CHAPTER FOUR
Ava sat across from Jarod at a candlelit table, the hum of chatter and clinking silverware filling the air of the upscale restaurant. The atmosphere was cozy, the lighting warm, but her thoughts were elsewhere, or she should say they were on someone else.
Jarod was speaking, but the memory of Aussie drowned out his voice. That rugged, charming Navy SEAL with the soft Australian accent kept creeping into her mind. It had been a few days, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d smiled at her and how attentive he was to Christian. It felt fresh, different from this stagnant, predictable routine with Jarod.
“Ava,” Jarod’s annoyed voice cut through her thoughts, sharper than before. She blinked and refocused, realizing she’d missed the last part of whatever he had said. His dark, manicured brows were furrowed, and the muscles in his jaw were clenched. He hated it when she wasn’t paying attention to him.
“Sorry, what did you say?” she asked, trying to mask the distraction with a polite smile.
Jarod gave her an irritated look, his lips tight. “I said I heard that you took in that boy.” There was a hint of accusation in his tone, something that instantly set her on edge. “Everyone around the courthouse has been talking about it.”
Ava forced herself to relax, shrugging it off. “So what? And the boy has a name. It’s Christian, and he needed a place to stay. It’s really not a big deal.”
Jarod’s eyes narrowed as he leaned in, lowering his voice, though the sharpness didn’t diminish. “It was a stupid move, Ava. Getting involved with a kid like that.”
Her heart sank, a ripple of anger flaring in her chest, but she kept her face calm. “What do you mean, a kid like that?”
“You know exactly what I mean,” he said, a sneer creeping into his voice. “Kids like him have no stable family and no real upbringing. They always end up in trouble. Or in jail. They are failures. I see it every day in my courtroom.”
Ava’s blood boiled, her grip tightening on the edge of the table. This man —how had she ever thought they could have a future together? She took a slow breath, steadying herself before replying. “You realize that I used to be one of those kids, right?”
Jarod’s face paled slightly as if realizing he had made a huge mistake. He instantly tried to backtrack, his voice softer now, more appeasing. “Ava, that’s not what I meant. You know that I wasn’t referring to you and your past.”
She raised her eyebrow at him. “Really? Because those kids you talked about were me fifteen years ago. Some of us don’t have a choice, and we are just shoved wherever there is a room.”
“Ava—” Jarod started to say, but Ava was done. She didn’t want to hear some lame apology. She had now seen his true colors. And what a shame, considering he was a judge who ruled on juvenile cases.
“No,” Ava interrupted, her voice low but firm. She’d had enough. She wasn’t going to sit there and listen to someone belittle everything she believed in, everything she stood for. “I know exactly what you meant. And if that’s how you really feel about kids like Christian—kids like me—then I think we’re done here.”
Jarod reached across the table toward her hand, trying to salvage the moment, but Ava had already made up her mind. “Come on, Ava, let’s not make a scene. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It’s not about making a scene,” Ava said, pushing her chair back and standing. “It’s about realizing that I don’t want to be with someone who looks down on the very people I’m trying to help. Or someone that I used to be. Let’s just stick to being colleagues at the courthouse.”
“Ava, wait,” Jarod started, but she was already moving past him, grabbing her bag and heading for the door.
She paused just before exiting and gave him a sarcastic smile. “By the way, your people skills? They could use some work.”
The door shut behind her with a satisfying click, but as soon as the cool night air hit her, Ava realized she'd left her coat in Jarod’s car. Not that she was about to go back inside and ask him for it. She wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her bag closer for warmth, and sighed. Perfect. Now, she needed to call an Uber.
She pulled out her phone and started walking down the sidewalk when she heard a familiar voice that was smooth and rich with that slight Australian accent that made her stomach flip.
“Ava!”
As she turned, her breath caught, and she saw Aussie standing just a few feet away, looking concerned. He was dressed in black slacks, a crisp white shirt, and a matching black sports coat, looking like he’d just stepped out of a magazine. The sight of him sent a shiver down her spine, though the chilly air might’ve also caused that.
She smiled. “Hi,” she managed, though her voice wavered slightly with surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“I was having dinner inside,” he said, stepping closer, his eyes searching her face. “I saw you storm out, and I was concerned.”
Her heart swelled at the fact that he’d noticed that he cared enough to check on her, even though they had only met days ago. What kind of man does that? She barely knew him, and yet here he was, looking at her like she mattered.
“Oh, I’m fine,” she said, brushing it off, though she couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her chest at his concern.
Aussie glanced at her bare arms, and without a word, he shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. The warmth enveloped her instantly, and the gesture nearly made her melt.
“Better?” he asked, his voice soft.
Ava looked up at him, her heart racing for reasons she didn’t entirely understand. “Much better,” she said her voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, and the sight of it made her forget all about Jarod. “Want to take a walk?”
Ava nibbled her lip nervously. “Don’t you have someone waiting for you in the restaurant?” Oh, God. Had he been on a date?
He smiled. “It is just my sister and brother-in-law. We were almost finished anyway.”
Hearing he was just with family made her feel a little better.
She looked up at him and nodded. “A walk sounds nice.”
As they started walking, Ava felt a strange sense of calm wash over her. The night, which had begun with frustration, now felt full of possibilities.
Sometimes, the universe had a way of clearing the path for something new. And as she walked beside Aussie, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, something good was about to begin.
◆◆◆
Aussie had been sitting at a round table in the corner of the elegant restaurant, savoring the rare opportunity to spend time with his sister, Wren, and her husband, Ben. With the chaos of being a Navy SEAL, Aussie never knew when the next mission would pull him away. It could be tomorrow, next week, or months from now. Their deployments weren’t the same as typical military rotations; missions dictated them—some lasting days, others stretching into months or even over a year. Still, he loved the life, loved serving his country, and every time he was home, he made the most of it.
Wren and Ben were passing through Virginia Beach, and this dinner was a welcome chance to catch up.It was also a reminder of just how important his family was to him. Aussie came from a big family. He had three older sisters, all married, with kids of their own. Angie and Rachel had already given him two nieces and nephews each, and they all lived close to each other back in Indiana. The whole family was tight-knit, but Aussie had always been the odd one out, the one who chose to join the Navy and make a life elsewhere. Even so, they supported him in every decision, never holding his career choice against him.
“So, we have a little surprise for you,” Wren said, glancing at Ben with a smile. Aussie’s fork hovered in the air as he looked between them.
Ben grinned, leaning back in his chair. “We’re expecting.”
Aussie’s face lit up, his chest filling with excitement. “What? That’s awesome!” He stood, hugging Wren, then gave Ben a firm pat on the back. “I’m gonna be an uncle again!”
Wren laughed, her eyes sparkling with joy. “We wanted to tell you in person, and since we were passing through, the timing was perfect.”
“Best news of the day,” Aussie said, grinning ear to ear.
Wren gave him a teasing smile. “It’s kinda funny how we all thought that you’d be the first one to settle down.”
Aussie laughed, shaking his head. “Nah, you know me. Married to the job.” Though after watching Joker, Bear, Duke and now Playboy settle down, it made him wonder if a stable relationship would work for him.
They shared a few more laughs, and the conversation shifted back to family updates, Navy stories, and plans for future visits, which included Christmas. Aussie was completely immersed in the moment until he noticed Wren’s eyes shifting past his shoulder, her expression shifting into something more curious, almost bothered.
“What’s wrong?” Aussie asked.
She tilted her head toward the far corner of the restaurant. “Dinner doesn’t seem to be going well for that couple over there.”
Aussie chuckled. His sister had a notorious habit of being nosey, always wanting to know what everyone around her was doing. “Wren, you’re terrible. Let people have their awkward dates in peace.”
Wren smirked, her eyes still on the couple. “I’m just saying, the woman, who is beautiful, by the way, looks like she’s about to lose her shit on the guy.”
Aussie rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Classic Wren , always inventing backstories for people she didn’t know. “Honestly, you’d make a great detective. Or better yet, a gossip columnist.”
He was about to make another joke when Wren’s eyes widened. “Oh wow. She’s definitely had enough.”
Aussie turned just in time to see a woman standing up, her expression furious as she pointed at the man across from her. His heart skipped a beat when he recognized her. Her raven-colored hair matched the black skirt she was wearing.
Ava.
He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since they met last weekend. And now, there she was, clearly upset, grabbing her purse and storming out of the restaurant. His gut twisted with concern.
“I know her,” Aussie muttered, standing up. He barely registered Wren’s shocked expression before she started grilling him.
“Oh really?” Wren said, her voice dripping with curiosity. “She’s pretty. And I mean really pretty. What’s the story there?”
Aussie waved her off, chuckling as he grabbed his jacket. “Not now, Wren. I’ll explain later. Be right back.”
Ignoring her barrage of questions, he quickly excused himself and slipped out of the restaurant. He spotted Ava a few feet ahead, her shoulders hunched against the chill as she looked down at her phone. Without thinking, he called out to her.
“Ava!”
She turned, and her eyes widened in surprise. “Hi! What are you doing here?”
He took a few steps toward her. Concern was etched into his features. “I was having dinner inside. I saw you storm out, and I was concerned. Is Everything alright?”
Ava forced a smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine,” she said, trying to wave off his concern.
But Aussie was a SEAL. He’d been trained to read people, and Ava’s body language was practically shouting that something was wrong. She was tense, her hands gripping her purse a little too tightly, and she was shivering—whether from the cold or from the situation, he wasn’t sure. Either way, he wasn’t about to let her brush it off.
Without a word, he slipped off his sports coat and draped it over her shoulders. She protested weakly, but he didn’t listen. “Better?” he asked.
Ava glanced up at him, and he couldn’t help but notice how pretty she looked under the streetlights. Her black hair shimmered, drawing out the blue hue mixed throughout her silky locks, and her unique dark blue eyes that looked nearly black held a spark even when she was upset. The slim black pencil skirt and blue blouse she wore hugged her figure perfectly, and the high heels only added to how striking she looked.
“Much better,” she replied, giving him a shy, sheepish smile.
He caught himself staring and quickly shifted his thoughts.
“Wanna take a walk?” he asked, hoping to distract her from whatever had happened inside.
When she started to nibble on her bottom lip, he knew she was torn on what to do.
“Don’t you have someone waiting for you in the restaurant?” she asked, seeming a bit nervous.
A thought then crossed his mind. He wondered if she thought he was on a date. Was she jealous? Because he felt a little jealous knowing that she was having dinner with another man.
He smiled. “It is just my sister and brother-in-law. We were almost finished anyway.”
She was silent as a few seconds passed. But to his relief, she nodded. “A walk sounds nice.”
As they started to walk, he shot a quick text to Wren, telling her that he was sorry to cut dinner short, but he had something he needed to take care of. He was not going to get into the details about Ava with his sister. At least not yet.
Wren’s response came almost instantly: Pursuing the pretty woman already? I see how it is. Good luck, loverboy!
Aussie chuckled, shaking his head.
Ava glanced at him. “Sorry for pulling you away from your dinner.”
“It’s fine. You didn’t interrupt anything important,” Aussie assured her. “Besides, I’d rather be here.”
Ava smiled, and he felt a little spark of victory. Then, deciding to ease into a conversation, he asked, “How’s Christian doing?”
Ava’s face lit up, and she started telling him all about how Christian was adjusting to life at her house. She told him that Christian still couldn’t stop talking about meeting all of the SEALs at the fair.
“Oh, and we looked up that organization you told us about—the Sea Cadets. Christian is very interested in joining, and I already reached out to the local unit. I called at the right time because they are having an informational meeting this week.”
“That’s great. As I said, everything I’ve seen and heard about the program is wonderful.”
“Well, Christian is very excited.”
“Glad to hear that.”
The longer they walked, the more Aussie wanted to bring up the guy from the restaurant. He wanted to know who he was to Ava.
“So, who was the guy that pissed you off?”
He noticed her expression darkened. “That was Jarod,” she said with a sigh. “We’ve known each other for a few years. We dated on and off, but something was always missing.”
Aussie’s chest tightened at the mention of her dating someone else, but when she said was , he couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief. “So, it’s over between you two?”
She nodded, her jaw tightening. “Oh, it’s definitely over after tonight. He showed me who the person he truly is. He said some awful things about Christian.”
Hearing that pissed Aussie off. He could feel his blood boiling as Ava recounted everything that Jarod had said. How could anyone talk about any kid like that?
“I just can’t believe that I never saw it before now.”
“In my line of work, I’ve met many people who are like chameleons. They have different sides to them. Either way, he doesn’t deserve you,” Aussie muttered.
Ava smiled at that, and they continued walking, talking about everything from Christian to Navy life. They didn’t really get into anything personal about one another. But it was still a pleasant conversation, and Aussie found himself wanting to know more about her.
Before he even realized it, a good hour had passed, and they were both surprised by how much time had flown by.
“I guess I should call an Uber,” Ava said, pulling out her phone.
“No need for that,” Aussie said quickly. “I can take you home.”
Ava hesitated, but then she smiled. “Are you sure?”
He grinned. “Positive. Plus, it’ll make me feel better knowing you made it home safely.”
“Okay.”
They walked to his red Ford F-150, which was parked in the lot across the street from the restaurant.
He opened the door for her and helped her up into the seat.
It wasn’t a long drive, and Aussie found himself wishing her house were farther away. He wasn’t ready to say goodnight. When they pulled up to her place, he got out and walked around to open her door, helping her down from the truck.
For a moment, they stood there. Their bodies were close to each other, and the tension between them was palpable. Aussie wanted to kiss her, really wanted to, but he held back. It didn’t feel right—not after the night she’d had. Still, as he looked into her dark blue eyes, he could tell she was thinking the same thing.
Instead, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, feeling her surprise as he did. When he pulled back, she was smiling.
“Thanks for saving me tonight,” she said softly. “I really enjoyed the company.”
Aussie grinned, feeling lighter than he had in days. “Anytime.”
Before they parted ways, he mustered the courage to ask, “I know I gave you my number, but would it be alright if I called you sometime?”
Ava blushed, and the sight made his heart skip. “I’d like that.”
They said goodnight, and as Aussie drove back to his apartment, he couldn’t stop smiling. There’s something special about her, he thought. And as he parked and made his way inside, he found himself already looking forward to seeing her again.
Aussie pushed the door open and stepped into the apartment that he shared with his teammate Snow. He tossed his keys onto the small table by the entrance.
He walked further into the living room and found Snow sprawled on the couch in front of the television. A plastic tray was balanced precariously on his knee. He was digging into a clump of cheesy noodles with a plastic fork, his eyes half on the screen. “How was dinner?” he asked, not bothering to look away from the news. “And how’s your sister doing?”
Aussie shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. “Dinner was great. Wren and Ben are doing great. Actually, better than great. And guess what?”
Snow raised an eyebrow, finally glancing over. “What?”
“They’re having a baby. Their first.” Aussie grinned, the pride in his voice unmistakable.
“No kidding? Congrats to them,” Snow said, setting the tray on the coffee table. “That’s big news.”
Aussie flopped into the armchair opposite the couch, his mind drifting back to dinner. “Yeah, they’re over the moon about it. Wren’s glowing already. It was good catching up with them. However, I had to cut dinner short.”
“Why is that?”
Aussie then told him about Ava being at the restaurant and on her date with that dickhead. The more he explained to Snow about what all the douchebag said about Christian, he could see Snow’s expression harden.
When he was finished, Snow shook his head.
“At least she seems smart, considering she left the asshole sitting there in the restaurant. Sounds like a jerk,” Snow muttered, stabbing at the remains of his dinner. “Doesn’t sound like he’s good enough for her or Christian.”
Aussie chuckled. “You don’t even know him.”
“Don’t have to,” Snow said firmly. “But you seem pretty invested in her. You interested or what?”
Aussie rubbed the back of his neck, a small smile playing on his lips. “She’s definitely piqued my interest. There’s something about her. She’s just different.”
Snow grinned, leaning back on the couch. “Good for you, man. Sounds like you’ve got your eye on someone worth it.”
Before Aussie could respond, something on the TV caught both of their attention. The newscaster’s voice turned somber as she reported another robbery at a local convenience store.
“This just in—police have confirmed a robbery occurred at a convenience store on Pine and 8th Street late this evening. The cashier was shot but is expected to survive. This marks the fifth such incident in the last two weeks, with suspects continuing to evade authorities. Police believe the robberies may be connected to other violent crimes in the area, including three recent homicides.”
Snow set his fork down, his brow furrowed. “That’s not far from here.”
“Too close,” Aussie agreed, watching the footage of flashing police lights and crime scene tape.
Snow crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. “Word is the cops think it’s a gang setting up shop in town. Could be tied to some kind of organized operation.”
Aussie frowned, his thoughts swirling. “That would explain the pattern—robberies, escalating violence. They’re trying to make a statement.”
“Yeah, well, I hope they’re wrong about the gang part,” Snow said grimly. “The last thing this city needs are more bodies piling up.”
Aussie nodded, his gaze lingering on the television as the segment switched to weather. His mind, however, stayed on the unsettling news. If the police were right, something big—and dangerous—was brewing in their city.
He leaned back in his chair, the weight of the day settling on his shoulders. Between the crime wave and thoughts of Ava, his mind wasn’t going to quiet down anytime soon.