Page 56 of The Air I Breathe

That seals the game for us, and now that we know we're going to the championship game, here's no stopping us.

There are thousands of people on the field, but I'm looking for one person—Willa. I want to celebrate this with her. I'm walking around, and then I spot her. She's half walking; half running onto the field with Mom and CeCe.

"Wills!" I yell, waving my hands, hoping that she can hear me. Her head lifts up and the smile that spreads across her face is everything. She runs for me, I run for her, and we meet in the middle like some romantic comedy. "I'm so excited that you saw that."

"You were amazing." She hugs me tightly, wrapping her legs around my waist. "I love you. I'm so glad I get to experience this with you."

I take off the hat they gave me that proclaim us division champions and put it on her head. With a wink, I lean in to take the kiss I've wanted all day. "Me too, babe. Me too."

Chapter Forty-Nine

Willa

Championship 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.