Page 16 of Aussie
Relief flooded through her, but she immediately followed it up with, “I owe you for this. I’ll pay you back.” She cringed the moment the words left her mouth.That sounded awful.
Aussie laughed, and she could practically hear the smile in his voice. “Oh, I’ll be looking forward to you repaying that favor.”
Her cheeks burned as she realized how that could be taken. “I didn’t mean—”
“Relax, Ava. I’m just teasing.” His voice dropped, still playful but with a hint of something more. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry.”
She managed a weak laugh. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime. I’ll see you later, Ava.” His voice was like a low purr, and before she could embarrass herself further, she quickly hung up the phone.
When she looked up, Sarah was staring at her, wide-eyed.
“That was Aussie?” Sarah asked, her tone incredulous. “The Navy SEAL you met a few weeks ago when you took Christian to that college and career fair?”
Ava sighed, tucking her phone away. “Yeah. That was him.”
Sarah’s jaw dropped. “How have you kept this from me? Are you guys like dating?”
Ava felt a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering inside her as she thought back to that night at the restaurant. “It’s complicated. I was out to dinner with Jarod, and Aussie just happened to be at the same restaurant. He followed me outsideafterward to make sure I was okay. Then he ended up driving me home.”
Sarah’s mouth fell open in surprise. “And you didn’t tell me this because…?”
“I wasn’t sure what to think,” Ava admitted, her thoughts racing. “But he’s…he’s really something, Sarah. He’s…”
“Amazing?” Sarah finished, her eyes twinkling.
Ava could only nod, a little smile pulling at her lips. Before they could dive deeper into the conversation, one of the courtroom clerks poked her head out of the door.
“The judge is ready to continue,” she said.
Ava took a deep breath, but as she turned to follow Sarah back into the courtroom, her mind wasn’t on the case anymore. It was on Aussie—and how much she was looking forward to seeing him again.
???
Ava pushed through the heavy courthouse doors, feeling the weight of the long day finally lift off her shoulders. The two sets of grandparents had finally agreed on a temporary custody arrangement for the twin girls—a rare win in a case that could have easily spiraled into chaos.
Ava smiled, relieved to have been part of a positive outcome, but now all she wanted was to put this exhausting day behind her.
She quickened her pace, eager to reach her car in the dark parking lot when she suddenly collided with someone. Her heart sank as she looked up and saw Jarod.
Of all people, why him?
He stood in front of her, his tall frame blocking her path. Ava’s stomach twisted as she remembered the disastrous dinnerfrom the other night, the way his words had cut deep. She wasn’t ready to forgive him for that. Not now. Maybe not ever.
She tried to move around him, but he stopped her.
“Ava, wait,” Jarod said, his tone pleading as he reached out a hand toward her. “Can we talk for a second?”
No,she thought. He was the last person she wanted to deal with right now. Her mind was still buzzing with everything from the case, and the tension between them was something she wasn’t in the mood to handle.
“I really don’t have time, Jarod,” she muttered, brushing past him, her heels clicking on the pavement as she made a beeline for her car.
He followed her, quickening his steps to keep up. “Ava, please,” he called after her. “I didn’t mean what I said about Christian the other night. I was just frustrated, and I didn’t handle it right.”
Ava’s jaw tightened as she kept walking, her heart pounding in frustration.Frustrated?He hadn’t been frustrated—he’d been cruel. She knew the truth behind his words. He didn’t believe in her ability to foster Christian, and that wasn’t something she could just brush off with an apology.
“I really don’t want to hear it, Jarod,” she said over her shoulder, not bothering to slow down. “As I said before, let’s just keep things work-related from now on.”
