Page 39 of Tactically Tied

The restaurant erupted into cheers. The sound drowned out the television and the celebration going on there. It was clear who had truly won this night. But for Jed, the applause, the shouting—it was all just background noise. The only thing that mattered was the woman in his arms, the feel of her lips against his, the way her body pressed against his own.

It could've been moments. It could've been hours. It could've been days later when he finally pulled away from his wife. They were both breathless. Jed's forehead rested against Jami's. Her fingers trembled, her breath coming in quick, shallow pants. He cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek, wiping away a tear.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice rough and unsteady. “I’ve been so scared of losing you that I tried to control everything. But I can’t do that. I won’t do that. I’m willing to travel with you, to go wherever you want to go, as long as I’m with you. I’ll give up the restaurant if that’s what it takes. I’ll?—”

Jami pressed her fingers to his lips, silencing him. Her eyes shone with more unshed tears, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You’re not giving up anything,” she whispered. “And neither am I.”

Jed’s heart clenched, a swell of emotion rising in his chest. “Jami…”

She shook her head, her fingers trailing down his jawline, her touch soft and tender. “I want to stay, Jed. I want to stay and build a life with you. I want to be a part of this community, to make it my home. Our home.” She took a shaky breath. “I’ve spent so much time running away because I was afraid of losing myself. But being with you has shown me that love doesn’t take away who I am. It adds to it. It makes me more.”

Jed couldn’t speak. His throat was too tight, his heart too full. He just pulled her close, burying his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her, feeling the reality of her in his arms. She wasn’t leaving. She wasn’t running. She was choosing him, choosing them.

The crowd around them continued to cheer, their voices full of joy and celebration, as though they had just been announced the winners of the competition. But Jed knew they had won something far more important. They had won each other.

“You’re sure?” he asked, needing to hear Jami say it again, needing the reassurance.

She smiled up at him, that smile that always made his heart do funny things. “I’m sure. I want you, Jed Winchester. I want this life with you.”

He laughed, a sound that was a mixture of relief and happiness, and kissed her again. And then again, deeply and passionately. The crowd around them hooted and hollered, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was this moment, this woman, this love that they had fought so hard for.

“We’re going to make one hell of a team, Mrs. Winchester.”

Jami laughed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. “Yes, we are,” she agreed, resting her head against his chest where the steady thump of his heart beat beneath her ear.

Rick approached them cautiously, clapping slowly with a look of respect and something akin to admiration. “Well, I guess we don’t need a food fight to get good TV moments, do we?”

Jed glanced at Rick, but his focus quickly returned to Jami, to the woman who had just changed his entire world with her words. He didn’t need a travel show; he didn’t need a competition win. He had everything he needed right here in his arms.

“Yeah,” Jed said, his voice soft as he gazed down at Jami. “We’ve got all the drama we need.”

Jami snorted, leaning into him, her laughter vibrating against his chest. “Who knew my life would turn into a real-life Hallmark movie?” she teased.

Jed chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “Happy endings are the best kind of endings,” he murmured.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with love and certainty. “No,” she said softly. “This isn't an ending. It's just the beginning.”

And as he held her close, surrounded by the warmth of their friends, their family, and their community, Jed knew she was right. This was just the beginning of the rest of their lives. Together.

EPILOGUE

Jami nudged Jed's still-unpacked suitcase with her foot, its contents half spilling out, a rogue sock hanging on to the edge like it was clinging to dear life. She huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at the suitcase like it might unpack itself if she glared hard enough.

“Two weeks, Jed. We’ve been home for two weeks. How can you still live out of a suitcase?” she muttered under her breath, though she knew full well he could hear her.

Jed emerged from the bathroom, a cloud of steam trailing after him, hair damp and curling at the edges, smelling like the cedar and smoke of his favorite soap. Her husband was shirtless, only a towel wrapped around his waist, and it hung low. Jami had to force her eyes to focus on the issue at hand and not her husband's delectable body.

He shot her that lopsided grin that always made her knees wobble just a little. “What’s the matter, honey? We could just zip that suitcase back up and go back to Shanghai."

“Shanghai...” she said, her voice softening as she recalled their time there. “You mean where you nearly fainted after tasting that Sichuan hotpot? And you tried to play it cool, but I saw you sneak that glass of milk when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

Jed laughed, the sound rich and warm, as he moved closer to her. “That chili oil was like molten lava.”

Jami shook her head, her own laughter bubbling up as she thought back to those days. Had it only been a couple of weeks ago? She remembered the way the air smelled like a mix of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger no matter where they walked. And those street food stalls by the Bund.

"Remember the jianbing?” Her eyes lit up at the memory, and she could almost taste the savory pancake, the crispy bits mingling with rich hoisin sauce and the fresh pop of scallions. “I’ve never had anything like it.”

“Or the way you got excited over that little spice shop tucked away in the old town? I swear, you spent half our budget there.”

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