Page 80 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

FORD

For over a decade, I had thought of this woman at least once a day. I had thought of the plans she’d had and the life she’d thought she’d be living, and I’d felt at least partially responsible for the fact that things hadn’t turned out at all the way she’d dreamed they might.

“Melissa?” I could barely force her name past my lips, but I cleared my throat and made myself attempt to return the smile on her lips as she raced over to us. “Yeah. It’s me. Ford Callahan.”

Moisture filled her eyes, but it wasn’t tears so much as simple, overwhelming emotion. She released the cart she’d been pushing and brought both her hands to her mouth, her eyes drifting over me as if she was trying to convince herself that I was really here.

I understood her disbelief because I was feeling much the same way. Of all the people in all the world that we could’ve run into, I could not believe that it was her. I would have been less surprised if we’d bumped into the president or the pope.

In all the years since my discharge, I’d only seen her once and that was after I’d been transferred back stateside from the hospital in Germany. I’d met her before my last deployment, but we’d never spent much time together, and yet, for some unfathomable reason, she’d come with Luke’s parents to visit me in the hospital.

I’d been a mess. Physically and mentally. I barely even remembered seeing them, but I would recognize her anywhere. Luke had only shown me her picture about a dozen times a day. I wouldn’t forget the face of the woman he’d wanted to marry for as long as I lived.

“It is so, so good to see you,” she murmured hoarsely, then cleared her throat and quickly closed the distance remaining between us. “How are you?”

“I’m… better.” I left it at that, glancing at her cart and realizing that it was filled with stuff that looked like it was for children. Candied cereal, pop tarts, chicken tenders, juice boxes, and a bag of apples. I quickly brought my eyes back up to hers. “How are you?”

Lila shifted beside me and snapped me out of my daze. I realized she had no idea what was happening right now. “Melissa, this is Lila. Lila, Melissa. She was Luke’s girlfriend.”

Understanding seemed to dawn in those cornflower blue eyes before she smiled, seemingly forgetting all about her nerves. She stepped forward and opened her arms to offer Melissa a hug. “It is honestly so amazing to meet you.”

Melissa laughed through the glisten in her eyes and wrapped her arms around Lila, accepting her hug. “If you’ve been supporting this guy, it’s amazing to meet you too.”

I felt a frown wanting to knit my brows together, but I worked to keep my face straight. Why would she care about who’s been supporting me?

Their embrace seemed genuinely warm, and once they finally parted, Melissa turned to me. “Do you live in Virginia Beach now? Gosh, I can’t believe I don’t even know where you’re based anymore.”

The word yes got stuck in my throat. I couldn’t stop staring at her, confused about why she seemed so friendly to me. Lila must’ve noticed that I’d frozen because she stepped in seamlessly.

“We do live here,” she said cheerfully. “I didn’t realize you did too, though.”

Melissa chuckled. “Oh, I wish we lived here. It’s such a beautiful city and we’re having a great time, but no. I still live in Florida. My husband and I brought the kids here for a vacation.”

My heart lurched. Her husband? Her children?

Lila reacted as if she’d heard my thoughts. She smiled. “You’re married? That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time, and you have kids? How old are they?”

Melissa nodded at her and then glanced at me. Her gaze was soft before she turned back to Lila. “They’re six and seven. Both boys. Some days, they’re impossible and I wonder what on earth we were thinking when we had them, but I love them more than life itself and I wouldn’t want things any other way.”

“How about your husband?” Lila asked gently, making it sound like the most natural question in the world. Coming from me, it probably would’ve sounded harsh and intrusive, but from her, it just sounded like she was making conversation with an old friend. “How long have you been married?”

“Just over eight years now.” Melissa smiled and swiped her fingers under her eyes, inhaling a deep breath as if to steady herself. “I met him at a support group a few months after Luke died. He was medically discharged himself and we became friends. He helped me through a lot and I’d like to think he feels the same about me.”

Lila nodded, a quiet chuckle escaping her. “I’m sure he does. He did marry you, after all.”

Melissa laughed. “That’s true. I suppose he wouldn’t have done that if I was a completely unfeeling gargoyle while he needed support.”

“Some people like gargoyles,” Lila joked lightly, emotion shimmering in her eyes. “Something tells me your husband isn’t one of them, though. It’s fantastic that you were able to find someone who really managed to help you through such a devastating loss.”

“There are days when I still can’t believe it,” she admitted, drawing in another deep breath. “Those early days were a real struggle for us both, but about a year after we became friends, one thing eventually led to another and we fell in love.”

Lila pressed a hand to her chest and leaned closer to me, silently and unobtrusively offering me the support I desperately needed. She kept talking to Melissa though, not even skipping a beat. “I am so, so happy for you. That really is incredible.”

Melissa inclined her chin in a nod. “I agree. What we both went through… it could’ve destroyed us, but we got through it together and it’s just always felt like we were meant to find each other after all that.”

“I haven’t even met him, but I agree.” Lila smiled and looked around. “Is he here?”

“Unfortunately, he’s on a work call over by the fresh produce and he warned me before he took it that it would be a while. I’d love for you both to meet him, though.”