Lost But Found | ✔️ - Chapter 24: Chapter 24
You are reading Lost But Found | ✔️, Chapter 24: Chapter 24. Read more chapters of Lost But Found | ✔️.
Ava
Jaxon Reed was becoming a problem.
A real, undeniable, completely impossible problem.
Ava had spent years perfecting the art of keeping people at arm's length—just close enough to play her part, but never close enough to matter. It had always been safer that way.
But now?
Now there was a cocky quarterback who had somehow slipped past every single one of her defenses, and worse—he wasn't leaving.
Ava sighed, gripping her coffee cup a little tighter as she sat at the kitchen table, watching Liam shovel cereal into his mouth like he was in a race against himself.
The worst part?
Liam loved him.
Her little brother hadn't stopped talking about Jaxon since last night.
"Did you see how far I threw it?" Liam asked for the fifth time that morning. "Jaxon said my arm's gonna be better than his soon."
Ava sighed, rubbing her temples. "Liam—"
"I like him," Liam said suddenly, voice softer this time.
Ava looked up.
Liam wasn't bouncing in his chair anymore. He was staring at his cereal, spinning his spoon slowly in the milk.
And just like that, her heart squeezed.
Because she knew what that meant.
Their mom was always gone, always making promises she didn't keep. And Ava—she had done everything she could to make sure he never felt that loss, to make sure he never expected people to stay.
But now?
Now there was Jaxon.
Ava swallowed hard. "Liam..."
Her brother looked up, his expression hesitant. "Do you think he's gonna come back?"
The question hit her harder than it should have.
Because she didn't know the answer.
Jaxon said he wasn't leaving. He had looked her in the eye and told her he'd be back for Liam's spiral lesson.
And the worst part?
Ava believed him.
That was the problem with Jaxon Reed.
He wasn't just pushing into her life.
He was staying.
And she wasn't sure what scared her more—the idea that he wouldn't leave.
Or the idea that, one day, he might.
Ava took a slow breath, forcing a small smile for her brother. "Yeah, bud. I think he will."
Liam grinned, completely satisfied, before hopping off his chair and grabbing his backpack. "I'm gonna tell him next time he comes over again that I've been practicing!"
Ava watched him rush toward the door, her stomach twisting.
Because she wasn't ready to tell Jaxon anything.
And she had a feeling she was running out of time to keep pretending she didn't want him to stay.
Jaxon Reed was becoming a problem.
A real, undeniable, completely impossible problem.
Ava had spent years perfecting the art of keeping people at arm's length—just close enough to play her part, but never close enough to matter. It had always been safer that way.
But now?
Now there was a cocky quarterback who had somehow slipped past every single one of her defenses, and worse—he wasn't leaving.
Ava sighed, gripping her coffee cup a little tighter as she sat at the kitchen table, watching Liam shovel cereal into his mouth like he was in a race against himself.
The worst part?
Liam loved him.
Her little brother hadn't stopped talking about Jaxon since last night.
"Did you see how far I threw it?" Liam asked for the fifth time that morning. "Jaxon said my arm's gonna be better than his soon."
Ava sighed, rubbing her temples. "Liam—"
"I like him," Liam said suddenly, voice softer this time.
Ava looked up.
Liam wasn't bouncing in his chair anymore. He was staring at his cereal, spinning his spoon slowly in the milk.
And just like that, her heart squeezed.
Because she knew what that meant.
Their mom was always gone, always making promises she didn't keep. And Ava—she had done everything she could to make sure he never felt that loss, to make sure he never expected people to stay.
But now?
Now there was Jaxon.
Ava swallowed hard. "Liam..."
Her brother looked up, his expression hesitant. "Do you think he's gonna come back?"
The question hit her harder than it should have.
Because she didn't know the answer.
Jaxon said he wasn't leaving. He had looked her in the eye and told her he'd be back for Liam's spiral lesson.
And the worst part?
Ava believed him.
That was the problem with Jaxon Reed.
He wasn't just pushing into her life.
He was staying.
And she wasn't sure what scared her more—the idea that he wouldn't leave.
Or the idea that, one day, he might.
Ava took a slow breath, forcing a small smile for her brother. "Yeah, bud. I think he will."
Liam grinned, completely satisfied, before hopping off his chair and grabbing his backpack. "I'm gonna tell him next time he comes over again that I've been practicing!"
Ava watched him rush toward the door, her stomach twisting.
Because she wasn't ready to tell Jaxon anything.
And she had a feeling she was running out of time to keep pretending she didn't want him to stay.
End of Lost But Found | ✔️ Chapter 24. Continue reading Chapter 25 or return to Lost But Found | ✔️ book page.