Page 71 of Aussie
Well, he didn’t want her to do that.
“Well, I just hate seeing your beautiful smile disappear.”
She blushed, and Aussie couldn’t help but smile at how adorable she looked.
Ava turned her gaze to the snow-covered fields and woods beyond the porch. “It’s beautiful out here,” she said softly.
He followed her gaze, taking in the serene winter landscape. “Yeah, it is,” he agreed, then added, “My sisters and I used to play out in those woods when we were younger. We’d spend hours out there, especially after a fresh snowfall like this.”
Ava smiled, her eyes still on the woods. “That must’ve been nice, growing up in a big family.”
Aussie knew she didn’t have the best childhood, having been an orphan since birth. She had nobody, and he understood why she went on to be a social worker, helping others who were in the same position she was in back then. He admired her for that more than she probably realized.
She seemed lost in thought for a moment before she spoke again, her voice quiet. “When I was younger, during Christmas, I used to sneak out of my foster family’s home late at night to walk into town and see all the Christmas lights. There was something magical about it, you know? No traffic, no people, just me and the lights.” She smiled wistfully. “I’d walk up and down Main Street, then sit on the bench in the town square, taking it all in and wishing I had a family to share it with. After a few hours,I’d sneak back home and crawl into bed, hoping no one noticed I was gone.”
Aussie listened intently, feeling a pang of sadness for the little girl she had been walking alone through the town, yearning for something as simple as a family. But as she spoke, an idea began to form in his mind. Without saying a word, he stood up and extended his hand to her.
“Come with me,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Ava looked surprised, but after a moment’s hesitation, she took his hand, leaving her laptop behind. He led her inside, through the house, and into the garage. She followed silently, but he could tell by the look on her face that she was confused and maybe a little intrigued. He grabbed his truck keys off the key hook in the kitchen. Once they were in the garage, he handed her her winter coat and duck boots.
Now she was really giving him a strange look, and Aussie couldn’t help but chuckle. “Trust me,” he said with a grin.
She nodded, slipping on her coat and boots, though the curiosity in her eyes didn’t fade. He grabbed a sweatshirt he saw on the washing machine and threw it on before slipping into his coat and boots. Once they were both bundled up, he led her outside to his truck.
He helped her up into the truck before hurrying around the driver's side. Once inside, he started up the truck and turned the heat on to a full blast.
“Where are we going?” She asked, giving him an amused look.
“It’s a surprise,” he replied as he looked for something he could use to blindfold her.
He smiled when he spotted a pack of bandanas that he had bought the other day. He reached into the back and got one.
Aussie held up a black bandana with a mischievous grin. “Alright, put this on. And no peeking.”
Ava raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “Blindfolds, huh? This feels veryFifty Shades, Aussie.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Trust me, if I were going forthatvibe, we wouldn’t be leaving the house. I’d be taking you to the basement.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she swatted his arm. “You’re impossible.”
He winked, leaning closer. “Relax, it’s just a surprise. I promise it isn’t anything bad.”
She sighed softly. “Alright,” she grumbled. But Aussie could see the faint smile on her lips.
Once she was blindfolded, Aussie put the truck in gear and drove towards town.
The short drive was done in a comfortable silence. When he reached the downtown area of their town, he pulled into a parking spot.
“Don’t take it off yet,” he told her as he got out of the truck and walked around to her side.
He opened the door and then carefully helped her down. He took her hand and started guiding her down the sidewalk.
“Aussie, where are we?” she asked.
“We’re almost there,” he told her. God, he hoped she liked this.
Once he had her in the spot he wanted her in, he untied the blindfold and let it fall.
