Epilogue Two

Blake

Four Years Later

My stomach is sick with nerves as I watch the clock counting down. If we win this championship game, it'll be six in the past five years, and Willa has surprise that she's been wanting to share. I told her that if we win this game, we can tell everyone what's happening.

"We got this..." Remington says as he has a seat next to me. "They fucked up when they gave you room to run that third touchdown pass last quarter."

I hope he's right. I've thought about nothing but this for the entire season, because I've wondered if this is the end of the road for me. Willa and I have done well with taking care of our son, Tanner, but now we're about to join our daughter to the mix. Things won't be nearly as easy to navigate with four of us, but we've been discussing it, and now it's more than likely time for me to retire. "Yeah we do."

"We win this and you're gonna retire, aren't you?" He whispers.

The only person who knows besides me and Willa is Bret, but Remington has definitely started to figure it out. I nod. "It's time. With the baby coming, we've got to make some decisions and I think that's going to be the one we make. She's touring next year, and it'll be hard enough with one kid, much less two. My body isn't bouncing back like it used to either, and I don't want to go out with an injury that I won't be able to come back from. I'd much rather go out on top."

"Don't we all." He reaches over, grabbing my hand in his, shaking it. "It's been a pleasure playing with you."

The timer buzzes, letting us know it's our turn to take the field. There are forty-five seconds left on the clock. "It's been a pleasure playing with you, too."

"Let's go out there and run this clock down."

Our fans are already screaming as we take the field. We're up by fourteen, and there's no way we're going to lose this. Especially not here on our home turf in Nashville. I glance up at the box where my family is, and I imagine I can see Tanner and Willa standing there, with huge smiles on their faces. Remington takes the snap, and runs around in a circle before taking a knee. Just like that, forty-five seconds are up, and we're once again the champions.

They're herding me over to the platform they're setting up. "Blake you're gonna be the MVP. We'll need you up here."

I nod, but I'm looking for Willa and Tanner. Right then, I see them. I run over to them, picking her up as she passes Tanner off to my mom. I twirl her around in a circle. "We did it, Will. One more time."

"You did it, Blake. I'm so proud of you." Her blue eyes are shining with emotion.

I put her down, before going on a knee and opening her jacket. Her belly is on full display as I place a kiss on it. The crowd and everyone around us is screaming so loud I can barely hear as I look up at mom and hold my hands out for Tanner. He comes into my arms willingly, and together, as a family, we make our way to the platform.

I head up, holding tightly onto my son.

"Blake…" the interviewer starts. "It was a great game."

I adjust the hat someone gave me. "It was. It's been a great career, and I'm thrilled I got to go out on top…"

The End