Page 20 of Aussie
He studied Ava, her eyes warm as she listened to Christian talk about his Sea Cadet orientation. She was down-to-earth in a way he hadn’t expected, not flashy or looking for attention. She was just real, and that was something Aussie admired. Shewas also fiercely protective of Christian, and he could tell she genuinely cared about the kid. That spoke volumes about who she was at her core.
In the short time he’d known Ava, he already saw so many qualities in her that he’d want in someone to spend the rest of his life with.
He wasn’t like some of the other guys in the teams who didn’t want to get attached and just slept around. Aussie came from a big family, and he knew he wanted one of his own someday. The challenge, of course, was his job and what it entailed. It made relationships tough. It was the constant unknowns, the time apart, and the reality that a lot of people couldn’t handle that kind of lifestyle. Cheating was common, but not for him. If Aussie ever committed to someone, that was it. No messing around. To him, a relationship was sacred.
He glanced at Ava again, sensing something was holding her back, something that made her hesitant to let herself open up fully.
He didn’t know the full story about her past, but from the little snippets that she mentioned, it wasn’t hard to figure out that she grew up in a system like Christian. For someone like that, letting someone in probably felt risky. But Aussie didn’t mind taking it slow. He had time, and getting to know her better was something he genuinely wanted.
As the meal wound down, Aussie leaned back in his chair, feeling a deep sense of contentment. “I’ve had a great time tonight. Thanks again for inviting me.”
Ava smiled softly. “I’m glad you came. It’s been nice having you here with us.”
Ava paid the bill, though Aussie initially argued with her about it and insisted that he pay. But after she told him that she was paying him back for taking Christian to his meeting, he reluctantly gave up.
As they made their way outside, the cool evening air wrapped around them. Just as they reached their cars, an older woman pushing a cart stood off to the side, selling single roses. Aussie’s gaze lingered on the cart for a moment before he approached the woman and bought a yellow rose.
He turned to Ava, holding the rose out to her with a gentle smile. “For you,” he said, “as a sign of friendship.”
Ava’s eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks flushing slightly. She looked at the rose and then back at Aussie, her expression softening. “Thank you,” she whispered, her fingers brushing against his as she took the rose.
Christian grinned, watching the exchange with an amused glint in his eyes.
Aussie chuckled and nodded toward them. “I had a great time tonight. If either of you ever need anything, you know where to find me.” He turned to Christian, his tone playful but serious. “And if you’ve got any questions about the Sea Cadets or the Navy, give me a call. You can also tag along to the shooting range with me sometime if you’re up for it. As long as it is okay with Ava.”
Christian’s face lit up again. “Really? That’d be awesome!”
Aussie laughed, giving him a light pat on the shoulder. “Absolutely.”
He walked them both to Ava’s car, the air between them easy and warm. Christian said goodnight, and he got into the car, leaving Ava standing there looking up at him, her dark eyes drawing him in.
“Thank you again for dinner. I enjoyed spending time with you guys.”
She shyly smiled. “I enjoyed it too.”
“Maybe we could do it again sometime,” he said, leaving the offer out there.
“I’d like that,” she replied, and he couldn’t stop his lips from tugging upward into a smile.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, Ava.”
“Goodnight, Aussie,” she whispered before sliding into her car.
He smiled, watching as she got herself settled. “Drive safe,” he said and winked before shutting her door.
She offered him a warm smile through the window and waved as she pulled out of the parking lot.
As Ava drove away, Aussie stood by his truck. The warmth from the evening lingered, and as he climbed into his own vehicle, a sense of something new and promising stirred within him.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Christian stood outside the school, shifting his backpack from one shoulder to the other as he waited for Ava to pick him up. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the pavement. He glanced at his phone, checking the time, and smiled, thinking about how his life had changed for the good in just a matter of weeks.
The Sea Cadet program was everything he’d hoped for and more. He was officially part of something big, something that would set him on the path to becoming a Navy SEAL, his ultimate dream.
For a kid who had bounced around foster homes most of his life, finally having a goal, a real future, meant the world to him. He felt a sense of pride he hadn’t known before, a drive to not just survive but to thrive. Ava had given him that. Her belief in him made him want to do better in school, to be responsible, and to prove that her faith wasn’t misplaced. He had even applied for a part-time job at the local grocery store, bagging groceries. It wasn’t much, but it was a step in the right direction. He wanted to show her that he was serious about his future.
Just as Christian shifted his weight to lean against the brick wall, he noticed two figures approaching him from the far side of the parking lot. His stomach twisted as he recognized them—Barrett and Chase. They were older by a couple of years. Both boys were bad news. Everyone knew it. Rumor had it they were into drugs and running around on the streets, causing trouble. Christian had done his best to avoid them at school, but now they were walking straight toward him.
