Can't Forget

Chapter 38

  JJ is on her way to Athens in BG's truck to meet Oakley and her parents for her official visit to UGA. Coach Taylor has talked to her and filled her in on the schedule. After their talk Sunday night, JJ was gonna take the job at UGA but not announce it until after basketball season was over. She planned on finishing her school year in Alabama and then moving the end of May first of June. She was planning on telling Coach Taylor today.
   She arrives at UGA and meets Oakley, her parents and their guide. They tour UGA and have a great day seeing the campus and Oakley's parents are impressed and ask JJ questions about academics and how much emphasis is put on them. Oakley tells them that they have mandatory study halls every day and someone goes around making sure they are in class every day and checking their grades. It really is an important thing to the coaches at UGA. They meet Coach Taylor and she gives them the ground rules for team members and answered questions and then she looks at Oakley and said,"We are prepared to offer you a full ride to UGA between your academic record and you athletic ability. When I say full ride I mean room and board, meals included in that, books, tuition and fees."
  Oakley and her parents are shocked but Oakley looks at everyone and says, " I want to come here, after watching the game last week, and touring today I know that this is the place for me."
Coach Taylor grins and says," When do you want to do your signing date?"
  She looks at JJ and said ," when is a good time?"
JJ said," How about after Christmas when we come back that way it gives us time to plan and notify the paper so they will have someone there?"
Coach Taylor said," that sounds good to me send me the date and I will be there."
   Oakley and her parents leave and JJ said," I want to talk to you about the job offer."
  Coach Taylor said,"okay do you have some more questions ?"
JJ said," No I have an answer, I will take it but I don't want to announce it until after my season is over. I want my team focused on our goals not me leaving them next year. Since BG has asked me to move back home with him it just makes sense to take a job in this state. And this way we can travel together when he tours unless you are needing me somewhere else."
Coach Taylor grins and says," Welcome Home JJ. We will be a better team with you on board and I know you are a Georgia girl at heart so welcome home."
JJ thanks her and tells her she will be in touch to set up the signing day and for her to have a Happy Thanksgiving"
   As JJ gets to the truck she has a text from BG,

BG: Hey baby thought since you were in Athens we could meet up at your favorite college bar and celebrate a little with Ash and Eli, what do you think?

JJ: Sounds like fun, just finished with Coach Taylor so I will head over and grab us a table if you aren't already there.

BG: No we aren't there but are on our way.Shouldnt be far behind you baby. Can hardly wait to tell them what we are celebrating. They think it's just you being here for the holidays.

JJ: Me too can't hardly wait to see you I have missed you baby.

BG: I missed you too baby, I love you!
JJ : I love you too, see you in a few.

JJ parks the truck and makes her way to the doors of 40 watt club and as soon as she opens the doors the smell brings back so many memories of her time here in Athens spent in this place with BG, Eli and Ash. This was where they would hang out and listen to music. They were able to here some of the most popular people and groups before they were famous. She gets a table fairly easy since it is still early for the crowd to be here. JJ thinks back to the night that the Black Crowes were performing here. It was one of the best nights that she has I her memories,she loved to dance and this was one of those nights and BG actually danced with her. She recalls every moment of that memory in her mind the closeness, his body rubbing against hers and the almost kiss. She wonders what would have happened if they had just give in to that temptation back then. Instead they took it back to the table and never talked about it.
   BG, Ash and Eli come in and she waves them over. Ash said," Okay what are we celebrating besides you being home for the annual Gilbert family Thanksgiving weekend of fun and festivities?"
   JJ said," What are y'all doing at the end of May first of June?"
  Eli replied," Nothing on the schedule except maybe a BG concert or something like that why?"
  JJ looks at BG and he grins," Well I have taken a recruiting job/ coach position at UGA and will need some help moving home"
   Ash squeals and hugs her and Eli said," It's about damn time girl"
Ash said," that means we can go apartment hunting and shopping and oh girl I know this place that has the very best unique stuff that is so you"
  BG said," You won't be going apartment hunting Ash cause when she said she was moving she means she's really coming home and is moving in with me."
   Eli said," Hell  yeah  we are back and nothing can stop us now. Tonight does call for a celebration!" He grabs a waitress and said,"bring us 3 shots of Jim and 2 cokes and 2 tall boy buds"
BG said," although you don't have to go apartment hunting you do need to go shopping for the house to make it what you want it to be cause you know some of it is me but you need to make it us. "
Ash said," Oh girl we are gonna have so much fun doing this, I'm so glad you will be back home although I bet your schedule will be as busy as his"
JJ said," yeah it will be cause I plan on touring with him and scouting at the same time although we know there will be times that don't always work out but this job will let us be together more than my job now and I will still be using both my love of UGA, basketball and coaching and I will still keep my license current and be on staff too as a nurse."
   The waitress brings their drinks and Eli, Ash and JJ take a shot of Jim and BG takes his coke and Eli said," to homecomings and reunions, because now our family is complete again. Welcome home Jennifer Justine welcome home "
Ash said," to making more memories, engagement, wedding and babies cause y'all are finally together"
As soon as she said that JJ opened her mouth but before she could say anything BG said," amen Ash, looking forward to all of that with my girl" and they drank to the toasts.
  Ash said," Do you remember the night we saw Dierks Bentley here JJ?"
JJ laughs," I will never forget that night Ash. Although I will tell you know you still owe me  for that bet and laughed."
BG said," when was this ?"
Ash said," we didn't always stay in the dorms guys we went out too. Just because y'all weren't always here due to working in Jefferson and going to school there. We came one Tuesday night because we had a rough day and it wasn't basketball season so we thought we would come and unwind. Dierks was playing that night and JJ fell in love with him or well his singing. We were up front dancing and he was flirting with her like crazy. She told me then that one day he would make it big in country music and I told her no way and we bet on it. So you can imagine my surprise when I hear him on the radio for the first time. I called JJ and she told me she knew that he had sent her an autographed first copy of his cd. I had no idea that they had kept in touch over those years."
BG looked at JJ and said," do you still keep in touch with him?"
JJ smiled and said," I still get the first original signed copy of any new release he has. So yes we keep in touch. He was one way I was able to dodge you coming home to Jefferson for the last 5 years he kept me up on your schedule when there would be no chance of you being home. But settle down we are nothing but friends and haven't ever been anything but friends. He knows the whole story, I told him one night after getting drunk after one of his concerts he asked me and I told him everything , well him and his girlfriend. I have always been a fan since that night here and like you he appreciates the ones who have been fans before he made it big."
  BG said," I need to thank him for watching out for you. I like Dierks before but I owe him now. "
Eli said," Do y'all remember seeing the Black Crowes here?"
BG said," that was one wild night I remember dancing with JJ cause even though I hated dancing I could tell if I didn't then I would be in a damn fight all night long keeping the other guys away."
JJ smiled," I was just remembering that night while I waited in y'all. You almost kissed me on the dance floor that night but I never knew what stopped you"
Eli looks at Ash and said," care to dance" they left giving BG and JJ some privacy. BG said," cause I knew if I crossed that line I would lose it JJ I could never go back to just being your friend and you know then I was in the worst place in my life, drinking and drugs and not caring who I hurt well except you, I made a decision that night to get my ass cleaned up so I could be the man you wanted me to be hoping that if I did you would give me a chance. The song Let it Ride came from that night here, cause I wanted to cross the line with you so damn bad but I had nothing to offer you and I wasn't gonna drag you under. You helped me get sober and then you had a boyfriend. He made you happy and made you smile so I let it go. I started dating Amber again cause I was doing community service at her church. You never let on to me like that meant anything and  Ben made you happy. That night was the best night in my eyes because I had the woman of my dreams dancing in my arms only I was a dumb ass and didn't tell you. I love you JJ always have. I loved you enough to let you shine and leave even though it hurt to see you kiss another guy or hear about you relationships. And the night you lost your vCard and told me about it well let's just say that was the reason I got in so many fights. I wanted to beat his ass but I couldn't cause I had no right. I wanted to know but I didn't want to know if that makes sense. I'm sorry for all the lost time I promised you forever and then I screwed it up for 5 years."
JJ kisses his lips and said," that night that we almost kissed, well you had my body on fire from just dancing with me so if you had kissed me I probably would have went up I flames on the dance floor. All I could think about was you touching me and getting out clothes off cause I wanted you so dam bad B, I would have lost it and probably stripped right on this damn floor. As far as telling you about my sexual experiences it was just always easy to talk to you. You didn't make me feel like a freak, I mean we talked about sex always had. Talked about fantasies we had and what felt good and what was a turn off, I think all your partners owe me for giving you advice on what a woman want in bed. I do know that you made it hard for me to find someone cause I compared everyone to you. As far as the last five years go well it got us to where we are now and to looking forward to a future together wherever that takes us and THAT is what is important, not just me moving in but making a home together, you and me."
  BG leans down and takes her lips kissing her softly moving to her ear where he whispers," I meant it I see engagement, marriage and babies with you Jennifer, I'm ready willing and able just waiting on you to be ready darlin'"
  JJ kisses his lips and then she whispers," I am ready or I wouldn't have said I was moving in with you. I'm willing to trust and  take that leap of faith and see what is in store for us Brantley. I meant it I love you, I always have and you and only you own my heart."
  Eli and Ash come back and Ash grabs JJ and said," it's time for us to dance girl this is a celebration and we haven't done this in a while." They go to the dance floor and BG and Eli just watch.

   Eli says," Brother what has happened?"
BG smiles and said," I'm gonna ask her to marry me Eli. I love her and I'm gonna do it tomorrow. I want her moving home with me but more than that I want to marry her. I was willing to wait a long time with all that I have found out that happened but I can't wait I'm gonna ask her to marry me cause all I see in my future is her and growing old together and making babies and living her until I draw my very last breath"

Eli said," I am so glad you have seen the light and got rid of Amber and got your head out of your ass about JJ. She loves you BG, we all knew it but I honestly think it had to happen this way. She's stronger and independent now. You can't run over her with your personality not that you did before but she always deferred to you and what you wanted and she let you fight her battles for her. Now she stands beside you and y'all fight them together, yours and hers and that brother is a rare find and worthy of protection. So when you gonna ask her?"
BG smiled, " I have a plan but soon brother I'm not gonna let her get away without putting a rig on her finger."
"Well now that we have that settled, let's go dance with our women and remind them how lucky they are to have us" Eli said.
BG laughed," you are right brother they are lucky to have us but in all honesty, I feel like we are the lucky ones."
  As they air their way to the dance floor BG catches JJ's eyes and she winks at him and gives him the sexiest look he has ever seen. He comes up behind her and starts dancing and grinding on her and she runs her hand on his leg before she turns to face him. Then in that moment they look into each other's eyes and finish what they had started on that very same dance floor 7 years ago.