Page 21 of Second Down Scrooge

I look back and forth between the two of them, kind of surprised they’re ganging up on me over price. I finally blow out a breath. “Fine. Ninety-nine ninety-nine.”

Ava grins. “Save the one with all the red for me. I’ll grab two sandwiches for you. Anything for Mia?”

I shake my head and pull a little lunchbox out of my purse. “I’ve got hers right here, but she wouldn’t say no to one of your sugar cookies.”

She grins. “Coming right up, along with a Pepsi and a bag of Doritos. Can I get you anything else, Austin?”

He looks surprised that she addressed him. “I’ll take a Pepsi and Doritos, too.”

She smiles. “You got it.”

“Deduct the total from a hundred,” I call after her as she turns to leave.

“Pfft,” she says with an eyeroll. I didn’t come here for a free lunch, but clearly that’s what I’m getting. Plus enough money to pay for tons of new supplies to make more wreaths.

Grayson is the one who brings the food to my office. We’ve got Mia set up in the highchair we keep in here, and Austin’s sitting across from me while I create price tags for the wreaths.

“Graham,” Grayson says to Austin, and he nods cordially.

“I’ll take those out and hang them up now,” Grayson says, nodding to the wreaths.

“Before you go,” Austin says, standing. “Can I talk to you a second? Ava, too, if she has the time.”

Grayson’s brows pinch together, but he nods. “Let me grab her.”

I glance over at Austin, but his eyes won’t meet mine, and a nervous tingle shoots up my spine over what he’s doing.

“What’s going on?” I ask, standing.

“You’ll see.”

Ava and Grayson appear in the doorway a minute later, and Austin walks over toward them. He turns back to me, and our eyes lock as he draws in a deep breath. He nods a little before he turns back to my best friend and her husband.

And then he says the words that actually shock me to my core. “I’m sorry. You two didn’t deserve what I did to you, and I know it was a long time ago, but I realized recently that I never apologized to you.”

“Thank you, Austin,” Ava says quietly.

“We appreciate it, man,” Grayson says, slapping him on the back. “Consider it water under the bridge.”

“Thanks,” he mutters. “And your brother, too—well, both of them. Coach and Asher. I’ll talk to the two of them separately, but I want you to know that I’m deeply sorry for all of my actions against your family. I’d like to set a better example for my daughter than the one that was set for me, and it feels like the right time to start.”

I feel heat pinching behind my eyes at his words.

“Asher actually just walked in a few minutes ago if you want to talk to him,” Grayson says. “He’s in the kitchen grabbing lunch.” He motions with his head in that direction, and Austin follows him out there.

Ava stands in the doorway, and her jaw is slightly open in surprise. I must look the exact same way. “Whoa. I did not haveAustin apologizeson my bingo card for today.”

I can’t help a small laugh. “Neither did I, to be honest. It seems like he’s really trying to change.”

She presses her lips together and nods. “It does. And to be perfectly honest, Grayson and I both forgave him ages ago. You know how boys are. They beat each other up, avoided each other a while, and then they were fine after that.” She clears her throat as her eyes move to me pointedly. “I think maybe it’s time for you to do the same.”

I nod. “Yeah. Maybe. But I’m scared.”

She walks toward me and gives me a quick hug before she pulls back and holds me by my upper arms. “Of course you are. But that’s only because you feel so deeply for him. I see it, Kel, and I want you to have the best. And maybe that really is Austin.” She lets go of my arms as she shrugs a little. “God, I never thought I’d say that, but I think it’syou. I think hesayshe wants to be better for Mia, but really he wants to be better for both of you.”

I give her a wary look.

“I’m serious. I see the way he looks at you, and…” She shakes her head. “I don’t know. I think he wants the same thing you do, and I think…why not? You’re always going to be afraid of getting hurt since youhavebeen hurt, so why not jump in headfirst and see where it takes you? What if youdon’tget hurt this time but instead you get everything you want? Besides, it’s Christmas. It’s the time of forgiveness.”

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