CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The morning after, Aussie found himself in the kitchen with his mom. He leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her knead dough for what he guessed was going to be another batch of cookies. The usual scent of cinnamon and nutmeg filled the room, and Christmas music hummed softly in the background.
“So,” his mom began, not looking up from her task but clearly sensing his presence. “You’ve been hovering around me for ten minutes. Out with it, son. What’s on your mind?”
Aussie chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “That obvious, huh?”
She smirked. “You forget, I raised you. Spill.”
He shifted his weight, suddenly feeling like a teenager asking for advice. “I want to plan something special for Ava. Like a date. But I need your help.”
That got his mom’s full attention. She paused her work and wiped her hands on a dish towel, turning to face him. Her smile was knowing, her eyes sparkling. “A date, huh? Alright, let’s hear it. What does Ava like?”
Aussie shrugged, leaning his elbows on the counter. “She’s not into anything flashy, that’s for sure. She’s more subtle. She’s down-to-earth. I don’t think she’d enjoy some big, fancy dinner out.”
His mom nodded thoughtfully, tapping her chin. “I got that vibe from her too. She’s sweet but not one for showy things. What about something romantic but simple? You know, something meaningful?”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Aussie agreed. “I just don’t know where to start.”
His mom’s face lit up. “Well, as it happens, your dad just finished renovating the barn. You know, the one by the big paddock? He turned it into a little one-bedroom apartment. It’s all decked out for Christmas since that’s where Rachael and her husband will be staying when they visit.”
Aussie’s brow furrowed, intrigued. “Go on...”
“What if you took Ava on a sleigh ride?” she suggested, her voice tinged with excitement. “Then afterward, you could have a quiet, romantic dinner in the barn. The place is cozy and perfect for something like this. Lights, decorations, the works.”
Aussie grinned, the idea settling in his mind like the final piece of a puzzle. “Mom, that’s perfect. Ava would love that. She’d probably prefer it to any restaurant in town.”
She clapped her hands together. “I thought so, too. And don’t worry about Christian. I’ll keep him busy for the evening. We’ll bake some more cookies or do something fun."
“You’re the best,” Aussie said, his grin widening.
She waved him off, though she was clearly pleased. “I’ll also make sure dinner’s in the oven for when you two get back from the sleigh ride. Something hearty and warm. I’ll handle all the little details. You just focus on Ava.”
Aussie nodded, his chest tightening with gratitude. “Thanks, Mom. This is going to be great.”
“It will be,” she said with a knowing smile. “She’s a special one, Aussie. I can see why you’re so taken with her.”
He nodded, his thoughts drifting to Ava. “She is. And she deserves something special.”
She returned to her dough, humming along to the Christmas carol playing in the background.
Aussie lingered a moment longer, already picturing the evening ahead. Tomorrow night couldn’t come fast enough.
“Thanks again, Mom,” he said, heading toward the door.
“Anytime, sweetheart,” she called after him.
Aussie laughed, shaking his head as he left the kitchen. His mom always had a way of making everything feel just right.
As Aussie was passing by his dad’s study, he noticed the light was on, and he peeked in.
He saw Ava sitting in one of the oversized leather chairs with her legs crossed in Indian style. Her laptop was balanced on her lap. There was a steaming mug of coffee next to her on the table, along with a half-eaten cookie.
He leaned against the doorway and watched her work. Her brows were furrowed slightly as she concentrated on whatever was on the screen. She reached for the cookie and nibbled on it as she typed something on the keyboard.
She was beautiful. Her long black hair fell loosely around her shoulders. But it wasn’t just her looks that had him captivated. It was the way she threw herself into everything she did. Whether it was protecting Christian, baking cookies with his mom, or sitting here now as she worked, she was all in.
Aussie couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face as he straightened up. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, stepping into the kitchen.
Ava’s head lifted, and her lips curved into a smile. “Hey yourself,” she said. “What are you up to?”
He walked over and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. She smelled like vanilla and coffee. “Just watching you,” he said, grinning as he sat in the chair next to her.
She chuckled, closing her laptop halfway. “Well, that sounds productive.”
“Very,” he teased. Then, more seriously, he added, “You still have some Christmas shopping you wanted to do, right?”
“Yeah,” Ava replied, taking a sip of her coffee. “There were a couple of things I still needed to pick up for Christian. Plus, I would like to get your parents something.”
“How about we go tomorrow morning? I still need to grab a few things myself,” Aussie said. “We could knock it out together.”
Her smile softened. “That would be perfect.”
Aussie leaned forward a little and rested his elbows on his knees. “I was also thinking…”
“Uh-oh,” Ava teased, narrowing her eyes playfully. You already introduced me to blindfolds. Are handcuffs next?”
Aussie burst out laughing. “That was a good one. Though since you did bring it up…”
Her eyes widened, and she slapped his arm playfully. “Stop it!”
He laughed again. But then he reached over and took her hand into his. “Seriously. I was thinking this morning that we haven’t exactly had an official first date yet, have we?”
Her head tilted slightly, curiosity dancing in her eyes. “No, I guess we haven’t.”
“Well,” Aussie said, his voice warm, “I want to change that. Tomorrow night. Just you and me. I’ve got something special planned.”
Her face lit up, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “Really? What are we doing?”
He grinned, loving the way her excitement bubbled to the surface. “It’s a surprise,” he said, tapping her nose lightly. “But I promise no blindfolds,” he joked. “However, dress comfortably and warmly.”
“You’re not giving me any hints?” she pressed, but there was no frustration in her tone, just delight.
“Nope,” he said, popping the “p” with a mischievous smirk.
“Fine,” she said, laughing softly. “But now I’m really curious.”
“Good,” he said, leaning in closer. “That’s the idea.”
He didn’t give her a chance to press for more details. Instead, he closed the distance, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. Ava sighed into it, her fingers brushing lightly against his jaw as she kissed him back. Just as the kiss deepened, a sharp buzz from Aussie’s phone shattered the moment.
He groaned in frustration, reluctantly pulling away to glance at the screen.
His body tensed as he read the name flashing across it: Derek .
A call from Derek could only mean two things: either his team was being called up, or something had happened related to Ava and Christian.
“I need to take this,” he said apologetically, stepping away. Ava nodded, her expression curious but understanding.
As Aussie answered, his gaze flickered to Ava again. She was still watching him, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Derek,” Aussie said, his voice low as he stepped farther away. “What’s up?”
“How’s everything going up there?” Derek’s tone was casual but carried an undertone of genuine concern.
Aussie allowed himself a small smirk.Derek had a funny way of always checking in on the women in his team’s lives. He was such a big teddy bear, not that he would ever tell Derek that to his face.
“Things are good here,” Aussie replied.
“That’s good. I do have some news for you,” Derek said.
“What’s that?”
“Authorities located Chase and Barrett earlier this morning.”
“That’s good news,” Aussie replied, his relief evident for a split second.
“Not exactly,” Derek said, his tone heavy. “They were found dead.”
Aussie froze. His blood ran cold, and his gaze instinctively snapped to Ava. She was watching him, her body tensing as if she could feel the change in his demeanor.
“What?” Aussie managed, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Their bodies were dumped in one of the parks up in Hampton Roads. Both of them were shot execution-style.”
Aussie pinched the bridge of his nose, his mind reeling. “Do they know who did it?”
“No leads yet,” Derek said. “But the evidence recovered at the scene ties them to the crimes in the area, including the three murders.”
“What about any leads regarding who they were working for?”
“It’s a dead end. However, I do believe that whoever is behind these deaths knew those boys were compromised and did one hell of a clean-up job. Although Agent Jefferson said they did recover a cell phone in the vicinity of one of the bodies. Hopefully, it belonged to one of them and contained viable information.”
“So, what does this mean for Ava and Christian’s situation?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Alright. Well, thanks for the heads-up,” Aussie said, his voice firm despite the weight settling on his shoulders. “If you hear anything else, you’ll call me, right?”
“Of course,” Derek assured him.
They wished each other a Merry Christmas before ending the call.
As Aussie slipped his phone back into his pocket, he looked up and saw Ava was now standing a few feet away. She had her arms wrapped around herself as if bracing for bad news.
He walked over to her, his expression softening.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice low and laced with concern.
“Let’s sit down, and I’ll explain everything,” he told her.
Ava nodded, and he took her hand and led her over to the couch.
◆◆◆
Ava took a seat on the couch, and Aussie sat down beside her. He was close enough that their knees almost touched. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He stared at a spot on the floor as if gathering his thoughts.
“That was Derek,” he finally said, his voice low.
Ava’s chest tightened. Derek’s calls were rarely casual. “What did he say?”
Aussie exhaled sharply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Barrett and Chase. They were found dead up near Hampton Roads this morning.”
Ava’s breath caught. Barrett and Chase, the two boys who had made Christian’s life hell, were dead? She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Relief? Fear? Something else entirely?
“How?” she asked quietly, her voice barely audible.
“Gunshot wounds.” Aussie’s tone was grim. “But that’s not all. Evidence was left at the scene—evidence that links them to all the recent crimes in the area, including the three murders.”
Ava frowned, confusion mixing with unease. “What do you mean? They were behind it?”
“That’s what it’s supposed to look like.” Aussie shifted to face her fully. “But Derek doesn’t think it’s that simple. He believes the evidence was planted. It was meant to frame Barrett and Chase and throw the authorities off the trail of whoever’s really in charge.”
The room felt colder somehow despite the warmth of the house. Ava’s mind raced, trying to piece together what this meant. “So the real culprits are still out there?”
Aussie nodded. “That’s what we think. We also think that whoever’s pulling the strings knew about the FBI tracking Barrett and Chase.”
Ava’s hands curled into fists on her lap. “What does this mean for Christian? For us?”
He leaned back, his expression softening as he looked at her. “I don’t know yet. Derek’s still piecing things together. But at least for now, those two won’t be bothering Christian anymore.”
She wanted to feel reassured, but she couldn’t shake the gnawing doubt in her gut. “You think this is over?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aussie’s silence was answer enough. He reached out, placing a hand over hers. “I don’t know. All I do know is that whoever’s behind this, they’re still out there. But we’ll figure it out. I’ll make sure you and Christian are safe.”
Ava nodded, but her unease didn’t fade. She had learned long ago that trouble rarely ended when it seemed to. And this felt far from over.