Love & Football

Chapter 6

:: Emma's POV ::

"Nana!" Noah ran into the arms of my mother, Lynn as we walked through the front door of my childhood home.

"Noah!" She pulled her into him, "I swear you're bigger every time I see you!"

I smiled as she doted over Noah, pulling her into him and smothering him with more kisses than anyone could really handle. He giggled as he squirmed to free himself from her grasp.

"Where's Papa?" Noah was my dad's best buddy and he lived for the moments he got to spend with him.

"He's out in the yard."

"I'm gonna go see." Noah quickly ran off to go find my dad.

"I'm so happy you guys made it!"

My mother was beaming as she walked us into the kitchen. She was throwing a birthday barbeque for my dad and was insistent on getting as much family together as she could. That was always her goal.

"Of course mom, you know I wouldn't miss it." I embraced her, kissing her cheek as I pulled away.

"And you brought a guest." She looked up at JJ and I knew she was more than thrilled.

It had been ages since I had brought a guy around my family, well, for starters I needed to actually have a guy in my life to bring around my family. Even so, I was so particular over whom I introduced them to. My family is filled with so much love and they embrace anyone that walks through the front door, I never wanted them to get attached to someone I knew it would never last with. Having Noah made it so much easier to be so cautious. He was my world and I would do anything to protect him from any instability or unneeded heart break.

"Mom, this is JJ..." I proudly made the introduction, "JJ this is my mom, Lynn."

"So nice to meet you." JJ hugged her and she was over the moon.

"Oh, the football player. It's so nice to meet you! I have heard so much about you."

I laughed, God love my mother but she knew nothing about football. Football seemed to be the thing I shared most with my dad and my brothers. They always found it funny that 6 days out of the week I was as girly as they came, and 1 day out of every week I was one of the guys. I always told them that I just was just well rounded.

"Only good things I hope." He teased and mom laughed.

"Just a few." She winked.

JJ laughed and I felt the corners of my mouth pull up into a smile as I wrapped my arm around his waist. He seemed like he would fit right in and I was happy about that.

"I'm just finishing some things up in the kitchen. Why don't you take JJ out back and introduce him." My mom pulled miscellaneous items from the fridge and placed them on the counter, "I know they'd love to meet him."

I took JJ's hand in mine as I led him across the kitchen to the patio doors. The backyard was scattered with my closest family. In one corner my younger sister, Rachel, sat talking with my two sister in laws, Holly and Jillian and in the other corner, my older brothers, Mark and Ben stood talking with my dad, Mike. Noah had joined my nieces and nephews as they ran around the yard; he loved spending time with his cousins.

My dad set down his beer as he made his way over to us, everyone else following his lead. He was already smiling from ear to ear and I knew he was happier than a kid in a candy shop when he spotted JJ. My father was the number one reason we were all such diehard Texans fan. It was a birth right, not a choice in our house.

"JJ Watt, it's an honor." My father held his hand out to shake his hand and JJ gladly accepted.

"Thank you. I really appreciate you having me Mr. Cahill."