She shrugged and focused on the soup she stirred in her bowl. “Things have been off between us.”
“Ava—”
Her phone ringing cut him off. He stared at her for a moment before standing and walking over to the couch, where it rested on the coffee table. He brought it to her.
“Thank you.” She looked at the display and immediately picked up. “Ruby?”
“Ava? Can you come get me?” Ruby asked. She sounded on the verge of tears. Ava stood up and immediately swayed, gripping her stomach.
“Of course. What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Mom and Dad are drunk. I just don’t want to be here. There isn’t any food. I’m so hungry.”
Tears sprang to Ava’s eyes. Cole was immediately at her side, holding her steady with his arm around her waist.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Ava said. They ended the call, and Ava walked to the front door, where her boots had been discarded.
“Let me get her,” Cole said. “You need to rest.”
She shook her head. “No. My mom and stepdad have been getting a lot angrier about me taking care of Ruby. I can’t let you take the brunt of it.”
“Oh, please. They don’t scare me.”
“What if they call the police?”
“Let them. Then we can officially file a report against them for child neglect. I’m sure the school could provide plenty of evidence. You and I both know that this town would rally around you if it came to a custody battle.”
Tears flooded her eyes and poured down her cheeks. “I don’t have any rights.”
Cole bent down so they were eye-to-eye and swiped her tears away. “We will get you rights.”
Something stirred in Ava. That Cole wanted to go get Ruby despite the consequences that could come down on him was incredibly attractive. She knew he would always have her back, even if things were rocky between them. And him rallying behind her was sexy as all hell.
“I want to come. I’ll stay in the car.”
Cole nodded and helped her into her shoes and coat and then grabbed a bowl just in case. He helped her into his car before running around to the driver’s seat. He drove them over to her mom and stepdad’s place.
“Stay here,” he said. Then he got out and walked up to the front door.
Ava watched as he knocked and waited for the fallout. But Ruby answered and immediately threw herself against Cole’s legs, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back and then took her hand and walked her to the car.
When the back door opened, and Ruby slid inside, Ava did her best to smile at her.
“Hey, baby,” Ava said.
“Hi, Ava. Are you sick now too?”
“I am. But it’s okay. I’m glad you called.”
Cole slid into the driver’s seat and turned around to face Ruby. “So, what are you craving? Want some pizza?”
Pizza was Ruby’s favorite, and Cole knew that. Ava smiled as Ruby’s face lit up. “Yes!”
They drove down the street to the grocery store. They didn’t have a local pizza place, but could have gone to a town over. Ava suspected Cole didn’t want to do that since she wasn’t feelingwell, and she was thankful for it. She wanted nothing more than to lie down.
Cole parked the car and looked over at her. “Why don’t you stay here? Ruby and I can get a few things. Anything you need?”
Ava shook her head.
“We’ll be right back.” Then Cole looked at Ruby. “Ready?”
“Yes!”
The bright smile on Ruby’s face solidified something in Ava. She needed to gain custody of Ava. She had been hesitant to put her mom through any grief or embarrassment, but enough was enough. Ruby was more important than any feelings she might put their mom through. It just meant Ruby would be better cared for. And Ava knew she could care for Ruby far better than her parents. Now she just needed to prepare for battle.
