Page 78 of Full Throttle 2

She sighed. “I’m glad it’s over, and I don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

“I just have one more thing to ask.” Brian hadn’t planned on proposing tonight, but it felt like the right time.

“I don’t know if I have it in me...”

Brian got down on one knee and pulled out the dazzling ring he’d been carrying around for months.

Lila’s hands flew to cover her mouth.

“Lila Denise James, I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you all those years ago in the Student Center. I’ve made mistakes. Big ones. But I hope you know that I will always love, honor, cherish, and protect you. There is no one else I will ever want to do this thing called life with. I’m sure of you. I’m finally sure of me, and I’m for damn sure of us. Will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

His voice was steady but filled with emotion. His eyes held hers, filled with love and a touch of vulnerability.

Lila’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling as she nodded frantically. “Yes, yes, YES!”

Brian’s smile widened as he took her left hand in his, sliding the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.

Lila couldn’t help but admire the way it sparkled, barely able to believe it was real.

Before she could catch her breath, Brian stood, sweeping her up into his arms. Lila wrapped her arms around his neck as heleaned in, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss, pouring all his love into that one perfect moment.

The world around them faded as they held each other close, their laughter mingling with happy tears.

This was a proposal that neither would ever forget and one their grandchildren would never believe.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Liam and Colby stood outside the door, waiting for Brian and Lila to come out.

“You think they are okay in there?” Colby asked.

“The way that girl threw that left hook?” Liam chuckled. “I’m pretty sure she’s just fine.”

Colby covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. “True. It’s just that Lila thought she had closed that chapter of her life with Carrington. It couldn’t have been easy for her to reopen it.”

“No, I can’t imagine it was.”

Liam reached for Colby’s hand. “The Lockwood men might be idiots at times, but we love hard, and wrongly, or rightly, we do our best to protect the women we love. I’m sure they are fine.” Liam swallowed hard. “I miss you.”

Colby’s mouth suddenly felt like cotton as she stared at their entwined hands. “I miss you, too, but I don’t know how we bridge our differences.”

“We’ll figure it out.”

Her eyes, glassy, looked up into his. “But...what if we can’t?”

Before Liam could make his case, Brian and Lila finally came out of the room, looking happy and in love.

Colby blinked away her tears as she slowly removed her hand from Liam’s.

Lost in their own little world, Brian and Lila didn’t notice Liam and Colby. They giggled and held hands but didn’t say anything. Brian and Lila made the decision to keep their engagement quiet until after the race. They didn’t want to be a distraction.

Tonight had gone better than expected. Brian picked up a champagne flute and used a fork from a nearby table to clink on it. “Can I have your attention?” The room quieted down. “Dinner will be served shortly, but before we sit down, there is something I’d like to share. Please grab a glass if you don’t already have one.”

“This season has been eventful, to say the least. However, I am proud to introduce the newest addition to our Lockwood family, Ms. Bella Knight.”

After a moment of shock, the room erupted into loud applause.

Colby turned to Lila. “Did you know about this?”

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