Love & Football

Chapter 32

How do you do that, babe?
Make me feel like I'm the only girl alive for you
I don't know what it is that makes me fall like this
First time in your arms, I knew

The way you held me, I knew that this could be
What I've been waiting to find

Darling, look at me
I've fallen like a fool for you
Darling, can't you see
I'd do anything you want me to

I tell myself I'm getting in too deep
Then I fall a little farther
Every time you look at me

Every Time You Look At Me - Carrie Underwood

:: Emma's POV ::

"You look so beautiful Em..." I could see Holly in the mirror I was looking in as she looked me over, awe certainly evident on her face as she took a few steps back in order to get a better look, "It's perfect."

I studied my reflection that was staring back at me and felt like I couldn't recognize myself. Not in the sense that I necessarily looked much different than I did on the daily, but because I never imagined myself to be standing here. In a wedding dress, just minutes away from marrying my best friend and leaving Emma Cahill behind me.

Sure I will be the same person, but I am going to be Emma Watt; the wife of one of the NFL's greatest defensive players of all time, a man that strives on greatness. A man that impacts the lives of so many with a heart of gold and a genuine love of philanthropy; I want to represent him in the best way possible and in many ways, I was now going to be a pillar in not only our local community, but the NFL community as well. From this day forward, I want us to impact lives together, side by side, giving back to the youth, the community and the fans that adore him.

"Watt is going to cry like a baby." Rachel laughed at the thought as I gave her a look, "I'm serious. Have you ever seen him cry? Because you're about to."

I laughed at Rachel's words, God love her and her cynicism. She has always been very vocal about never wanting to get married and not believing in soul mates or true love. Even from the time we were little she was never the girl that was in to princesses and fairytales. In a lot of ways I can't say I blame her, the society we grew up in and continue to live in makes it so easy to be cynical. Infidelity and heartbreak seem to lurk around every corner and many of us, me included, have learned that the hard way. I was on the verge of throwing in the towel when it came to love until I met JJ. For the first time in my life I know what it feels like to completely trust a man, aside from my brothers and my father of course. I'd be lying if I said our relationship was perfect, because it's far from it. We have our fights and arguments just like anyone else.

"Are you nervous?" My mom dried her eyes as she asked the question everyone seemed to want to know the answer to.

"I just wanna marry him already." I knew the smile that was spreading across my face would be reassurance enough for them.

The truth was, I really wasn't nervous about marrying JJ, or maybe it hadn't all really sunk in yet but; I don't remember the last time I have ever been so sure of something. I was more nervous over the media and the press publishing our nuptials and giving their opinions where they weren't needed or wanted.

"Awwww." Jillian's croon grabbed everyone's attention as she looked at her phone, "He looks so handsome!"

"You have a picture?" I asked, hoping that social media wasn't getting to talk about my fiancé's wedding attire before I even got to lay my eyes on him.

"Yes." She answered, "I asked Ben to send me one."

Relief washed over me as I realized that JJ's picture wasn't traveling around Instagram as we spoke.

"I have something for the bride from the groom." Monica, the wedding planner, walked into the room, an envelope in her hand.

Yes, going against everything I had said previously, I broke down and hired a wedding planner. JJ and I had been butting heads so much at the beginning of the planning, he was worried about me taking on so much extra stress and knowing my perfectionist ways and the fact that our wedding was going to be a media headline, he knew that my stress level was even higher than most brides to be. In order to give him some relief and reach some kind of compromise, we hired Monica. I spent many hours interviewing planners before finding her, she seemed to know just what I was after and I felt confident in her abilities. From what I had seen so far, she went above and beyond anything I had ever expected her to do.

I looked at the envelope in my hands, my name scrolled across the white paper in JJ's handwriting. My heart was racing a million miles a minute as the reality of things slowly began to sink in.

"Open it already!" Tonya's abrupt words caused laughter to fill the room, the curiosity of what was in the envelope getting the best of everyone.

I chuckled as I slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the folded up piece of paper that resided inside. As I began to unfold the paper I was met by even more of JJ's handwriting, or his chicken scratch, as I liked to call it.

Emma,

As I sit here writing this letter I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to say to you. There are so many thoughts and feelings I want to express but there isn't enough time or enough words in the world to share them all. You are the rock I never knew I needed. You're my best friend, my lover and my biggest fan. There is no one else in this world I would rather see walking down that aisle to me and towards our future than you. As cliché as it may sound... I fall more and more in love with you with each passing day. You continue to blow me away with your unwavering love and continuous support, even in times I may not deserve it. You keep me grounded, you remind me every day why I do what I do. Because of you I know what it means to be a father, to love someone unconditionally and what it means to put someone else's happiness before my own. I couldn't have asked for a better woman to be my wife and the mother of my children. There's one thing I know for sure; Noah, baby Watt and I couldn't be any luckier. I love you, Mrs. Watt.

JJ

The tears flowed freely from my eyes and fell on the paper that I held in my hands. It was no secret that JJ had the ability to be one of the most romantic guys that graced this planet, but it amazed me that he could move me so much with his words each and every time. I asked myself everyday what I did to get so lucky but I certainly wasn't complaining. I had only hoped that every girl in this world could feel the way JJ made me feel at least once in their lives, everyone deserved to feel that kind of love. To know love like that actually exists.

"Emma, we're ready when you are." Monica's soft voice broke the silence that lingered in the room as I took in the words on that piece of paper.

"I'm so ready." A nervous laugh escaped my lips as Holly carefully patted my tears away with a kleenex she held in her hands before pulling me into a warm embrace.

"Let's go get your prince girl."

** Author's Note:

Hey guys. So sorry for the delay. This is the second time I had to write this chapter after my computer shut down without saving it! Grrr. It's a little shorter but I didn't want to end the story all in one chapter, however there will be a prologue at the end of the story as well to get a glimpse into the future of Emma and JJ and potentially lead to a sequel. But this long awaited chapter is finally up and I promise to update the rest of this story between today and tomorrow. I'm also hoping to update SPEAKERS for those of you that have been reading that one.

Hope you liked it!

XOXOX

Meg