Free Never Say Never (Lakeview Contemporary Romance Book 3) by Melissa Hill Page B

obviously didn’t help her social skills or her friendships. No wonder she was so ill at ease with herself, and so embarrassed about the attack.
    “Well, you must have been the most intelligent one in the school, then.” Olivia said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.
    Robin smiled and rolled her eyes. “Another reason for my classmates to tease me,” she laughed.
    “So tell me, what’s it like now? How do you manage now – with the nut thing?”
    “It’s not too bad,” Robin replied. “I still can’t touch nuts, or anything that might contain them. As for last week, the doctor reckons I reacted to the oil that they used to coat the bap – it may have been some derivative of peanut oil.”
    “Something you couldn’t possible know,” Olivia said, beginning to realise just how dangerous the allergy could be.
    Robin nodded. “There’s lots of hidden stuff,” she said. “I have to avoid some packaged foods like the plague, as they’re often processed in the same factory or on the same line as products containing nuts. Same with most standard chocolate bars.”
    “Gosh, how do you do it? I can’t imagine what it would be like not being able to eat chocolate.”
    “It’s not a big deal really. You don’t really miss what you’ve never had. You can get special nut-free chocolate, but I’m not that bothered. It’s still taking a chance because you just never know. Human error and all that.”
    Olivia couldn’t get her head around it.
    “So what about when you eat out? Can you eat out?”
    “Sometimes, but I have to be careful. You just can’t be a hundred per cent certain that the staff know the ingredients of each and every dish. Chinese or Oriental food is totally out because they use a lot of nuts. I’ve never actually eaten Chinese food – how’s that for an admission?”
    Olivia smiled. She adored Chinese food.
    “But I’ve heard some horror stories though,” Robin went on. “I remember hearing about a fellow-sufferer who was assured in a restaurant that satay sauce didn’t contain nuts – imagine? Luckily, the person didn’t take any chances, but still you’d have to be sure you came out with your adrenaline kit that night.”
    “So how does that adrenaline thingy work then?” Olivia enquired.
    “It’s called an epinephrine pen and most allergy sufferers carry one around with them all the time. Say, if you eat something, and have a serious reaction like I did the other day, a shot of adrenaline takes you out of it, and stops you losing consciousness. It’s easy enough to use normally, but I was so far gone the other day that I really needed help. It’s a total lifeline.”
    “A lifeline,” Olivia said, the reality of what Peter had done only now truly sinking in. “So, you really could have died?”
    “I was heading for unconsciousness, definitely. After that, who knows?” She shook her head. “It’s been a while actually. I thought I’d finally learned to control it. But I think it’s the kind of thing you can never fully control – you just have to live with it.”
    “I must say, I think you’re amazing,” Olivia said. “I really can’t even imagine what it must be like. It’s like every day could be … well, you just never know. Sorry,” she said, shaking her head, “I don’t mean to sound morbid.”
    “I know what you’re saying,” Robin said, laughing now, “but it’s been a part of my life forever, so I don’t know what it’s like to be ‘normal’. You do learn to live with it. I think it’s harder on parents – I know my own mother had a really terrible time with me. She only had the one child, probably because of my allergy and the difficulties in dealing with it. I don’t think she had a day’s peace once I started school.” Then she grimaced slightly. “Sorry, I’ve just remembered I hardly know you, and I’m already boring the face off you about this thing. You must be ready to explode.”
    “Not at all,” Olivia said smiling.