Page 68 of A Match Made In Fall

"Well, we won both games," he says.

"Which I already know."

He smiles slightly.

"And that's good news, right?"

"Very good news,” he agrees. “It should buy us a few days of peace with the coaches and the organization."

I nod, but the uneasy feeling doesn't go away.

Austin usually lights up when he talks about hockey, especially after a few much-needed wins. I expected him to be replaying the big moments, but tonight he seems distracted.

I study him for a moment. "Austin, is something wrong?"

His expression immediately changes as he lets out a long breath. "I got some unexpected news while I was gone," he says quietly. "And honestly, it's thrown me off a bit."

My heart starts racing. "What kind of news?" I ask quickly. "Is it serious? Is your family okay? Is someone sick?"

He immediately shakes his head. "No. Nothing like that."

Relief washes through me. "Okay, that’s a relief."

He reaches for my hands and laces our fingers together. "I found out there's a potential trade being discussed."

I blink. "A trade?"

For a moment, I just stare at him. I know hockey players get traded. It's part of the business. But imagining it happening to someone you care about is different.

"So you might be leaving town?"

"Yes. Me and my teammate Rico."

A lump instantly forms in my throat. There are suddenly a thousand thoughts racing through my mind. And I have so many questions I want to ask him.

"So when would this happen?" I ask. "And where would you go?"

Austin sighs. "Nothing's finalized yet. The negotiations are ongoing."

"So there’s still a chance it might not happen?" I ask, in a more hopeful tone.

"It's possible."

But this doesn’t sound convincing at all.

"If it does happen, when would you leave?"

His gaze meets mine. "I could be gone tomorrow, or week from now. It all depends on how fast the deal goes through.

My chest tightens. Tomorrow?

"Unfortunately, I don't know," he adds.

The reality of him leaving sets in, and the uncertainty makes it even worse.

"So you wouldn't get any notice?"

He slowly shakes his head. "No."