Page 19

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auburn

The moment we stepped onto the ice, it was clear all eyes were on me—being young always caught people off guard. From what I’d seen on social media, these family events were usually geared toward wives and kids.

I held my head high for my son as he guided me onto the ice and walked me over to the wall to balance myself. As soon as I could focus on something other than not falling, I noticed everyone was staring at us. A couple of cameras bombarded us, and a petite brunette skated toward us.

“Austin Hart,” she said in a voice that commanded attention. She was young and wearing an all-black tracksuit with a cropped, white fur jacket.

“Hey, Nova.” Austin gave her a tight-lipped smile, and I couldn’t help but notice the flush of his cheeks.

The girl turned toward me, sticking her hand out, and I gave it a shake. “Hi. I’m the social media intern, and I wanted to interview Austin and his mom. Is that okay?”

I eyed her to see if she had the same flushed reaction Austin did, but she was pure business. “Of course.”

“Do you mind if we ask you a series of questions?” Nova asked.

I gave her a polite smile and squeezed Austin’s hand. “Not at all.”

Nova gave the signal to the cameraman, so he turned on the cameras, the red flashing light an indicator that the camera was rolling.

“Austin, tell us about who you brought today.”

Come on, buddy. You can do this. We’d had so much media training over the summer before we moved to Chicago, so he was prepared. He flashed a warm smile to the media intern.

Austin let out a sigh, then turned toward me, giving me his million-dollar smile and exposing his dimples. “This is my mom, Auburn Hart.”

“Great,” Nova said. “Auburn, can you tell us what it’s like supporting Austin through his career? And Austin, how does it feel having such strong support from your mom?”

I took a deep breath, glancing at Austin before answering. “Supporting Austin has been an incredible journey. There are ups and downs, of course, but seeing him succeed makes it all worth it. I’m proud of who he’s becoming, not just as an athlete, but as a person.”

Austin squeezed my hand, his eyes filled with gratitude. “Having my mom’s support means everything to me. She’s been my rock, always encouraging me to chase my dreams. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”

He paused, and I gave him a reassuring nod. “Being one of the youngest guys on the team, I haven’t found my forever person…yet”—he winked at the camera—“so my mom seemed like a good person to bring to family day.”

“I hear she’s going to accompany you to the away games too?”

I tried to keep my face trained, but wondered why the media strategist brought that up. This question would obviously upset him.

Austin flexed his hand a little before looking at Nova. “Yeah. She’s my good luck charm.”

Then he leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Well, if you guys don’t mind, I think I want to teach my mom how to skate a little.”

Nova nodded. “Thank you for taking the time to talk with us, Austin. We’ll be seeing you soon.”

Austin gave a curt smile. “Looking forward to it.” There was an obvious edge to his voice, and I hoped people wouldn’t pick up on it on social media.

The camera crew left, but Nova remained. A heavy silence passed between us before Austin let go of me.

“Mom, do you mind if I chat with Nova for a second?”

I turned to him, nodding. “Not at all. You go ahead. I’ll be fine here.” My grip tightened on the wall, allowing me a moment to scan my surroundings. The rink was full of smiling families and the teammates playing with kids.

“Let me get someone to help you,” Austin insisted, searching for someone who wasn’t preoccupied amid the crowd.

His gaze locked onto a group across the rink, then he waved enthusiastically. “Hey, Cap!” he called out. Slowly, an incredibly tall man wearing black jeans and a gray hoodie turned around, flanked by another lanky figure with arms wrapped around a petite blonde. My breath caught in my throat as his presence sent a jolt of raw emotion coursing through my veins. I’d recognize that sharp jawline anywhere.

Panic bubbled in my chest as I spun back to Austin. “Baby, it’s okay. I can manage on my own until you come back. He looks like he’s busy with his family,” I said, trying to mask the sudden tension that gripped me.

Austin’s gaze remained fixed on the group. “Nah. The captain is just with Alex. It’s no problem.”

My eyes flicked back to the man Austin was waving down. Time seemed to stand still. A knot formed in my stomach as memories flooded me from the night before, memories I thought I had left far behind yesterday. No way fate liked me this much.

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing, but I didn’t want to alarm Austin. Instead, I squeezed his hand tightly, forcing a smile. “You know what,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “my legs are getting tired. I think I may go take a break. If you want to skate with me off the ice.”

“No, Mom. I promise I’ll only be ten minutes tops,” Austin insisted. “I want to be here with you.” Excitement evident in his voice, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread gnawing at me.

“Okay, just be quick,” I said, my voice strained.

The man beside Ledger pushed him forward, urging him in my direction, and my heart lurched in my chest. For a moment, I was frozen in place, torn between the impulse to flee and the desperate desire to confront the truth.

Turning away, I focused on the spot where Austin had disappeared from, willing myself to push aside the memories of last night. Beneath the surface, beneath the facade of composure I struggled to maintain, the turmoil raged on, a tempest of emotions threatening to consume me whole.