Love on the Field

Chapter Twenty-One: Hail Mary Pass

"Billy...what are you doing here?" I ask stepping aside letting him in.

"I felt really bad about how Jimmy acted, I wanted to come and apologize."

"You don't have to apologize for his behavior." I assure as we sit in the den.

"You apologized for you sister, just thought I'd come and apologize for my brother." He smiles.

"I see that." I nod. "But it's really not necessary."
"You know he really likes you."

"Yeah I bet he doesn't anymore." I sigh.

"He does. He's just always been a mamas boy and pictured his dream girl would be best friends with his mom." He confesses.

"Yeah ok now everything makes a little more sense. But I don't know if I can be with someone who listens to their mother more than the person they're in a relationship with."

"That's fair, just hear him out." He says before standing up, is he leaving already?

"I don't know if I can, he said some pretty hurtful stuff today."

"He talks out of spite, trust me I live with him. I know your intentions are good, we all do. My mom she's just, well she's just kind of a bitch sometimes. She's acted this way with every girl we've brought home."

"Poor things." I frown.

"Yeah, but she loves Bria so much now."

"Who's that?"

"My brother Mike's fiancée."

"And how long did that take?" I ask following him to the door.

"8 years."

"Yeah no. I'm not gonna get treated like crap for 8 years, I don't care how attractive your brother is." I shake my head.

"Well he's on his way. Just hear him out." I'm left at the doorstep and wondering what the hell all that was about. I move to shut my door when I see his car pull up. Well this day just keeps getting better doesn't it?

"So the thought of me sending my sister to your home pisses you but sending Billy is okay?" I angrily ask walking towards him. "You had no right to do that after what you sai—" I'm cut off by his lips on mine. I push him away and my hand comes up to slap him. "Are you fucking insane?" I scream. "What the fuck is the matter with you?" He seems frozen. "What did you think this was some kind of fucking Nicholas Sparks movie? You come and dramatically kiss me and everything would be okay?"

"I'm sorry." He finally says. "I was trying to be spontaneous and romantic."

"Well you were neither." I scoff. "After everything I've been through you come and kiss me?"

"I want you to meet my Nana." He says, completely blowing my mind. I look around waiting for a fucking camera to come out.

"You're fucking with me."

"I'm not." He shakes his head.

"Jimmy what the hell is going on ? Can you explain it to me because I'm so confused." I admit.

"Can we go inside?" He asks.

"Fine." I huff leading him inside. I stand in the living room, but he continues his way out to the beach, so I follow and sit in a chair in front of him.

"I like you Em."

"Okay." I nod.

"Do you like me?" He nervously asks, kicking the sand.

"Yeah." I mumble like a child.

"Why'd you hit me?" He asks.

"You can't kiss people like that James."

"Sorry."

"I'm sorry for hitting you."

"I'm sorry for what I said."

"You should be." I cross my arms. "But I accept your apology. You were speaking from a place of anger, like when I called you a sorry ass broken Tom Brady ." I add.

"I had actually forgotten all about that, but thanks for salting the wound." He teases.

"Shut up you're a Super Bowl champ."

"I am." He smiles staring out into the ocean. "But anyway." He says, focusing back on me. "I like you and I want us to try again because I am a persistent person and would hate myself if I didn't do everything in my power to make this all work."

"Jimmy, your mother hates me." I remind him.

"Yeah, but my Nana doesn't." He smartly responds.

"What's happens if your Nana likes me?" I ask

"My mom can't hate you if Nana loves you."

"And what if your Nana hates me too?"

"Impossible." He shakes his head. "My Nana doesn't have a mean bone in her body, my mom has a couple, but not Nana. You see my mom hated Mikes fiancée and we never even thought about bringing her to meet Nana because we figured well if mom hates her Nana would too, but when we did by accident Nana loved Bria and then when my mom found out she suddenly loved Bria too." He explains.

"Doesn't this seem like a bit much? I mean a relationship shouldn't have to depend on your mother's approval of me." I argue. "If she likes me I want her to like me for me not because your Nana told her to."

"Emeraude please." He begs. "The relationship with my parents is important, I'm not even going to preach that to you because I know how important it is in Mexican culture too." He's got a point. "Like what if your mom didn't like me?" He asks.

"Well it'd be a bummer for sure but I'd just get a new boyfriend." I confidently say. I watch as his eyebrows come together in confusion making me laugh. "I'm joking." I laugh and see him shake his head with a smile.

"Can we please try? I know we have something special here. I can't let that go, not without a fight."

"Wouldn't you rather make it easy for yourself and  go find a girl your mother thinks isn't damaged?" I ask as the words leave my mouth he's shaking his head.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because easy isn't what I look for in a relationship." I look into his eyes and I know he's serious. It's such a genuine look.

"Okay." I nod. "I'll meet your Nana."

"Great, I booked the flights already." I bring my brows together at his words. "What? I just knew you'd come around. I'm a persuasive person." He smirks.

"I hope it'll all work out." I say getting up.

"Me too, cause I don't know what I'm gonna do if it doesn't." He stressfully confesses as he also stands.

"This is my Hail Mary pass." He adds as he puts his arms around me. Of course he would call it that, his mind really does default to football.

The future of our relationship relies on a long shot what can go wrong?