Page 53 of A Match Made In Fall

I smile. “And I want the same for you.”

Now I know we’re on the same page. A year ago, we both still had some questions. I don’t think either of us were ready for this closure.

As I look at him, I realize there’s no lingering sadness or what-ifs. I’m beyond grateful for the time we had together, but that chapter of my life is finally closed. And I feel ready for whatever comes next.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

AUSTIN

Wow, that was bad. Probably one of the worst games in the history of the Carolina Bears.

Tonight's loss cut deeper than I have felt in a long time. It wasn't just a loss—it was a complete blowout. And on a personal level, it might go down as one of the most embarrassing performances of my career, and I have no doubt it will be a topic of discussion in the media for a while.

But that’s not what bothers me the most. I hate feeling like I let my teammates down. And even worse, we let the fans down. They keep showing up for us night after night, spending their money and giving up their evenings because they believe in the Carolina Bears. They deserve to be entertained and return home happy. Tonight, we failed at these things, and that hits me hard.

The fact is no one on our team showed up ready to play, including me. Every one of us made mistakes professionals shouldn't make. One after another, we made lazy and rookie moves, and it felt like everything that could go wrong did.

The locker room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sound comes from Coach's postgame rant, and even that doesn't last very long. He paces in front of us for a minute, shaking his head in disgust.

"I don't even know where to start," he finally says. “In fact, I’m at a loss for words.”

My teammates exchange a few glances. When Coach Denton has no words, it’s serious.

“We have two away games coming up. You can’t go into another arena and perform like you did tonight. Get it together—no excuses.”

Without another word he walks out leaving us all in shock. Once he's gone, the silence continues. Most of the guys get dressed and ready to leave quickly. Nobody wants to talk or relive what happened out there.

But even after that disaster, a group of loyal fans is still waiting for us outside.

Nick signs a few autographs before heading out with Abby. He's in one of his moods, and she's probably the only person who can talk him down tonight.

The one bright spot of this miserable evening is seeing Isabella. She's standing with her family near the exit, and I do my best to force a smile as I walk over.

"Hello, Martin family," I say. "Thanks for coming tonight. I wish we'd given you a more enjoyable experience."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Mrs. Martin says kindly.

"Yeah," Mr. Martin adds. "Even Michael Jordan had bad games. You'll get them next time."

I laugh. "While I appreciate being compared to Michael Jordan, I'm still pretty frustrated with myself."

He shrugs. "That's probably why you'll bounce back."

I nod, even though I'm not entirely convinced.

"Hey," I say as I step toward Isabella.

"Hi."

What I appreciate most is that she doesn't immediately try to cheer me up. She doesn't tell me everything happens for a reason or that we'll win our next game. She just lets me feel disappointed.

"We just wanted to thank you for the tickets," Dane says.

"Well, based on tonight's performance, I think I owe all of you a few more games."

"That sounds good to me. I accept," Dane says. Sammy grabs his arm before he can continue.

"Good night, Austin,” she says.