Page 69 of Where Roads Lead

I only hoped she knew that I wasn’t there to outscore her.

Ava was sitting at the base of the stairs, head in her hands, when I came out of Max’s room a few minutes later.

She looked weary and exhausted, and despite the fact that I knew I was the last person in the world she wanted to comfort her, I’d never been able to mind my own business when impulse struck.

And every instinct was screaming at me to try to make her feel better about it all.

“Hey, Ava,” I said, settling down beside her on the stairs. “Are you okay?”

She raised her head slowly, taking in a deep breath before looking over at me.

“I should’ve been able to handle it tonight. I shouldn’t have had to call you for help.” She looked off toward the door, eyes going glassy. “But all I did was prove everyone right.”

“You did handle it,” I assured her. “You kept him safe. And hey, after that bath, their cat is probably cleaner than he’s been in years.”

“Yeah,” she sniffled, a wisp of a laugh sneaking out, “and I have the scratches to prove it.”

“All in all, not a bad night then, right?”

“How did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“You came here and got everything under control in a matter of minutes. He listened to you. He wanted to hang out with you. He even picked up every mess he’d left around the house because of you.” She stared at me intently. “Why couldn’t I do that?”

“I used to substitute teach for a while after college.” I shrugged. “I’ve always liked kids.”

“I like kids, too,” she argued, voice high.

I stared at her with a grin until she added, “From a distance…”

I laughed. “You can’t beat yourself up about it,” I told her honestly. “He’s a tough kid. Tougher than most, I’d say. Besides, that’s why it usually takes two parents to keep a household running. You did all the stuff I’m totally clueless about tonight. Like making that kick-ass mac and cheese.”

“It’s one of my specialties.” She laughed, and then, as if remembering she couldn’t allow herself to think of the night with any semblance of humor, sighed once more.

“I can’t believe he fell asleep before I could even give him a cookie,” she groaned, as if it were the cherry on top of the disaster sundae of a night.

She kicked a soldier off the stairs, and we both watched him tumble down until he landed face first on the hardwood floor below.

“Why are you so hung up on the cookies?” I asked.

“I just…wanted him to have at least one good memory of me doing something right. Now, he’s going to tell his mom that all I did was yell and chase him around the house.”

“Kids like being chased.” I offered a half-shrug. “Maybe he thought you were playing a game.”

“Or maybe he thought I was a psychopath, and you were the child-savior coming to deliver him from his wicked babysitter.”

I raised my brows. “I think you’re judging yourself way more harshly than a six-year-old has the capacity to.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been so tense lately,” she admitted, though it looked like it cost her something greatly to do so. “I’ve just been working a lot. And Will’s been too busy to help the way he usually does. And I guess…well, I guess I don’t know how to ask for a break.”

I snorted. “You can take a lesson from me on that account. I have no such issue with kicking my feet back and letting the pieces fall where they may.”

“You seem like you have the type of life where everything would work out regardless,” she added, tone a bit harder.

“You’d be surprised.” I furrowed my brows at the implication, thinking of how far from fine everything in my life had worked out so far. “Maybe I’m just the type of person who’s comfortable in the chaos.”

“I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” Ava sighed. “Being bitchy to you.”