Page 120 of The Backup Bride Proposal

The future. She couldn’t even imagine a future with Kane. It was fraught with lifestyle and geographical impossibilities. She also couldn’t imagine a future without him in it, so she looked forward to working out the details. Because that was what you did when you loved someone.

Her lips lifted. “Well, I don’t know. That kind of trip sounds like a hardship, but I’d suffer through it for you.”

“See? You’re always thinking of me.”

She curved her fingers around his neck to pull him closer. “It’s the sacrifice I make for love.”

He swept his hand around her neck and kissed her, and she knew that no matter what plans they made, it would work out.

Epilogue

One Year Later

This was Mae’sfirst official movie premiere. She was happy it was going to be in Oklahoma. And, okay, it wasn’t the official premiere. That would be in Los Angeles next week. This was the early premiere for a select few, but to her? It was more than fancy enough.

“You look gorgeous, and stop fussing.” Brenna smoothed her hand down the back of Mae’s dress, a black off-the-shoulder full-length gown that made her feel incredible.

“I’m not fussing.” She turned and looked at Brenna, her hair falling in burnished red waves over her shoulder. “You look stunning. That copper color is amazing with your skin and your hair.”

Brenna laid her hand over the slight bump of her belly. “It’s too bad I haven’t hit the looking-pregnant part yet, so now I just look like I had too many burritos for lunch.”

Erin laughed as she moved in to hug her sister. “I know exactly how that feels. But you look gorgeous.”

So did Erin, in a silver gown and dangling silver earrings.

“Hey, we’re all beautiful and our men will be falling at our feet tonight,” Honor said, wearing a shocking red gown that clung to her curves.

“So true,” Mae said. “And isn’t that what really counts?”

“It’s all that counts,” Maureen said, looking particularly stunning herself in a green gown as lush as her home country of Ireland.

They had gotten ready at the hotel near the movie theater so they’d have plenty of time and space, plus have some time for socialization before they faced the cameras. It wouldn’t be as hectic as the L.A. premiere, but Mae had decided to look on tonight as practice.

Once ready, they headed out to the main part of the suite where the men were congregating—and drinking.

Mae couldn’t help but take in a breath at the sight of Kane. The man could wear a tux quite well. Then again, he took her breath away in dusty jeans and a cowboy hat, too. Fortunately, she got to see a lot more of him in dusty jeans these days, and that sure made her happy.

They’d bought several hundred acres of land not that far from the Bellini property, and the big house they’d designed together was already under construction. It was close to the vineyard so she could still do the job she loved, and close enough to the airport for Kane to fly in whenever he wanted—which, happily, was often. The plan was for him to set up his production office there in a separate building, while also raising a wide variety of animals. Mae couldn’t wait to move in. She drove to the construction site a couple of times a week to check progress, and it should be completed by spring.

In the meantime, they lived in a lovely rental house that was much better suited for the two of them than her small condo had been.

Kane turned to look at her and smiled, leaving the groupof men to walk toward her. The way he looked at her never failed to make her heart do that happy leap. It probably always would.

He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

She couldn’t help the little shiver of delight that skittered down her spine. “Why, thank you. You look rather dashing yourself. I might take you home with me tonight.”

“Well. Aren’t I the lucky one.”

“You two should get married,” Jason said as he walked by, winking at them.

“Yeah, when are you going to ask her to marry you?” Erin asked.

Mae pulled her gaze from Kane and grinned at Erin. “Oh, he asks me at least once a week.”

“She’s making me wait,” Kane said. “It’s torture.”

Honor shook her head. “What in the world are you waiting for?”

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