Chapter Nineteen
ISABELLA
“I’m so sorry,” Sammy says softly, patting my arm.
“Yeah, it’s a real bummer that Austin isn’t a Bear anymore,” Dane adds. “Do you think we’ll still be able to get tickets?”
Sammy elbows him in the ribs. “Seriously, Dane?”
I stare at my brother in disbelief. I just found out that Austin’s trade is official and he’s leaving. Meanwhile, Dane’s biggest concern is hockey tickets.
“So when does he have to leave?” Sammy asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. He didn’t say in the text. He just asked if I was free, and he’s coming over.”
The words feel unreal every time I think them. He’s leaving, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Ohhh,” Sammy says. “The party…?”
I frown. “I’m sure he’ll be gone before then.”
The lump in my throat grows bigger, but I refuse to start crying in front of my family.
“We could move it,” Sammy suggests, wrapping her arms around me. “I could send out a message to everyone who RSVP’d. I’m sure we could throw it together quickly.”
“I appreciate that,” I say, leaning into the hug. “But I’m guessing Austin will be leaving in the next few days. Apparently, that’s how trades usually work.”
“It is,” Dane says, sounding more serious now. “Once they get the call, sometimes they need to leave within hours. It depends, but if the teams want them to start immediately, they make it fast.”
“Hours? This is even worse.”
Sammy shoots Dane a pointed look before grabbing his arm. “Okay, we're leaving now. We finally have a night off from parent duty, and we're going to take advantage of it.”
My parents are babysitting Jude tonight, and they've already taken him next door to show him off to the neighbors. At this point, I'm convinced they're secretly competing to prove they have the cutest grandchild on the block.
“Tell Austin we said hi,” Sammy says, squeezing my hand before heading toward the door. “And if you need to talk, call me anytime. Hang in there, okay?”
I nod, forcing a smile. “Thanks.”
The door closes behind them, and suddenly the house feels too quiet.
The ache that's been building in my chest all afternoon settles heavily over me. I stare at my phone for a moment before scrolling through my contacts and tapping Elise's number.
She answers on the second ring.
“Hey, stranger.”
I let out a groan. “Ugh. I'm sorry I've been completely MIA. There has been so much happening here.”
“I can imagine,” she says with a laugh. “So what's going on? How's your hot hockey player?”
My smile instantly disappears.
I clear my throat. “Well…he's leaving.”
The teasing tone vanishes from her voice. “Wait. What do you mean he's leaving?”
“He got traded.” Saying the words out loud somehow makes them feel even more real. “He's being sent to another team, so he'll be leaving North Carolina.”
“Ohhh.”
I sink onto the couch and pull my knees up to my chest.
“It's all happening so fast,” I say quietly.
“I always knew I'd eventually go back to LA.
But I thought we'd have more time. I was looking forward to spending the holidays together, making more memories, figuring things out. And now…” My voice wavers dangerously close to breaking.
“Now everything feels like it's being ripped away before we even get a chance.”
For a moment, Elise doesn't say anything.
“Okay, Isabella,” she says. “Be honest with me. This is more than just some guy you're dating, isn't it?”
I close my eyes. “Yes. I'm completely falling for him. Honestly, I don't think I've even been trying to hide it anymore.”
“Does he know how you feel?” she asks.
“He knows. And he feels the same way.”
“Aww.” Her voice brightens immediately. “Okay, this is so exciting. Not the leaving part, but that you feel the same way about each other.”
I let out a laugh. “I know what you mean.”
“Anyway,” she continues, growing serious again, “have you two talked about what happens next? Are you going to visit each other? Is long distance something you could do? And where exactly is he going?”
I sigh. "Believe it or not, he's going to end up playing for a team in Northern California."
"Oh, well, then he'll be closer," Elise says. "At least that's some good news."
"Yeah, I guess." I twist a strand of hair around my finger. "But what do you think? We're both so busy with our careers. Do you really believe long-distance relationships can work? I'm starting to wonder if it would be better to just make a clean break now before it gets even harder."
The words hang in the air. I can't believe I said them out loud. The thought has been creeping into my mind, showing up during quiet moments when I'm alone, but I haven't admitted it to anyone. Still, I know I can count on Elise to be honest, even when the truth isn't what I want to hear.
"I think they can work," she says after a moment. "But both people have to really want it. Long distance takes patience, understanding, and a lot of trust. There will probably be stretches when you don't get to see each other, and you'll have to decide if you're okay with that."
I remain silent, listening.
"The bigger question is—do you think he's worth it?"
Do I think he’s worth it?
I think about how much my life has changed since I met Austin.
Before him, it felt like I was just going through the motions and feeling sorry for myself.
Then we met, and he somehow pulled me out of that dark place.
He made me laugh again and made me excited about the future and made me remember all the good things amid my trials.
If anyone is worth fighting for, it's Austin.
Before I can respond, the sound of the doorbell echoes through the house. My heart immediately jumps.
"He’s here," I exclaim. "Can I call you later?"
"Of course." Her voice softens. "Just remember—you've got this. Trust your gut."
A small smile pulls at my lips. "Thank you for listening."
I end the call and hurry toward the front door. The second I see Austin standing there, my breath catches.
He's holding the most stunning bouquet of flowers I've ever seen. Instantly, tears fill my eyes.
"Hi," I manage.
"Hi," he replies, offering me the flowers.
"They're gorgeous." My voice cracks as I dab at the corners of my eyes.
A faint smile crosses his face. "It's the least I can do, considering I'm here to deliver bad news."
Even though I already know what's coming, hearing him say it out loud somehow makes it worse.
Before I can respond, he steps forward and wraps his arms around me. I immediately melt into his embrace. His arms tighten around me, almost like he's afraid to let go. The truth is, I'm clinging to him just as tightly.
For a long moment, neither of us says a word.
In this moment, the reality of what we're about to face finally settles over me. This isn't a rumor or a possibility anymore. It's happening.
"Are your parents here?" he asks quietly.
I shake my head. "They're at the neighbors' house with Jude."
I lead him inside, and we settle onto the loveseat in the living room.
"How are you?" he asks.
I let out a short laugh. "Me? What about you? You're the one getting ready to pack up your entire life. When do you have to leave?"
His expression twists into a grimace. "I have to report to the Seals in two days."
My stomach drops. Two days. At least it's better than hours, like my brother suggested, but it still feels too soon.
"Wow."
"Yeah."
A heavy silence settles between us before he nudges my knee with his.
"So, we need to go play mini golf,” he tells me. “And maybe we can go back to Marlow's one more time, if you want."
I nod, blinking back another wave of tears. "Yes. I’d love that."
What I really want is to spend every second of the next forty-eight hours with him. I want to memorize everything about him. But life doesn't stop just because my heart is breaking.
"Do you need help packing?" I ask.
A genuine smile appears on his face. "Probably. I hate packing, and I'm terrible at it. The team will handle the big stuff, but there's still a lot that needs to be done."
I clap my hands together. "Okay, then let's make a plan. We can start packing today. Mini golf tonight or tomorrow, then Marlow's tomorrow. Or honestly, we could go tonight."
Ideas begin firing through my mind faster than I can organize them. "We need a list. I always keep a running list going. It's the only way I can keep everything straight."
Austin stares at me, an amused expression spreading across his face. Seriously, we don't have much time, and he seems completely unbothered.
"What?" I finally ask.
His smile softens.
"I'm just enjoying being here with you."
I suck in a breath. "But like you said there's a lot to do."
He nods. "I know."
"Then let's get moving," I tell him, standing. "I'll put these flowers in water, and then we're off."
What I don't tell him is that I need to stay busy.
If I'm busy, I won't have time to think about all the questions circling in my head or the doubts.
And I won't wonder if the distance will change things. Sometimes feelings fade with time. When someone isn’t part of your everyday life, they can become out of sight, out of mind.
A few months ago, I thought my injury would be the hardest thing I'd face this year. Looking back, I couldn't have been more wrong. Recovering from an injury is simple compared to this.
Nothing prepared me for falling in love with someone while knowing you're losing them at the same time. Just the constant ache of wanting to hold on while feeling them slip further away. And somehow, that hurts so much more than any physical injury ever could.