Page 15 of A Match Made In Fall

“He’s very popular,” Dane agrees proudly. “Just like his dad.”

“Dane, come help me grab the food,” my dad interrupts before our argument can continue.

“Can you tell Isabella to give me the shirt?” Dane complains as he stands.

My dad barely glances over. “No, I can’t.”

“Figures,” Dane mutters dramatically before following our father to the food trucks.

The second they leave, the table becomes significantly quieter. I let out a relieved breath and pull out my phone. Without overthinking it too much, I send Natalia a quick text.

When you have a chance, look up Austin Reed on the Carolina Bears hockey team.

My phone buzzes almost immediately.

I’m on it. Also…why am I doing this?

A smile pulls at my mouth before I can stop it.

I’ll explain later.

She’ll know as soon as she sees Austin.

Whoa. Hello, Austin. I’m hoping this is your way of telling me you’re connecting with this gorgeous man.

I put my phone in my pocket. We don’t need to have this conversation now.

I slide farther down the bench next to my mom, joining the conversation about Jude’s first Halloween costume.

Admittedly, my foot is starting to ache. I’ve been walking around all day, and I’m probably overdue to sit still and elevate it for a while. I shift carefully on the bench and stretch my leg out a little.

My mom notices immediately. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah. Just a little sore.”

“You’ve been pushing it,” she points out. “This is the first day you’ve been on your feet in months.”

“I’m fine,” I promise, even though there’s a dull throb building in my ankle.

Beside me, Abby’s phone buzzes. She glances at the screen and quickly types something back before looking up with a grin.

“Nick finally has a little break,” she announces. “He’s going to come hang out with us for a bit.”

She gives me a subtle look afterward that is anything but subtle. I wonder if she mentioned me or Austin to Nick in that text. Admittedly the possibility of Austin showing up sends a tiny burst of excitement through me.

A few minutes later, my dad and Dane return balancing trays piled high with food from Billy’s BBQ food truck. The smell is beyond amazing. Carolina BBQ and apple cider donuts—I could get used to this.

After a few minutes Nick appears, leaning down to kiss the top of Abby’s head before greeting everyone. Unfortunately he’s alone. And yes, I’m a little disappointed. Not that I should be. Honestly, it’s probably better this way considering my entire family is sitting here and Dane already suspects I’m interested in Austin.

Naturally, my brother immediately launches into conversation with Nick about hockey stats and the upcoming season. Abby doesn’t seem the least bit phased. I’m guessing she’s used to these conversations by now.

After a while, Abby and Nick head off together, and Eloise leaves to meet up with some friends nearby. But not before Abby squeezes my shoulder and says, “I’ll be in touch.”

The late afternoon air grows cooler as the festival slowly starts winding down around us. Families begin moving toward the exits while vendors pack up booths and string lights flicker on overhead.

Dane suddenly nudges my arm. “Since you refuse to give me your shirt, you can at least come with me to get one signed.”

I make a face. “Why do I need to go?”