Page 74 of A Match Made In Fall

"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.