Page 26 of Aussie
Ava looked radiant, her long black hair catching the sun, and Christian, despite his usual guarded expression, seemed comfortable at her side.
Aussie smiled, his nerves melting away as excitement took over. “Hey, you two,” he called out, stepping down to meet them on the walkway.
???
Ava adjusted her sweater as she and Christian made their way up the walkway to Bear and Jocelyn’s house. The fall air was crisp, a slight chill biting at her cheeks, but she felt warm enough in her orange and yellow sweater, her favorite pair of jeans, and brown ankle boots. Christian, looking sharp in his jeans and a green button-up shirt, shot her a teasing grin. She knew that look. It was the “I know you’re nervous” grin he’d given her before when she had been in Aussie’s presence.
“Oh, you think you’re so clever, don’t you?” she nudged him, smirking.
“Come on, you’re practically blushing already, and we haven’t even seen Aussie yet,” Christian teased, his grin widening. “I bet he’s waiting on the porch right now.”
Ava rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t deny the flutter in her stomach. She was both eager and nervous to see Aussie, but more than that, she was relieved to see Christian acting like himself again.
When they reached the porch, her heart skipped a beat as she saw Aussie stepping off the porch sporting that easy, inviting smile of his. He looked ruggedly handsome, his jeans fitting him just right, and the navy long-sleeve T-shirt he wore accentuated his broad shoulders.
“Hey, you two!” he called out, meeting them at the bottom of the steps.
Ava smiled back. “Hi there. Sorry, we’re a few minutes late.” She held up a pan that was covered in aluminum foil. “I know you said that I didn’t need to bring anything, but I felt weirdnot bringing anything. So, I decided at the last minute to bake a cake.”
He grinned. “I love cake. I can’t wait to try it.” He then turned his attention to Christian. “How are you doing, man?”
Christian grinned. “Pretty good.”
“Good to hear. Come on in, and I’ll introduce you guys to everyone.”
As they started up the steps, Aussie looked at her. “You look great, by the way,” he said, his gaze warm and appreciative. She felt her cheeks heat up. She heard Christian snicker under his breath.
“Thanks,” she managed, trying to keep her composure.
Christian leaned in, whispering, “Ava, you’re turning red.”
Ava swatted his arm, but Aussie caught the exchange, grinning. “What’s going on with this one?” he asked, nodding toward Christian.
Ava hesitated, a little embarrassed.Oh, shit!How was she going to explain this? She nibbled her lip again, and she tried to think of something to tell him. But she couldn’t think of a damn thing. Plus, she was always preaching honesty to people.
She cleared the huge knot that had suddenly lodged in her throat as she mustered up the courage to tell him the truth.
“Errr…Well, Christian seems to think that we,” she gestured between her and Aussie, “are, um, maybe interested in each other.”
Oh, sweet baby Jesus.She couldn’t believe she blurted that out. She could feel the heat burning her cheeks.
Aussie raised an eyebrow, smirking as he glanced down at Christian, who was now thoroughly enjoying Ava’s discomfort. “Smart kid. Seems like he’s got a good read on things,” Aussie replied, his eyes twinkling. “I think he’s on the right track.”
Christian laughed, sending Ava a look that clearly said,“See? Told you so.”Ava couldn’t help but laugh, too, her earlier nerves slipping away.
Once inside, they were greeted by a lively chaos of voices, laughter, and the delicious smell of Thanksgiving dinner.
Aussie led Ava and Christian through the bustling house, introducing them to everyone. He started with Bear and Jocelyn, a warm and welcoming couple with two young kids, Amira and Max, who were chasing each other around. Then he introduced her to Joker and Clover, explaining that Clover was Bear’s sister.
“It’s a big, happy family here,” Aussie chuckled as they moved through the crowd, “which brings us to Duke and Hannah.” Duke and Hannah were beaming, clearly overjoyed with their adorable baby girl, Isadora, who cooed happily in Hannah’s arms.
Finally, they met Playboy and Gabby. Gabby smiled warmly as she shook Ava’s hand, her warmth and strength evident.
“And here’s the rest of the team,” Aussie continued, nodding toward Snow, Jay Bird, and Nails. “Just don’t let Nails get too close,” he added with a smirk. “The man’s got a terrible weakness for pretty ladies.”
Nails laughed, unabashed. “What can I say? It’s a gift.”
Ava chuckled, instantly feeling at ease. Everyone welcomed her and Christian with open arms, and Christian quickly gravitated toward the guys, talking excitedly with them about his own dreams of joining the Navy one day. She caught sight of him animatedly explaining something to Jay Bird, his eyes bright and the tension in his posture gone, if only for the evening.
