Chapter 51
ANNIE – WILD CARD WEEKEND – JANUARY
I’ll Kiss You in Front of Whoever I Want
“Sas, I swear I’m going to pee my panties I’m so dadgum excited,” I say.
Sas has her arm around my waist as we wait for play to recommence after the Bears use their last time out in the final quarter of the first playoff game, at home in the Alamo Stadium.
I’m sitting in front of the wives’ and girlfriends’ box, preferring to be out in the stands, in the thick of the action with Daddy, Darcy and Sas’s family, including her brothers Jax and TJ who have a fortunately timed bye weekend from hockey.
Nelson is currently being appeased by Betty.
He’s wearing the cutest ear defenders and a mini-Bears’ jersey with 82 on one side and 89 on the other.
His uncle and the man he chooses to call Dada.
He and Betty have been dipping in and out of the game from the players’ suite because it’s Nelson’s first game and he doesn’t really get it, though he seems excited by all the lights and pyrotechnics.
What’s truly crazy is that the Bears finished the season third in the division and are up by three, in possession as we approach the two-minute warning.
There isn’t a man on the squad who hasn’t played out of his skin tonight on both sides – the Steelers, too.
Both defenses have been tight but they’ve come up against electric offenses – our receivers are making runs that should be a once a game or even season plays.
The special teams have been firing on all cylinders.
Not only because I am 100 percent biased this has been the most exciting clash of the season. Both teams are gunning to make it to the next round.
A hand lands heavily on my shoulder and a man smelling strongly of flirt potion pops his head between Sas and me.
“Well, sports romance girlies, I can see why you fell for the cowboy and the bearded giant. Hell, I might be jacking off over them both tonight.”
Jax. I don’t need to look to confirm it’s him because there’s only Sas’s very city brother who is cocksure enough to make that remark.
Oddly, I quite like Jax. He’s disgusting and clearly wants to sleep with any alive and willing long blonde he sees. But he’s witty and 80 percent of the time funny, too.
“You appreciate you’d be masturbating over your future brother-in-law, right?” Sas says.
Jax takes hold of his sister’s left hand and stares at her empty wedding finger. “Did I miss something?”
“Screw you, Jax,” Sas tells him, and I’ve got to admit, even I’m smirking at that. It’s only funny because everyone can see how besotted Colton is with Sas. He’ll absolutely propose and Sas will say yes in a heartbeat. But Colton doesn’t rush into anything, except…
The end zone.
“Oh my Goooooooooooood!” Sas screams, or I scream, I can’t even tell at this stage.
We do a quick glance around the officials for any sign of flags but the touchdown is confirmed and we’re screaming again, this time being squashed in the middle of Daddy, Jax, TJ, Harris and Darcy.
There’s just over a minute left on the clock. The special team kick the conversion and put the Bears ten points ahead.
Crazy things can happen in football but it’s fairly safe to say the Bears making it to the second round of playoffs this season, after losing Tommy and all the trade rumors and broadcaster negativity, feels like they’ve made it to the Big Game.
They’re the over-achieving underdogs and who doesn’t love an unlikely happy ending?
The Steelers start a drive but everyone can tell their hearts and legs are done. I’ve watched from home as the Bears – my family’s team even before Colton was drafted and before I ever knew Tanner – have been on the losing side of high stakes games, so I empathize with the Steelers fans.
But as the game clock counts down to zero, tears of utter happiness for the Bears, for my brother and Tanner, roll hot down my cheeks. I don’t even know who hugs me, from where or what angle, I only know that the stand is shaking under foot.
The atmosphere in the stadium is electric. Music is bellowing out of the speakers. Red, white and blue confetti bursts from the rooftop. Betty hugs me and plants Nelson on my hip.
Then we’re called to go down to the field. Each player gets two nominated members, so I follow Sas, Daddy and Darcy as we make our way down, sneaking through Nelson as if he and I are one and the same person. We kind of are. Plus, Colton made me promise to take Nelson on the field if the Bears won.
There are bodies everywhere – security, families and friends of the players, sportscasters, camera men, lighting rigs and general madness – as we weave through the crowd on the turf in search of my brother and Tanner.
We find Colton first, hugging Coach Roy.
Harris pulls Coach into a rough hug, as Colton spots Sas.
She says something to him before they kiss – camera flashes going off around them – then Colton and Daddy share a very rare embrace.
When my brother pulls me to him, I hold him as tight as I can without squishing Nelson, and tell him, “I’m proud of you, Colt.
Mama will be watching from the stars, wishing she could hug you and tell you how proud she is, too. ”
Colton doesn’t show emotion but when he pulls back from me, we’re both cloudy-eyed. He takes Nelson and buries his tears in his nephew’s tummy until they’re both chuckling. “We’re still two games away from the big one.”
A heavy paw comes down on my shoulder and as I turn, Tanner is fighting to get to me. He yanks me his way and I practically leap into his arms. “You did it!”
He pulls back, hands on the back of my head, and I know he wants to kiss me. I want it too. But he doesn’t. Instead, he tells me, “We did.”
“I’m so happy for you, Tanner. And so fucking proud of you.”
“We’ll have to wash that mouth out, Annie Quinn,” he says, chuckling.
Then he slips his hand into mine and starts to push us through the crowd. “I’ll be back,” he tells one of the big networks who asks for an interview.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“Inside for a minute because I really want to kiss my girl after winning a playoff game.”
Despite all the chaos around us, he’s still putting me first, protecting me from the spotlight he knows I hate.
But tonight, it’s time to put him first. He is what matters. So, I tug on his hand, pulling him to me among the masses.
“Tanner Pace, I’ll kiss you in front of whoever I want, whenever I want. I don’t care what people say because I know, no matter what, I have a six-foot-three bearded giant to fight my corner.”
He inhales deeply and smiles. “We’re doing this?”
“Yeah.”
In front of the entire world, with flashes bursting and cameras rolling around us, he kisses me. Fully, deeply, in a way that makes me curl my toes. And when he hoists my legs around his waist and starts twirling us to our own soundtrack, our lips never part.
He’s mine. No matter what anybody has to say about it.
“I love you, Tanner Pace.”
“I love you, too, Annie Quinn.”