Page 30 of Aussie
Eventually, the decorations were finished, and the room glowed with the lights from the tree. The house looked warm and welcoming, a perfect holiday scene. As they stood back, admiring their work, Christian’s phone buzzed. He glanced down, his eyes lighting up.
“It’s Katy,” he murmured, then disappeared into his room, phone pressed to his ear.
Aussie smirked, remembering the little tidbits Christian had mentioned about Katy. “Think she might be his girlfriend?” he said aloud, glancing at Ava.
Ava chuckled softly. “He says they’re just friends, but who knows with teenagers?” She turned her warm gaze on him. “Thank you for staying tonight. It meant a lot to him. And to me.”
Aussie’s chest tightened as he followed her to the door, then out to his truck, feeling the chill of the evening air. She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the twinkling lights from the house. “Thank you for inviting me,” he said, his voice sincere. “I had a lot of fun. And I enjoyed spending time with Christian earlier at the range. He’s a great kid, Ava. You’ve done so much for him already.”
Ava’s face softened a hint of sadness in her expression. “I’m just trying to take it day by day, to make this the best holiday he’s had. I know he’s worried about what happens after Christmas.”
Aussie’s heart clenched at the thought. “He told me that earlier,” he admitted. “He’s afraid of losing this…of losing you.I can tell how much you care about him, too. It’s not just him who’s worried, is it?”
Ava looked away for a moment, gathering herself. “I’d love to adopt him and be his mom for good. But I know how the courts can be. It’s hard for single parents to get approval.” She paused, her voice catching. “But I want him to feel loved, even if it’s only for now.”
He reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “If there’s anything I can do, Ava, anything at all, I’m here. I want to see both of you happy. You and Christian mean a lot to me.”
Ava’s eyes met his, filled with gratitude and something more. He took a step forward and pulled her into a warm hug, feeling the way she relaxed in his arms. After a moment, he gently pulled back, his hands lingering on her shoulders. “I really care about you, Ava. I don’t want to rush anything, but how do you feel about us?”
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn’t look away. “I like you, Aussie,” she admitted softly. “And I’d like to see where things could go between us.”
A warm smile spread across his face, and he slowly leaned in, brushing his lips over hers. It was a gentle, unhurried kiss, tender and full of promise as if they had all the time in the world. When they finally pulled apart, Aussie took a deep breath, a soft smile lingering on his lips.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before climbing into his truck.
As he drove away, he glanced in the rearview mirror, watching her standing there until she was just a figure silhouetted by the light from her porch. He felt a surge of hope that maybe Ava could be the one to make him settle down.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Aussie pulled off his gloves and tossed them onto the gear rack with a sense of finality. His body was sore, and his mind was ready to unwind after another brutal day of training and drills.
While the others on the team decided to call it a day a few hours ago, he got roped into helping set up a training obstacle in the woods.
He got a whiff of himself and cringed.Christ, I need a shower,”he thought to himself as he grabbed a change of clothes and a towel from his bag. Just as he turned for the door to head to the showers, a voice called out from across the room.
“Aussie, a word?” Derek, his CO, stood by the entryway, his eyes sharp and unreadable.
Aussie raised an eyebrow, the hint of curiosity prickling at his thoughts. Derek didn’t often pull him aside like this.Still, whatever it was, it wasn’t his job to question it, just to handle it. With a silent nod, Aussie fell in step behind Derek, following him through the winding corridors toward the office at the end of the hall.
As they walked, he wondered what Derek could want. They hadn’t had any new assignments, at least none that he’d heard of, and he hadn’t done anything out of line, as far as he could recall. He pushed the thoughts aside, knowing that he’d know soon enough.
Once inside the office, Derek closed the door with a soft click. He motioned to a chair across from his desk. “Take a seat, Aussie.”
Aussie did, sinking back into the chair and watching his CO’s face. Derek’s mouth pressed into a thin line, and his jaw was tight. He leaned against his desk, crossing his arms as he spoke.
“I just got off the phone with some of the higher-ups. As I’m sure you’ve seen the recent news about the crime in our town, which also includes three homicides.”
Aussie felt his stomach tighten. This was what he and Snow had been talking about the other night. He nodded in acknowledgment.
Derek’s expression darkened. “Because of the severity of the crimes, the FBI is now involved. After going over some evidence, the FBI believes that these crimes are the work of a local gang looking to make their mark in the criminal world. The worst part is that they think they’re using kids to do their dirty work.”
The disgust in Derek’s voice was palpable, and Aussie felt his own repulsion stir. Kids? Forcing them into lives that could ruin them, or worse? His mind instantly flicked to Christian, grateful that the kid hadn’t been pulled into something like that. He’d had his fair share of tough breaks, but thank god the kid had a good head on his shoulders and hadn’t crossed that line.
But then Aussie’s mind circled back. Why was Derek telling him all this?
As if reading his mind, Derek continued, “The FBI and PD are stretched thin and they are seeking some assistance.”
Aussie’s pulse quickened, and his jaw clenched as Derek continued. “They’ve got leads that some community leaders might be linked to this gang activity.”
