Page 67 of A Match Made In Fall

We all laugh.

“I love the Toy Story idea,” I tell her. “Austin and I are being incredibly original and going as hockey players.”

“Oh, don’t tell Nick that,” Abby groans, dropping her head dramatically into her hands. “I’m still trying to convince him to wear an actual costume. If he finds out he can just throw on one of his jerseys, I’ll never get him into anything else.”

“Good luck with that,” Eloise says. “You’re fighting a losing battle.”

“Trust me, I know.”

The conversation drifts to work and Abby’s wedding plans, but my thoughts keep circling back to Austin.

The team is scheduled to get back later today, and I can’t wait to see him.

It’s only been a few days since he left, but somehow it feels much longer. I miss seeing him after games, hearing about everything that happened behind the scenes, and our late-night conversations that seem to stretch longer than either of us intends. Mostly, I just miss being around him.

Thankfully, I won’t have to wait much longer.

“Anyway,” I say, glancing at the time. “I’m meeting Sammy and my mom at the farmers market, and I promised I’d bring them some of your pastries.”

“They are fantastic,” Eloise agrees without a hint of modesty.

“Yes, they are,” Abby agrees.

Eloise beams at the praise as she fills a bag with pastries straight from the oven. The sweet smell hits my nose as soon as I pick up the bag.

“Tell Sammy I expect a full review,” she says.

“I will.”

After saying goodbye, I head out the door. I’m looking forward to spending the day with my family and counting down the hours until Austin is home.

The second Austin opens the door, I launch myself into his arms. He barely has time to react before I'm wrapped around him, clinging to him like it's been months instead of just a few days.

The moment his arms close around me, everything else fades away. I sink in, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne and letting myself relax for the first time since he left.

"It's definitely nice to be home," he says, resting his chin on top of my head. "But this makes it even better."

My heart races hearing him say that. I close my eyes and soak in the feeling of being back in his arms like nothing else exists.

When I finally pull away, I spread my arms dramatically. "Notice anything different?"

Austin studies me carefully, his eyes moving from head to toe. "Hmm…" he says thoughtfully. "I think it's something with your hair. Did you style it differently?"

"No."

A grin spreads across his face as he takes both my hands in his.

"I'm kidding. You look as beautiful as ever. Only now you're glowing, and I’m guessing it’s because you’ve lost the boot."

I clap my hands together. "I feel like I'm on top of the world. I'd probably be dancing right now if I were actually allowed to."

He chuckles, but the sound feels off. It’s almost like he’s forcing it.

A knot forms in my stomach. Something is wrong.

"So," I say, leading him toward the couch, "tell me about the road trip."

We settle onto the cushions, our shoulders brushing together.