Epilogue
Three weeks later…
S now sprayed Ronnie as she made the last cut, just narrowly beating her competition as she crossed the finish line.
The roars were deafening as she slid to a stop. But the cheers of the crowd had nothing on her heart, which was thundering in her chest.
Joy. Sheer joy flooded her from head to toe. It was the rush of adrenaline after a perfect run combined with the hit of satisfaction that came with a win.
But mostly…
She pushed her goggles up and squinted at the bright sun and the jubilant crowd.
Mostly this was the joy of snowboarding.
A laugh bubbled up as her competitor who’d come in second turned to congratulate her.
“You did great,” Ronnie assured the younger girl. “You gave me a run for my money, that’s for sure.”
She grinned. “It was an honor to go up against you, Ronnie.”
And just like that, Ronnie was back on her childhood bed, looking up at her hero.
This was the moment she’d always dreamed of.
She’d done it. She’d made it. If it lasted a day or a decade, it didn’t matter. What mattered was now. This moment.
When she’d finished congratulating all of the competitors, she scanned the crowd for the one face she’d been looking for.
Dallas’s smile was broad, and no one was cheering louder.
She nodded toward the locker room, and he gave her a thumbs-up.
She couldn’t wait to call her dad and Margot and tell them about her win. Not to mention Bailey and the rest of the Kings. But for now, she just wanted to enjoy the win alone…with her man.
Dallas pounced when Ronnie entered the locker room. He hoisted her into his arms as she laughed, then gave a cute little squeal when he spun her around in a circle.
“That was my girl up there, kicking butt and taking names.” He shook his head as he set her on his feet. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.”
“Thanks. And thanks for being here. I…” Her eyes welled with tears, which was so unlike her, it made Dallas’s own chest ache in turn. “I don’t know if I could have gotten here without you.”
He scoffed, though he suspected he wasn’t fooling anyone since his eyes were also getting misty. “Nonsense. This was all you. It always has been and always will be. But I will say…” He kissed her hard and fierce and with all the love in his heart. “I’m so freakin’ proud to be on your team.”
She gave him a wobbly smile. But the moment was interrupted by a FaceTime call on his phone.
“Bailey,” he said as he went to answer it.
He knew Ronnie would want to see her friend, and sure enough, when Bailey’s face filled the screen, both women were squealing and laughing as they celebrated the win.
But because she was at the inn and surrounded by Kings, the others all managed to squeeze in around her. Brandon and Giselle poked their heads into view to say congratulations, Giselle giddy with excitement.
“You were so amazing, Ronnie! That was such a clean run!”
“Thanks, Gee. I’m pretty stoked.”
“It’s so wild. You’re gonna win this event. I just know it!”
Willow’s face popped up at the side of the screen, and she gave Ronnie a thumbs-up. “Congratulations.” She smiled. But where was the light in her eyes?
Dallas flinched at the sight of her. The spark that was so vividly and uniquely Willow seemed to have gone out.
Had he done that?
Or had Eric?
He wished he knew what was going on so he could help, but his father assured him that even though the Spencers seemed to have an ace up their sleeves, they weren’t going down without a fight.
Right now it was a waiting game as the lawyers worked on finding any chink in the Spencers’ armor.
Dallas tried to push those thoughts aside when the call ended so he could put all his focus on Ronnie and her win. But she saw right through him.
She tilted her head to the side with a little frown. “You’re worried about Willow.”
He nodded. Why try to deny it? They might not have been together long, but his girlfriend already knew him better than anyone. “I am. But…” He forced a smile as he tugged her back into his arms. “I’ll see her again at Christmas, so I’ll try to get through to her then.”
Ronnie wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling. “Our first Christmas together. Kinda perfect that we’ll be able to get back to Paradise Springs.”
“It will be perfect.” He leaned down to taste her lips again. “Because I’ll be with you.”
“Aww.” Her tone turned teasing. “Who knew my boyfriend was such a teddy bear underneath all that snark and swagger?”
He leaned down with narrowed eyes. “Don’t tell a soul.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Or what?”
He surprised her by tossing her over his shoulder and lifting her off the ground. “Or I won’t give you the Christmas present I’ve been hiding in my luggage.”
Her laugh echoed off the locker room walls. “Where are you taking me?”
“To greet your rabid fans.” He headed for the exit. He’d set her down before they walked out. He had a feeling being carried caveman style wasn’t a good look for her public image. But for now, her laughter was all that mattered. “They’ll be waiting.”
“And what about you?”
He paused mid-stride. “I will always be waiting for you, my love. I thought you knew that by now. I’ll be there for you whenever you need me.”
“I meant, what about our celebration,” she said as he helped her to slide back down to the ground.
This put her in his arms, pressed against his chest.
“You and I can celebrate later,” he said.
From where they stood, they could already hear her eager fans, waiting for autographs.
“Because you and I…” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her long and slow before letting her go. “We have all the time in the world.” He winked. “A lifetime, if I have anything to say about it.”
She pressed her cheek into his palm. “I’m holding you to that, Cowboy.”
Thank you so much for reading Dallas and Ronnie’s romance. Hanging out with these two was so fun and playful. They’re such a good match, and I’m glad they figured out how to be together.
Now let’s just hope Willow and Eric can too.
With the odds stacked against them, they’re going to have a fight on their hands.
But when Willow finds herself talking to a “stranger” on a walkie-talkie…
she might just be persuaded to forgive the man who betrayed her and figure out what her heart truly wants.
Find out how these two star-crossed lovers find their way back to each other in FIGHT FOR YOU— releasing in December, 2025.