Page 47 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

FORD

F or 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.”

“Maybe another time,” Lila suggested easily, but I felt her stealing a discreet glance at me and I knew she was worried that all of this would trigger me.

Honestly, as soon as I’d laid eyes on Melissa, I’d thought the same thing, but the more they spoke, the more I felt like something deep inside was easing. I wasn’t sure what it was, but for so long, I’d wondered what had become of this woman.

I’d felt guilt about living while her boyfriend had died and I’d thought that she must hate me, but she certainly didn’t seem to. In fact, she really did look happy. Happy to see me. Happy to be talking to Lila. Just happy in general.

A tiny blond boy came racing around the corner holding a carton of ice cream in his hands. As my gaze cut to him, so did Melissa’s. She started forward, catching him gently around the waist and pulling him into her in a way that was so caring and loving that I knew this had to be her youngest son.

“Luke, what did we say about more ice cream tonight?” She bent over and nuzzled the top of his head. “Say hi to Mommy’s friends, but then I’m going to need you to go put that back in the freezer.”

It felt like my heart stopped in my chest as I glanced down at the little boy named after my friend. Obviously, he wasn’t Luke’s son. He was much too young and his features were completely different, but it felt like a part of me healed just looking at him.

Here was a child belonging to the love of his life, the woman he’d intended on marrying, and she’d somehow found a way to let him live on in her son. She’d moved on, but she’d also honored his memory. Hadn’t forgotten about him but wasn’t living in the past either. It was strangely inspiring.

The boy looked up at me, grinned, and waved. “Hi, Mommy’s friends. Do you like ice cream? Because I do. I’ve already had ice cream today, but we’re on vacation. That means we should be allowed to eat as much ice cream as we want.”

Lila bent over slightly and looked into his eyes. Smiling, she shook her head. “I’m afraid not, buddy. Wherever you go, you take your same tummy with you. That means it can still hurt if you eat too much ice cream.”

His face fell and he sighed. “I hate tummy aches.”

With that, he stepped out of his mother’s embrace and zoomed away again, leaving us alone with Melissa.

She gave us an apologetic look. “I should go before he tries to sneak that out with him. I’ve also still got a few more things to pick up and the boys are going to start getting restless.

It was lovely to meet you, Lila. Ford, please stop being a stranger. ”

We said our goodbyes and immediately headed for the checkout counter, silent on the drive back to my place. When we finally got there, we unpacked the snacks we’d loaded up on before we’d run into her. Once we were settled on the couch, Lila turned to look at me.

There was caution in her eyes but something much softer, too. She moved her gaze across my face, her tone wary and concerned but caring. “Are you okay? That can’t have been easy for you, seeing her.”

“It wasn’t,” I admitted. “For the first time in a long time though, I honestly feel like I am okay. Luke would’ve been so fucking happy to know that she’s so happy and so fulfilled.”

Lila’s eyebrows crept up, her gaze seemingly assessing mine. She grinned and scooted closer, sliding an arm around my shoulders. “That’s a surprisingly healthy response.”

I laughed and wound an arm around her waist to pull her into my lap. “What are you trying to say? That my responses usually aren’t?”

She pretended to think it over for a moment, but I saw the smile she was trying to hide.

“That’s exactly what I was trying to say.

I didn’t even know Luke, but from what you’ve told me about how much he loved her, I’m very sure that you’re right.

He would’ve wanted her to move on and to live.

She’s doing that and I guess I’m just relieved that you see it that way too. ”

Her gaze lingered on mine as she said it. I brushed my fingers through her loose hair before taking her face in my palms. Rook was snoring in his dog bed across the room, most of the lights in the room were off, and something deep within me had shifted tonight.

I didn’t know how to explain it to her just yet though. So instead, I gently brought her head closer to mine. Maybe it was time I did the same thing. Maybe it really was time to move on. To live.

If Melissa could do it, then maybe I could find a way to do it too.