Page 8 of Aussie
Ava’s brow furrowed slightly. “I’ve never heard of it. How does it work?”
“They have local units across the country. There’s one right here in Virginia Beach,” Aussie said. “The cadets get together several times a month on the weekends for drills. During the summer months, they host training sessions all around the country. The trainings consist of almost any career offered in the military, including Special Warfare. They get to wear uniforms just like the Navy. They learn about naval history and even get a taste of what it’s like to be on a ship. It’s not all physical, either. It’s about building character.”
“That sounds amazing,” Ava said as she glanced at Christian.
Aussie nodded. “It is. And it’s not just about the military.” He looked at Christian. “Even if you decide later that the military isn’t for you, the skills that you’ve learned will carry you through anything you want to do.”
Ava smiled again. “Is that something you’re interested in?” she asked Christian.
“Yeah. It sounds like a great program.”
“If you go out to their website, they have all the information. And they will have the contact information for the Commanding Officer for the local unit here in town.”
“Thank you so much for all the great information,” Ava told him.
“It’s my pleasure.” He looked at Christian. “If you ever need some advice or just want to chat, feel free to reach out.”
Christian beamed. “Really? That would be awesome!”
Ava looked at Aussie, gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
Aussie shrugged modestly. “Happy to help. Besides, it’s great to see young people passionate about something.”
They spoke for a few more minutes. The conversation flowed easily. Aussie found himself increasingly drawn to Ava, not just because of her beauty but her compassion and strength. She seemed to care for Christian genuinely, and that spoke volumes about her character.
As they wrapped up their discussion, Aussie turned to Ava. “It was great meeting you both. Like I said, if you have a question or if you ever want to talk or anything else, here’s my number.” He handed her a card with his number written down on it.
Ava took it, smiling. “Thanks, Aussie. And thanks again for everything today. Christian really looks up to guys like you.”
Aussie grinned. “The pleasure was mine. Take care, Ava.” He looked at Christian. “Keep working hard.”
After saying goodbye, Aussie watched as Ava and Christian walked toward the parking lot. He couldn’t shake the strange feeling flowing through his body. It felt like a spark of something—interest, curiosity, maybe even an attraction.
Meeting Ava had been unexpected, but he couldn’t help but hope he’d see her again.
???
Ava couldn’t shake the thoughts of Aussie as she and Christian walked back to the car. The cool November breezebrushed against her skin, but her mind was still lingering on the warmth of his smile, the kindness in his eyes, and that cute Australian accent that had caught her completely off guard.
There was something rugged about him. Maybe it was his tactical uniform and his confident stance, but also a surprising friendliness that softened his edges.And okay,she thought with a grin,the man was undeniably sexy. Those hazel eyes were captivating and sucked her right in.
She couldn’t help but admire how attentive he had been to Christian, not just brushing him off like some people did with teenagers. No, Aussie had listened. He’d shown genuine interest in Christian’s story, in his dreams. And that made her heart swell even more—a SEAL, of all people, caring enough to notice someone like Christian. That kind of awareness was rare, and she hadn’t expected it.
As they reached the car, Christian was practically bouncing with excitement, still pumped from the SEAL demonstration and his conversation with Aussie.
He couldn’t stop talking about how cool it had been to help out. “Did you see how they worked together, Ava? They’re like a well-oiled machine! And when they picked me to participate with them, man, that was awesome!”
Ava smiled as she unlocked the car, listening to him go on, his energy infectious. But just as they were about to get in, Christian turned to her, a mischievous grin on his face.
“And what about Aussie, huh?” he teased, wiggling his eyebrows.
Ava’s eyes widened, a laugh escaping her. “What? Christian, come on. It’s not like that.”
“Oh, it’s totally like that,” he said, sliding into the passenger seat, still grinning. “I saw the way he was looking at you. He’s definitely interested.”
Ava shook her head, trying to laugh it off as she started the car. “He was just being nice. He was more interested in you than me, trust me.”
“Yeah, because I’m awesome,” Christian said with a wink, “but he still gaveyouhis number. You should use it.”
