Chapter Twenty- Two
AUSTIN
The coaches, players, and fans have been fantastic.
From day one, they’ve gone out of their way to make me feel welcome.
A few familiar faces in the locker room have helped, too.
I’ve crossed paths with some of my teammates at tournaments, camps, and league events over the years, plus Rico is here so I’m not walking into a group of complete strangers.
Even with the positive start, there are moments when the reality of everything hits me.
I miss the Bears—my teammates and even Coach Denton’s drawn-out lectures. And more than anything, I miss Isabella.
Saying goodbye to her at the airport will probably go down as one of the hardest moments of my life.
We both did our best to stay strong, refusing to make the goodbye any more painful than it already was.
But the second I stepped onto the plane, I put on my sunglasses and stared out the window for most of the flight.
We’ve talked every night since I got here and text throughout the day whenever we can.
It’s not the same as having her beside me, but hearing her voice helps.
I’m counting down the days until I see her again.
Twenty days, five hours, and eighteen minutes from this exact moment.
Not that I’m keeping track or anything. Although I also set a countdown in my phone.
The strangest part of tonight was leaving the locker room after the game and not seeing her waiting for me.
That was one of my favorite parts of game nights.
Win or lose, she was there. Walking out and finding an empty hallway was a reminder that this new experience is going to take some adjusting.
But that’s part of the job and what I signed on for when I chose this career.
I have plenty to keep me busy as I immerse myself in this organization.
Every day brings new systems to learn, new teammates to build chemistry with, and new expectations to meet.
Being traded here was an opportunity, and I intend to make the most of it.
I want to prove that I belong and that they made the right decision bringing me into the Seals organization.
I’ve already started unpacking, trying to make this place feel a little more like home. But with every box I open, I’m reminded of Isabella. She packed most of my things, and every carefully folded shirt or labeled container feels like a small piece of her made it here with me.
The sound of my phone buzzing pulls me from my thoughts. I grab it almost immediately, smiling as soon as I see Isabella’s name on the screen. It’s late in North Carolina, so I’d sent her a text a few minutes ago to make sure she was still awake.
“Hey.”
“Hi,” she says, her voice slightly raspy.
“Did my text wake you up?”
“No,” she replies. “I was waiting up to talk to you.”
The admission makes my heart beat a little quicker.
“How was the game?” she asks.
“It was good. We won—the final score was 3–1.”
“Aww, congrats.” She pauses. “That’s better than the Bears. I went to the game with Abby, and it was rough. They really needed you out there.”
I’d be lying if I said this didn’t bring me a certain amount of satisfaction.
Of course, I feel bad for my former teammates.
I spent years playing alongside those guys, and I’d never wish anything bad on them.
But this is a professional sport and it’s what we do.
The Bears aren’t my team anymore. They’re the competition now.
“Oh man,” I say with a laugh. “Nick must be beside himself.”
“Yes. Abby was absolutely dreading seeing him after the game.”
“Did you wait with her?”
“No. I went home.” Her voice softens. “My favorite player wasn’t there, so I had no reason to stay.”
A grin spreads across my face. No matter how many times she says things like this, I never get tired of hearing it.
“How did the call go with the producers?”
Earlier today, Isabella had a conference call with the team from Ballroom Dance America. She was very nervous about it, despite me trying to pump her up.
“It went well. They were very understanding about my timeline. I’ll continue physical therapy when I get back to LA in January, and we’ll see where things go from there.”
“So you’re still in for next season?”
“Yes.”
I can hear the relief in her voice, and I completely understand how that feels.
“See? I told you. They know how talented you are. Injury or not, they wouldn’t want to lose you.”
“You were right,” she says with a giggle.
“I love hearing those words.”
I glance at my screen. “By the way, I’ll be seeing you in twenty days, four hours, and eight minutes.”
She laughs. “Wow. You really have your eye on that countdown.”
“You bet I do.”
Something tells me she has a countdown of her own, but I haven’t asked her about it.
“In other news,” she says, “the Halloween party is Friday, so Sammy and my mom are officially in full planning mode.”
“I wish I could be there,” I say. “Instead, I’ll be in Vancouver thinking about you the entire night.”
“Okay,” she replies, amusement clear in her voice, “but make sure you stop thinking about me long enough to actually concentrate on playing hockey.”
“I’ll try.”
“You sound very committed to that effort,” she teases. “I’m sure your new coaches would appreciate you staying focused.”
“You’re right,” I say with a chuckle. “But I can’t make any promises.”
Her laughter drifts through the phone, warm and familiar. Even though she’s thousands of miles away, somehow, she still has a way of making me feel less alone.
“Your family will be there in few days, right?” she asks. “You must be so excited.”
“Yes. It’s been months since I’ve seen them, and I honestly can’t wait. It’s nice knowing they are much closer now.”
“I understand.” Her voice softens. “Tell everyone I said hi.”
“I will. And be prepared for a FaceTime call.”
She laughs again. “I’ll be ready.”
Our conversation is interrupted by a long yawn on her end of the line.
“There it is,” I say. “That’s my cue. It’s late, and you need your rest for your physical therapy tomorrow.”
“Fine,” she replies dramatically. “But you should get some sleep too.”
“I will.”
For a few seconds, we’re both quiet. Clearly, neither one of us is rushing to get off the phone.
“Isabella…”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” she says softly.
After we finally end the call, I stare at my phone, unable to stop smiling. The apartment is quiet again, but it doesn’t feel quite so empty.
I hope conversations like this help quiet any doubts she may have about us.
Long distance isn’t easy, and there will be days that feel impossible.
But I have complete faith in what we have.
No matter where hockey takes me, no matter how many cities or time zones separate us, Isabella and I are in this together.
And when I think about our future, I’ve never been surer about anything in my life.
We are in this forever, and I don’t need a countdown for that.
I can't believe it's been so long since I've seen my family in person.
Today is finally the day, and I can barely contain my excitement.
I think it's officially sinking in that they're only a car ride away now rather than a plane trip across the country.
If there's one good thing that's come out of this trade, it's this.
My parents, Logan, and Ivy are staying in town for a few days. We'll get some quality time together, discuss my brother’s wedding details, and they'll be attending two of my games. Just thinking about having them in the stands cheering me on puts a smile on my face.
I had an early practice this morning, and now I'm heading to meet them for lunch.
The second I walk into the restaurant, I spot my parents and Logan standing in the lobby. I practically sprint toward them.
"Austin," my mom cries.
"Hi, Mom."
I wrap my arms around her small frame and hold on tight. I can’t believe I’m hugging my mother—it’s been too long.
"I'm so happy," she says, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Me too."
I turn to my dad and pull him into the combination handshake and hug that men invented at some point.
"It's good to see you, son."
"You too, Dad."
Logan looks me up and down, immediately grabbing my bicep.
"Bro, have you gotten bigger since the last time I saw you?" he asks. "You're a beast."
I laugh. "Thanks. I'm trying to get in shape for your wedding."
He shakes his head. "Sure you are."
We pull each other into one of those quick brother hugs that says more than words ever could.
"Speaking of weddings," I say, looking around the lobby, "where's the bride-to-be? Did she ditch you already?"
Logan snorts.
"You still have your sense of humor. That's nice."
"Always."
"She's in the restroom,” he tells me.
We spend the next few minutes talking about the team, recent games, and their drive into town while we wait to be seated.
Then a familiar voice cuts through the conversation.
"There's my future brother-in-law."
I turn toward the sound, ready to greet Ivy. And I freeze. The whole world seems to spin, and I feel unsteady.
Ivy isn't alone. Standing just behind her is Isabella.
For a second, I'm convinced I've finally lost my mind. My heart slams against my ribs, and the room fades into the background until all I can see is her.
"Do you have a hug for your future sister-in-law?" Ivy asks with a grin. "Or maybe someone else?"
"Hey, Ivy," I manage. I step forward and hug her, but my eyes never leave Isabella.
"How…?" I ask, still struggling to process what's happening. "How did this happen?"
"It was my idea," Ivy says proudly.
Isabella takes a step closer and opens her arms. "Surprise," she says softly. "I bet this wasn't on your countdown."
I don't waste another second to pull her into my arms and lift her off the ground.
The moment she wraps her arms around my neck, everything feels right again. This must be a dream, right? And if it is, I never want to wake up.
"I can't believe you're here," I whisper against her hair.
"I know."
Reluctantly, I set her back down. Then I turn toward my family.
"Everyone, this is Isabella."
My mom immediately laughs. "Yes, we've met."
I look from Isabella to my family. "How long have you all been planning this?"
They all exchange smug glances.
"It started coming together shortly after you got here," Isabella explains. "Ivy reached out to me, and we started talking. She asked when I'd be visiting California and suggested I come out here to surprise you."
"It was a brilliant plan," Ivy says.
I shake my head in disbelief. "I seriously can't believe this."
"I’ll be heading to Los Angeles in a few days," Isabella says. "I decided I want to have in person meetings with the team at Ballroom Dance America. This visit just worked out perfectly."
"More than perfectly,” I say, shaking my head. "This is the best surprise I've ever gotten."
Before anyone can respond, a hostess interrupts us. "Reed party of six?"
"That's us," my dad says.
The rest of the group starts following her toward our table, but I stay where I am for another moment, keeping hold of Isabella's hand.
"You're really here," I say.
She smiles. "I'm really here."
"I was counting down the days…”
"I know,” she says.
"And now you're standing in front of me."
She giggles. "I had to come see my favorite hockey player."
I pull her close again and kiss her.
It's quick, but it says everything I can't quite put into words.
As we follow my family to the table, I look around at the people beside me—my parents, my brother, Ivy, and Isabella. For the first time in forever, everything feels like it's falling into place.
And the future is looking brighter with every passing second.