Page 67 of Aussie
His words lingered with her, though, sparking a thought. Could she adopt Christian on her own? Would Judge Holten think she had a chance? Maybe in a few days, she’d call and ask. For now, she wanted to focus on making sure Christian felt safe and loved.
A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Aussie poked his head in. “You ready to head down?” he asked.
Christian shot out of his room and past Ava, already racing down the stairs. Ava smiled and walked to Aussie, who lingered in the doorway.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what?”
“For everything. For bringing us here, for caring. For being you.”
Aussie stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her hands went to his chest. “Ava, you don’t ever have to thank me for doing something for you or Christian. You both may not realize it yet, but in the short time that we’ve known each other, you two have come to mean a great deal to me.”
The sincerity in his voice made her chest ache in the best way. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak right at that moment. Instead, she lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly.
“You mean the world to Christian and I, too,” she whispered against his lips.
He grinned, took her hand in his, and led her toward the stairs.
As they descended the staircase, the aroma of baked pork chops and freshly baked bread grew stronger with each step.
Ava trailed slightly behind Aussie, feeling an odd mix of nervousness and warmth. She wasn’t used to such cozy family dinners.
As they entered the kitchen, the sound of laughter greeted them. Christian was already seated at the table, leaning forward, talking with Aussie’s dad about their plans for the horseback riding trip they had scheduled for the next day.
Ava smiled as she and Aussie pulled out chairs at the table. She sat beside Christian, who gave her a quick grin before diving back into his conversation. The table was adorned with a hearty spread. There were seasoned pork chops, roasted potatoes, steamed cabbage, and a basket of freshly baked rolls.
“This looks amazing,” Ava said sincerely.
“Thank you, dear,” Aussie’s mom replied, beaming as everyone echoed Ava’s compliment.
As the meal began, Aussie turned to his mom. “When are Angie, Rachel, and Wren getting here?”
Aussie’s mom’s smile dimmed slightly. “They’re not coming this year, sweetheart. They’re spending the holiday with their spouses’ families.”
Aussie’s brow furrowed. “What? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“I thought I did. That’s why I was so thrilled when you said you’d be here. Your sisters and I agreed to pick a weekend after the holiday for us all to get together. It’ll be like a second Christmas.”
Aussie leaned back in his chair, still processing, but nodded. “Alright, fair enough.”
Dinner moved on with lively conversation. The warmth in the room was palpable, and Ava found herself enjoying the easydynamic of Aussie’s family. When Aussie’s mom brought the dessert to the table, Ava couldn’t help but marvel at it. It was a double fudge chocolate cake, and on the side, she had vanilla bean ice cream to go with it.
“This is incredible,” Ava said, savoring a bite.”
“Thank you, Ava. I’m so glad you like it.”
As the table settled into a post-dessert lull, Aussie’s mom turned her attention to Ava. “Ava, dear, tell me about your family. Do they live nearby?”
Ava barely had time to process the question before Aussie interjected, his voice firm but gentle. “Mom, that’s not really—”
“It’s okay,” Ava interrupted softly, placing her hand on Aussie’s arm. She gave him a small, reassuring smile. “I don’t mind.”
Aussie hesitated but nodded, his concern evident. Ava turned back to his parents. “I grew up in foster care. My childhood wasn’t the easiest. Most of my foster homes weren’t great, and I wasn’t treated well. But when I was seventeen, I met Evelyn. She’s the one who finally saw me for who I was. She took me in, gave me a home, and believed in me when no one else did.”
Aussie’s mom’s eyes glistened with emotion. “She sounds like an incredible woman.”
“She was,” Ava agreed, her voice filled with gratitude. “She’s the reason I got into social work. I wanted to help kids the way she helped me.”
