wall.
“What’s the matter? You’ve barely said anything since we got into the SUV,” Liam asked her after the waitress took their orders.
“I guess the last couple of days finally caught up to me,” she lied, glancing away. In truth, she enjoyed shopping with Liam. Unlike Sam, he asked for her opinion, encouraged her to make choices, and seemed relaxed. Part of her felt guilty for comparing the two of them.
Between the car searching and the furniture buying, Addyson realized how regimented her life with Sam had become. He determined where they lived, kept a minimal household due to their frequent transfers, and chose items such as cars and furniture without her input.
“Addy?” Liam waved his hand in front of her face.
“I’m sorry,” she said, letting out a little laugh. “I’m afraid my brain shut down.”
Frowning, Liam gazed at her. “Does your head bother you?”
“No,” she assured him. “I’ve made more decisions these past few days than I have in my entire medical career. It has me off kilter.”
“Didn’t you and Sam discuss things when you deployed or before he did?” Liam asked, confused.
“We deployed at different times. As you know, SEALs can be gone for months or return in a week. Since he managed the moves, I let him make most of the decisions. It didn’t seem fair for me to dictate what to purchase when he used it most of the time. When I took a month’s leave, we’d travel or visit family.”
His brows knitted together. “What about this house? Sam died before you moved there, didn’t he?”
Addyson bit her thumbnail. “Yes. I didn’t need to decide on anything. I brought most of our things with me.”
The waitress set a taco salad before her and passed Liam a platter of burritos, rice, and fried beans.
“Your intruder destroyed more than half of your stuff. It’s a good time to think about things you like and might enjoy,”he encouraged. “Zeus will like the new couch you picked. I can already see him cuddled at your feet.”
Addyson grinned. “He’s my baby.”
“Did you and Sam want kids?” he asked, taking a bite of his food.
“We were trying to have a baby when he got killed,” she said sadly.
“Hey,” Liam said softly. “I didn’t mean to bring up old memories. You’ve experienced enough the last couple of days without me drudging up more.”
“It’s fine,” she murmured. “I wanted to have a piece of him to remember him by. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”
“Where shall we go for your new dishes?” he said, changing the subject. She let out a relieved sigh, not wanting to talk about the man she loved with all her heart.
“There’s a store on Market Street. They always have stuff with vibrant colors. Do you mind going there?” she asked, tearing off a piece of her taco shell.
“We’ll go there first,” he said, taking another bite.
Addyson shifted in her seat, trying to figure out why she felt unsettled. Sure, the night before played a part, but why did she call him instead of dialing 911? Her stomach lurched as she considered all the possibilities. The fact she called Liam first because she trusted him to come to her aid brought up too many other questions. For instance, why did she avoid his room whenever possible when he stayed there as a patient? When he spoke to her, why did she feel a warmth low in her belly? Her heart raced when she saw him. None of it made sense. She made a vow not to marry anyone again, and she certainly didn’t want to date another military man. Liam may be retired, but it didn’t mean he didn’t have the habits and discipline of anyone who joined the service.
* * *
