Chapter Forty-Nine

Willa

C hampionship Game

I think I'm more nervous tonight than I was at the last award show I was at. I haven't been able to see Blake for a week, so I've been doing a lot of hanging out with CeCe and Jovi. Even though it's February, we've spent the last week enjoying the heated pool and seeing the sights of New Orleans. It's given me a vision of what the next few years could look like with Blake once we have our own children.

I smile to myself, looking down at the ring on my finger. No one has commented yet, and I can't believe it. Tonight though, if the Warriors win, we're going to announce our engagement, and then we're going to spend the off-season planning a wedding. I'll probably do a few concert dates, and then?

Well, I haven't discussed it with Blake yet, but I think I'll be taking a couple of years off. I'm tired, and this opportunity I've had to hang out with his family and his friends, the way they've folded me into their group—it's made me realize what I've been missing. I'm definitely not the person to stay out of the limelight forever, but a few years? I could see it happening.

Now we're in the reserved suite for the family

"You okay?" CeCe asks, putting her hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm just kind of realizing what's happening." There's loud noises all around the statidum, fans are booing and cheering at the same time, confetti falling from the sky.

Puck slings his arm around my shoulder. "Girl, you're going to the championship game in your rookie year. That's what's happening."

I blush while everyone else continues giving me a hard time. My mom and dad decided not to come to the game, but Conner is in my peripheral vision. He grabs at a lock of my hair, causing me to turn fully around.

"He's gonna do good, Will. When everything is on the line, Blake shines. He's got this."

I blow out a deep breath, hoping like hell Conner's right.

This has been the most tense game I've watched so far. The two teams are tied going into the final two minutes of the game, and Nashville has the ball. Everyone is standing in the suite.

"C'mon, give Blake the ball." Andre claps, yelling down on the field.

I'm with him. Of course I want to see Blake make the winning play, but I also have learned that he does his best when everyone is counting him out—a lot like me. I've got my hands clasped with both Avery's and CeCe's, and we look like we're at a prayer circle for someone who's passed away.

The Warriors fans are screaming, and we're stomping our feet along with them. "Let's go, Warriors!" Stomp, stop, stomp-stomp-stomp.

Russell is on the line, calling out a change in the play in the middle of everything happening. I'm confused, but everyone in the suite seems to understand what's going on.

"Let's fucking go!" Conner yells from behind me. "They're going from the shotgun."

I have no idea what that means, but the crowd goes wild. The girls and I are jumping up and down as Russell gets the snap from Bret, and then he throws the ball toward Blake.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I scream when Blake catches it, and then takes off to the end zone. I'm pumping my arms just like I'm running with him. If I could give him my speed to help, I would. Instead, I'm screaming along with everyone else. "C'mon baby! You got this!" I yell so loud I can hear my voice cracking.

When he crosses the line and the referee calls it a touchdown, everyone explodes into cheers. That's the game. Tears stream down my face as Pam, Brad, CeCe, Jovi, and the rest of us head toward the field. I hang back because I don't know what to do, trying to take all of this in.

It was one thing for me to be there for the divisional title, but they are the World Champions of Football right now. I don't want to take anything away from him—I want him to get all the attention he deserves. When we get down there, Blake's talking to a reporter, so I stand back.

When he's done, I hear Blake say, "Where's Willa?"

Everyone pushes me forward, and then I'm in Blake's arms. We're kissing like no one else is around, and when we separate, tears streak a path down his cheeks, through the dirt and eye black.

"Can you believe it?" He buries his face in my neck.

"Yes! you're amazing at what you do. I love you, and I can't believe the things you can do with your body." I laugh, sniffling, crying along with him. "The beating you take, and the way you're able to get up and keep running? It's insane, Blake."

Someone taps him on the shoulder. "Blake, I hate to interrupt, but can we get a word?"

He nods, wiping at his eyes. I go to step back, but he holds me next to him as the camera goes on. I listen to him talk about how hard the past couple of games have been, how he's taken all of this year in, compared to during years before.

"What was different about this year?" the interviewer asks.

"This woman." He kisses my cheek. "She's showed me exactly who I can be when I put my mind to it, and I'm so excited to tell everybody she's agreed to be my wife."

I grin back at him, and the cheers that go through the stadium are enough to shake the ground. I feel the same way I do when my stomach shakes when he smiles, or laughs, or does something incredibly sweet. This life we're learning to live together? It doesn't get any better than this.