Chapter 20
Super Bowl Sunday
Tessa felt like her heart was lodged in her throat, beating wildly and threatening to burst out. She had never experienced adrenaline like this before and couldn’t imagine what Tristan was experiencing right now.
She sat in a stadium suite in Las Vegas that she was sharing with Brinley, Katie, Jordan, their parents, and a countless number of friends.
Tessa sat sandwiched between Brinley and Katie, clutching onto their hands desperately, Tessa looking over at Katie’s nearly ready to pop baby bump and then to Brinley who was biting her nails viciously.
Tessa would never have guessed in a million years this is where she would end up when she first agreed to take the job. She figured she’d have a few awkward run ins with Tristan, cry and wallow alone in her misery about her long-lost love and then return to her life in New York.
Fast forward a few months and not only did her and Tristan reconnect, but they were head over heels in love with each other, beyond even the love they shared previously. Something about knowing what they lost somehow amplified the intensity of their feelings for one another.
And now here she was, cheering on Tristan in the Super Bowl, trying to stop her mind from racing about the article that was quickly approaching the deadline.
She also was stressed about her boss needing to “process” her request to live in Kansas City full time, of which she still hadn’t received an answer.
But there were much more important things to stress about.
The game was tied, the beginning of the 4th quarter, and San Francisco had the ball.
“This is awful!” Tessa said, letting out a long breath. “How do you guys do this?”
Katie and Brinley both shared a sarcastic laugh before essentially telling Tessa that they’re just as stressed as her, and that it never gets easier.
“I’m never putting our kids in sports,” Tessa says, her leg bouncing rapidly. “Imagine if I had to sit and be this nervous for my kid?”
“Oh please,” Katie said with a laugh. “If you think Trist would allow his kids to not play a sport, you’re out of your mind. The Kelly’s live and breathe competition. Jordan is already trying to put Winnie in flag football.”
“Isn’t she barely four?” Tessa asks on a gasp.
“Yep,” Katie says. “Prepare yourself.”
The game continues on, both teams playing for their lives, the energy in the stadium almost suffocating with how much anticipation and adrenaline is humming through every single person in the stands, and when it comes to the 2 minute warning at the end of the fourth quarter, the game is still tied, and San Francisco has the fucking ball.
“I can’t do this,” Tessa says, ripping her hands from her friends and standing up.
“Tessa, get back here!” Brinley yells.
“I’ll be right back, I just need to puke.”
Tessa attempts to walk away but is stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder, and she looks up to meet Diane’s eyes.
“Stay right here with me,” Diane says with a sweet smile, as if she doesn’t have a care in the world and wraps a loving arm around Tessa’s shoulders. “Turn your pretty self around, you know he wants you watching.”
“It’s too much,” she whines, her voice catching in her throat. “How do you do this?”
“I just focus on how hard he’s worked and how many more seasons he has in him, and what he’s accomplished up to this point. I’m so proud of him, Tessa,” Diane says with tears in her eyes.
“You should be,” Tessa says back quickly. “He’s the best man I’ve ever met. He has the biggest heart and has so much love for people. And how hard he works? How determined he is? Gosh, Diane. I truly don’t know how you made such an amazing man. Two amazing men!”
Diane sniffs and wipes at her eyes.
“How could I be stressed about a game when I know how great of a man he is?” Diane says. “He could lose every single game for the rest of his career, and I wouldn’t even bat an eye.”
Tessa let’s out a puff of air before sucking it back in aggressively, willing herself not to cry at the fucking Super Bowl.
Suddenly the crowd erupts and Diane releases Tessa, throwing her hands in the air and whooping loudly.
“What happened?” Tessa says frantically to the people around her. “I missed it, what happened?!”
“We fucking intercepted!” One of Tristan’ childhood friends says into Tessa’s ear. “We got the fucking ball back!”
“Oh shit,” Tessa whispers, stumbling forward and clumsily finding her way back to the seats in front of the glass where Brinley and Katie are standing and banging against the glass.
“Get over here you scaredy cat!” Katie screams, yanking Tessa over to them and shoving her against the glass. “This is it!”
“Come on, Phil,” Brinley whispers into her hands, her eyes closed in a prayer. “You got this, baby.”
Tessa shakes her head frantically as the Titans offense floods onto the field and her eyes immediately find Tristan.
His body is big, strong, and steady as he stands against the line of scrimmage in formation.
She watches as his fingers twitch and can see the rapid rise and fall of his body from the intensity of his breathing.
“I might actually puke,” Tessa says, bringing her shaking hands up to close around her throat.
“Get a grip, Smith!” Katie yells, shoving Tessa back into the glass, and Tessa lets out a loud laugh.
“I can’t do it!” Tessa yells dramatically, a giant smile on her face as Katie rolls her eyes.
Brinley is still silent next to her, praying over and over again with her eyes closed.
It all happens in a flash – literally a matter of seconds.
The ball is hiked into Phillip’s hands, his feet light and quick on the turf as he bounces around waiting for the opening of whatever play he just called.
“Oh, Christ,” Tessa squeals and Brinley’s hand slaps against her arms, clutching at her desperately, and Tessa clutches right back.
“GET OPEN!!” Katie screams, pulling at her hair.
“I’m throwing up,” Tessa groans and slaps her forehead against the glass.
“Please Lord…” Brinley continues to pray, eyes still closed.
Jordan is unusually quiet behind them, not saying a word and standing completely still.
That is, until Tristan somehow escapes three guys who tried to pile on him. He runs straight towards the end zone, and suddenly Jordan begins screaming his lungs out, which makes all three girls jump from the stark contrast of how quiet he had been for a solid 10 minutes.
“TRIIIIIST!” Jordan screams, clutching his beer so hard that it crumbles and spills on the floor.
Tessa’s eyes immediately jump up and land on Tristan and then she looks at Phillip who powerfully launches the ball in the air. All three girls are gripping each other so hard there will for sure be bruises in the morning.
Tristan doesn’t even look at the ball. He knows exactly where it is. His whole body and mind so attuned to the game, his position, and the plays that he’s basically on auto pilot. The ball lands perfectly in his outstretched hands, and he immediately tucks it into his body protectively.
“OH SHIT!” Jordan screams, one hand on top of his head, the other still clutching the now destroyed beer can, pointing his finger towards the field as if every single person isn’t glued to the same thing.
Tessa’s legs wobble as she watches another linebacker run straight for Tristan, who is only a few steps away from the end zone, and in a move that makes her ovaries suddenly start exploding, Tristan spins and dodges the block attempt, and lands with feet firmly planted over the goal line.
And the volume in the building is deafening.
“YESSSS!” Katie screams, both hands firmly holding Tessa’s arms as she shakes her aggressively back and forth.
Tessa has tears pouring down her cheeks and she turns back to look at Jordan who is actively screaming and high fiving his dad before grabbing a beer can and smashing it against his head.
Their eyes meet and Jordan jumps across the row of seats separating them in the suite and he takes Tessa firmly into his arms, the intense scent of beer assaulting Tessa’s nose, and she hugs him back fiercely, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders as he shakes her around like a doll.
When he puts her down Brinley is jumping up and down and clapping wildly.
“We did it! They did it!” Brinley screams, grabbing Tessa’s face in her hands and planting a giant kiss on her face.
“I think I almost died,” Tessa says with a bright smile and tear-stained cheeks.
“Wooo!” Katie shrieks and climbs up the stairs of the suite, enveloping Diane in an embrace.
“Okay, let’s go!” Jordan yells as he grabs Tessa by the elbow and starts tugging her up the stairs.
“Where are we going?” she asks.
“Down to the field,” Brinley answers, coming up right behind them.
“What? No way! We get to go on the field right now?”
“Yep,” Jordan says, tapping Katie on the shoulder and motioning for her to follow.
“It’s the best part!” Brinley squeals.
About 5 minutes have passed since the game winning touchdown, and Tristan still hasn’t caught his breath.
With eyes filled with happy tears, he pulls the championship hat over his eyes and wipes his face with a towel, but his moment of solitude doesn’t last long as multiple of his teammates rush into him and tackle him to the ground for the third time since the game ended.
When he gets back up, his eyes bounce up towards the stands to the suite he knows his family is, but he finds it mostly empty, and his heart surges with hope that Jordan is bringing her to the field like he asked him to do if they won.
As if being summoned by his thoughts, his eyes find her coming out of the tunnel, her arm intertwined with his mom, a mixture of nerves and excitement etched all over her beautiful face.
Diane spots him first and smiles and gets Tessa’s attention, pointing to Tristan across the field, and Tristan watches in amazement as Tessa’s face lights up like a firework. Tessa jumps up and down a few times and looks at Diane who keeps pointing at Tristan, urging Tessa to go forward.