Ava’s POV
I froze as soon as Steve said it.
“I’d rather take Ava,” he’d said, his voice calm, but the impact of those words hit me like a punch to the chest.
Sarah’s face hardened immediately. I could see the anger flash in her eyes, even though she tried to hide it by forcing a smile. My stepmom was watching too, her lips pressed tightly together, and I could already feel the Anger.
I needed to fix this, fast!
I swallowed hard, trying to think of something that would smooth things over. Then, without giving myself time to hesitate, I grabbed Steve’s hand and gave it a little tug. His hand was warm and strong, and for a second, my mind went blank but I forced myself to focus.
“Come on,” I said lightly, trying to sound casual as I led him toward Sarah. “I think Steve was just joking,
