a burst of golden sparks as each team takes its turn running out onto the field.
We remain standing for the national anthem and as the team captains meet at the fifty for the coin toss.
Mase looks fine as ever in his black football pants and red jersey, helmet hanging loosely from two fingers when he steps behind the bench to blow me my kiss. T squeals in excitement when she notices him taking part in our family’s competition tradition, thrusting both her arms up and waving her Y-shaped hang-loose hands in the air.
I want to say the game is exciting—I mean it’s football; it’s always exciting—but the Hawks own the game from the second the Fighting Irish kick off, the final score 30-3 in favor of the Hawks.
Despite it being a completely one-sided game, my family and I still manage to scream ourselves hoarse.
We hip-check, shimmy, and raise the roof, and I think I saw D doing the shopping cart as we happy-dance in our seats while the team celebrates down on the field.
The Hawks are officially going to the national championship.
I’m so proud and excited for them.
Wrapping my hands around the railing in front of me, I search the massive cluster of bouncing football players for my boyfriend. I’ll have to wait until we’re back at the hotel to properly congratulate him, but I can at least blow him a kiss of my own.
My breathing hitches when those light green eyes find me over the crowd. How Mase manages to look sexier now, when he’s a sweaty mess, I’ll never know. His dark brown hair sticks up in places and is flattened in others from his helmet, his eye black is smeared down his cheeks, and even though the field is turf, his jersey still has stains on it.
Without warning, he starts to run, jumping up onto the stands and hauling himself high enough that we’re face to face. He puckers his lips for a kiss, and I don’t hesitate in fulfilling his request. Taking his face between my hands, I pay no mind to the sweat clinging to it as I thread my fingers through his short hair and lay a tongue-dueling kiss on him. It isn’t until I feel his muscles start to shake from holding his position that I break away and he drops back down to the ground.
“Good game, baby.” I brace my forearms on the railing and lean forward to be heard over all the noise.
“I’ll be collecting my trophy later.” He issues the dirty promise with one of his signature winks and jogs off to rejoin his teammates.
“Someone is going to be trending tonight,” JT singsongs, looping an arm around my neck and tucking me into his side as we start to make the slow trek out of the stadium. It feels a lot like how I imagine salmon do trying to swim upstream.
“Eh.” I do my best to shrug under the weight of his arm. “I figure if I’m trying to learn to not be afraid of it, I should throw them a bone every once in a while.”
“Do you hear that?” G turns to walk backward, cupping a hand around an ear. “That’s the sound of keyboards clacking as the UofJ411 rushes to be the first to share the newest Kaysonova football royalty pic.”
#Chapter37
UofJ411: Were we right about what’s been going on between her and @QB1McQueen7 because peep that hashtag #MissingPuzzlePieces #CasanovaWatch
*REPOSTED—picture of Nana McQueen and Kay at the Cotton Bowl—TheNanaMcQueen: Rocking my new Christmas gift today thanks to this girl right here #NewFavoriteGrandchild #GoHawks*
@The-mumma-life: Is there like an application I can fill out to apply? #AskingForAFriend
@UnCheckedOther: Don’t hoard the football players #ShareTheWealth #CasanovasGirl
UofJ411: WE’RE GOING TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!! #HawksWin #WeAreNumber1
*picture of the final scoreboard from the Cotton Bowl*
UofJ411: No surprise this is how @CasaNova87 chose to celebrate #Kaysonova #FootballRoyalty #TheKingsFavoriteTrophy
*picture of Mason jumping into the stands to kiss Kay*
@Work2play: I wanna be kissed like that #PleasePlease #Kaysonova #FootballRoyalty
@_Bsdmbutch: That kiss though #TheyCouldTeachAMasterClass #Kaysonova
@_The_art_of_reading_: This belongs on a postage stamp #KingAndQueen
UofJ411: Now THAT’S a sandwich I wanna be a part of #IllBeYourFilling #MissingPuzzlePieces #CasanovaWatch #Kaysonova
*candid shot of Kay laughing between Mason and Trav*
@68blackburnc: The three of them SURE DO spend a lot of time together #PuttingThePiecesTogether
@TheQueenB: Throuples are a thing #JustSaying
#Chapter38
On our way back to the hotel, Mase texted that he and the guys were going to stop at their rooms to change out of their suits before swinging by my family’s suite on the way up to his. This