Everlasting Love

everlasting love [part 2: 01]

three months later (august 2011)...

**Samantha's POV**

This was my third time back in Wisconsin since May and it was already more times than I had come back in the past four years. JJ was getting ready to leave for Texas, so I had to make sure to come back one last time to say goodbye before he left. He have seen each other twice a month since we first got back together- I would come visit him once and then he would come visit me in New York once. He never stayed in New York for longer than three days just because he was so busy training, he didn't want to miss too many days away from his trainer. Even when he was here in New York, he would use the gym in my apartment building at least twice a day. I would go down with him to 'work out' myself but in all reality I would just end up strolling on the treadmill and drooling over the sight of him in a sleeveless shirt and lifting weights.

I pulled up to the house that I grew up across from with my mother and for a second, it felt like I had never left. I hopped out of the car that drove me from the airport and started walking towards the front door when I noticed a strange SUV in the driveway. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered- so I decided to walk around back and see if they were out back. Sure enough, the family was sitting around their fire pit and there was a woman and cameraman there filming them. Then it clicked in my head- this was the weekend ESPN was going to be here to film him as the new recruit for the Texans or whatever.

As if JJ could sense me- he looked over in my direction and smiled once he saw me. I had left my suitcase on the front porch, it was so nice being in Wisconsin and not New York so I could do something like that, and then walked over to join everyone else. JJ stood up, engulfed me in a sweet hug and kissed my forehead.

"Hey babe, how was your flight?" he asked

"It was a flight, nothing special." I replied while looking up and smiling at him.

"Oh Samantha, this is Tanya- she's here from ESPN doing that special I told you about and Tanya, this is my girlfriend Samantha."

It was so nice to hear him say that again. I reached out my hand towards her and she looked displeased that I was there- like I had interrupted something so important.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," I said as sweetly as I could, "but my flight was delayed so I didn't get out here as early as I expected."

"That's fine- Samantha, would you mind just coming over here and sitting next to Connie for a second just while we finish up a couple of segments with JJ and John here."

"Sure, of course." I replied, while looking over at Connie and giving her a little side hug after I sat down.

***

"That was great, we got a lot of great shots of the family today." Tanya said while shaking JJ's hand.

I was in the kitchen with Connie while JJ was seeing Tanya and her camera guy out. I was however secretly listening in on their conversation since Tanya seemed to give me the side eye all day.

"A little word of advise- I wouldn't mention anything about the girlfriend to the public just yet. Granted mostly men watch football, but you might not get a female following if you mention her." Tanya said to JJ in a more hushed tone.

I was pissed- JJ and I had already had this discussion with it other. Even though I have already been in the 'public eye' for many years already, I was only followed by die hard Broadway fans which was mostly women and gay men, I wasn't going to mention JJ in any interviews just yet and he wasn't going to mention me in anything he did either. But it still made me angry that she was trying to give JJ advise about the whole thing and not even calling me by my name. Acting as if we weren't even going to last anyways. Little did she know we were stronger than ever and we were already pretty strong to begin with at the very beginning of our relationship.