Page 40 of Aussie
It wasn’t just the gown itself that struck him. It was how she wore it, with effortless grace and an air of quiet confidence that made his heart pound.
Her black hair was swept to one side. The loose waves cascaded over her bare shoulder, and her makeup was soft, highlighting her natural beauty. But it wasn’t just her appearance that had him mesmerized—it was the way she carried herself. Even in a room full of people, she stood out, commanding his attention as if there was no one else around.
Aussie swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry as Ava’s eyes met his across the room.God, she’s incredible,he thought, unable to tear his gaze away.
As soon as Ava’s gaze met his, he knew instantly what she must be thinking. He had told her that he had a work thing, but here he was with another woman on his arm.
His stomach dropped, and he swore under his breath, feeling like the world’s biggest jerk. However, he never thought he’d run into Ava.
Then it suddenly hit him. The other day, when they were at Bear and Jocelyn’s house, she asked him if he had plans for Saturday. He realized at that moment she had planned to ask him to be her date for this event. Now, he felt even worse.
But what killed him was seeing the mixture of hurt and anger that flashed across her face.
Damn it. She didn’t deserve this. And he’d be a fool to think she’d believe his explanation after seeing him here.
“Ava…,” he started, but she interrupted him.
“So, this was the ‘work thing,’ huh?”
Aussie could hear the hurt in her voice even though she did her best to look strong.
He had to explain to her and make her see that it wasn’t what she thought.
“Ava, wait—” he said and reached for her. But when she flinched and jerked back, not wanting him to touch her, he felt a crack in his heart.
“No need to explain, Aussie. I get it. Have a good night.”
He saw her turn away, her posture stiff as she walked toward the exit. Instinctively, he took a step toward her, desperate to somehow pull her aside and explain without giving away details of the assignment. She wouldn’t wait, though. The hurt in her expression was too real, too raw, and he could practically feel her closing herself off to him.
Still, he couldn’t help but stare, even as she disappeared through the crowd. She was more than just his girlfriend. She was the woman who had started to make him rethink what he wanted, someone he felt fiercely protective over.
Agent Price noticed his distraction and gently nudged him. “Everything okay?”
Aussie pulled his gaze away from the doors where Ava had vanished, his jaw tightening. “No,” he admitted, his voice laced with frustration. “I think I just lost the woman I actually care about.”
She raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He nodded, swallowing the bitterness that settled in his chest. He couldn’t afford to let emotions derail the assignment, or Derek would have his ass. “Yeah, me too,” he said, steeling himself. “Let’s just do what we came here to do.”
But as he glanced back at the ballroom doors, all he could think about was the fact that by tomorrow, he might have lost her for good.
???
Ava stepped through her front door, her heart aching in a way that felt both familiar and bitterly fresh. She’d told herself she could trust Aussie and that maybe he was different. But seeing him at the Snowball with another woman had shattered that fragile trust. She felt like a fool, letting herself get swept up in the hope that maybe, just maybe, someone could care about her without some catch.
The betrayal hurt more than she wanted to admit. She’d set herself up for heartbreak again. If she’d been wiser, she would have kept her distance from Aussie and maintained the walls she’d built to protect herself. Instead, she’d let him in, only to watch him walk into that ballroom with someone else, and the sting of it was cutting deeper than she’d expected. It wasn’t just the disappointment. It was the humiliation of believing, even for a moment, that someone like him would truly care.
Taking a deep breath, she promised herself that this was just a setback. She’d bounce back like she always did, stronger and smarter. She didn’t need Aussie to feel whole. But the real concern that weighed on her heart wasn’t just about herself. It was Christian. He looked up to Aussie. He thought of him as a friend, even a role model. How was she supposed to tell Christian that the person he’d started to trust was no longer part of their lives?
For a moment, she considered keeping everything to herself, at least until she was sure of what to say. Maybe sparing Christian the hurt a little longer would be kinder. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it wasn’t fair to him. He needed honesty, and she’d never lied to him before. She’d tell him tomorrow. It was Sunday. Maybe they’d spend it together. She’d find a way to make it feel less like a loss and more like just another step forward.
She sighed as she turned toward the living room, where the soft glow of the Christmas tree illuminated the cozy space.There, curled up on the couch, was Christian, fast asleep. His peaceful expression tugged at her heart as memories of the night they’d decorated the tree with Aussie washed over her. It had felt like a family moment, something she’d never imagined herself being part of until that night. She knelt beside Christian, tucking a blanket around him carefully so as not to wake him.
The weight of the evening seemed to follow her as she finally made her way to her bedroom. She peeled herself out of her dress, leaving it in a heap by the closet, and slipped into the shower, hoping the hot water would wash away the hurt and tension. She scrubbed at her skin as if she could scrub away the memory of Aussie’s face, his guilty eyes when she’d caught him with that woman. Her shoulders trembled, but she steadied herself. By the time she stepped out and wrapped herself in her pajamas, she was determined to let this be the last time she’d feel that particular ache.
She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up tight around her. Sleep was elusive, her mind swirling with thoughts of what she’d say to Christian, of how she’d make sure he knew he’d be okay without Aussie. But just as she was finally beginning to drift, her phone pinged from the nightstand.
She reached for it, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Aussie’s name flash across the screen. She couldn’t do this now, not tonight. Not after the night she’d had. Without reading the message, she placed the phone back on the nightstand and turned away, curling deeper into the blankets and shutting her eyes.
