Page 64 of Always a Bridesmaid

“You still love me?”

“How could I ever stop?”

“I love you too, Hank. And you’re worth the fight.”

“What fight, Jane? I’m yours. One hundred percent yours.”

Henry pulled her into his arms and his mouth came down on hers in a kiss so tender and sweet, Jane knew that her time of role-playing had come to an end. She’d let down her shield andshown this amazing man her truth and he’d accepted her for who she was. And for the first time in forever she remembered what it felt like to be loved and cherished. And it was a feeling she was going to hold on to with all of her heart.

EPILOGUE

Four months later…

The music started to play and Jane took her first step, moving slowly down the aisle and toward her future, holding a bouquet of blush-colored peonies in her hands.

Her eyes locked on Henry, and she felt herself tear up. He looked so handsome in his tux that he stole her breath. His expression was so warm he also stole her heart.

Even though she was walking down the aisle by herself, and missed her dad dearly, she didn’t feel alone. With Henry by her side, she never felt alone. He went out of his way to make her feel loved and cherished every day, showering her with support. When he’d gotten down on one knee, just a month into their relationship, she’d been surprised.

Dressed in all red, Jane stood along the fence by the finish line, watching as the cars made their final lap. Her heart was in her throat, as Henry held the lead by only three-tenths of a second. Behind him was Jake Evans, putting on the pressure. The two had been fighting it out the entire fifty-eight laps, making for an edge-of-the-seat race.

As they came down the final stretch, the black-and-white checkered flag just seconds away, they were neck and neck, side by side, with Enzo just a few seconds behind. There was so much tension in the air, not a single fan dared to breathe.

“You’ve got this, baby,” Jane whispered, hanging over the fence and waving to her man as he came barreling toward the line.

This wasn’t just a win. It would be a victory at Henry’s home track in Monaco, so taking the podium would mean the world to him. It would also give him a major lead in points over Jake for a second World Championship title, and, with Enzo staring down third, the Constructors Championship as well.

Unable to blink, Jane watched with her heart in her throat as both cars zoomed past the finish line, so close it was too difficult for the human eye to declare the winner. But then it came over the speakers.

“In first place is Henry Norris.”

The home crowd erupted, on their feet with deafening cheers. A sea of engineers, mechanics, and the rest of the team swayed like a wave of Apex red, hugging and high-fiving over their tenth podium of the season.

Jane’s eyes teared up with pride as she watched her man unstrap himself from the car to stand on the seat and pump his hands in victory. Her ears rang with the chaos from the stands and celebration blanketed around her.

Without a second thought, she pushed her way through the crowd to the small fenced-in area next to the finish line where the team principals and other higher-ups of the company stood, waiting for their two winners to approach.

She stayed behind the team owners and VIP, not wanting to be that girlfriend who assumed they should be at the front of the pack. But it hadn’t mattered. As Henry stalked toward them, his helmet visor lifted, he looked past the first row and thesecond, until his eyes found hers. Then a smile, so bright it lit her heart, broke out across his face.

He reached the partition and was instantly pulled into the crowd of his team with hugs and smacks to the back, but his eyes never left hers.

“Jane,” he called out to her over the roar of his team. “Come here.”

She shook her head because she didn’t want to impede on this moment between him and his teammates. Because while he was the face of Apex Motorsports, there were a hundred other people who stood behind him who had also won today.

He waggled a finger and the team principal cupped her shoulder and led her through the chaos to the front, until she was pressed against the partition.

Before she could tell him they’d celebrate later, he took off his helmet and planted one on her so thoroughly that her knees turned to Jell-O. And when her head had stopped spinning and she came back to earth, she realized that her feet had literally left the ground because she was on the other side of the partition. And Henry was in front of her in his racing jumper.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, ignoring all the flashes going off behind them.

“Going for the win.” He took off his helmet and handed it to Enzo who was flanking his side. “I’ve won a world championship, countless podiums, but none of that matters unless I’ve won your heart.”

Her eyes were so full of tears she could barely make out anything but his handsome face. “You’ve won all of me.”

His hands were shaking, she realized, as he reached into his racing suit neckline and pulled up a silver chain, which was odd since he never wore jewelry when he raced. The chain was free and something brilliant sparkled at the end. Jane struggled to make sense of what it was when he dropped to a knee.

She covered her mouth with her hands.

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