Epilogue #2
“You gotta chill, Lana,” Tyler says as I pace the pit, watching as they speed past us.
“I know,” I say, and I do, but my pacing doesn’t stop.
I’m nauseous, knowing this is what Rome has worked hard for the entire last year.
Last night, he confessed to me that even though he’s won once before, he wants it more than ever after everyone doubted him.
He wants it for him and for his dad. He wants it for his team.
“I want to win with you in the pit,” he told me, making tears spring into my eyes, tears he wiped away with a smile. He loves it when I cry, the sicko.
“Can you two shut up?” Rome says over the headset I’m wearing.
Oliver laughs, though he’s even more locked in than I am as Rome’s newest crew chief.
After giving Rome tips and some insight after his first few races back, it became clear that Oliver, while not the strongest racer, had a knack for coaching.
“Sorry, Dad,” Tyler says with a smirk.
“Yeah, sorry, Daddy,” I say.
“Jesus, Lana, do you want me to win, or not?” he says, though there’s a smile in his voice. We’re on the last lap, and I take in a deep breath, something settling in my chest, an understanding that he’s going to clinch this.
“You know I do, pretty boy. Bring home that trophy so I can treat you like a winner.” Tyler looks at me with a slight look of disgust, but I just watch the two cars in the lead race past, rounding the last turn.
My heart is racing so fast. I’m lightheaded, but I hold my breath as they approach the finish line.
As they pass, even as Tyler and Oliver start to yell, I keep holding it until I hear it over the loudspeaker.
“And Roman DeLuca is this year’s champion!”
That’s when the tears start, rolling down my face as I start to jump up and down, yelling at the top of my lungs.
Tyler pulls me into him, and we start cheering together.
I’m crying now, full, racking, happy sobs, but I pull it together enough to watch Rome’s cool-down lap, then onto the track as he comes to a stop in the victory lane.
I follow Oliver and Tyler out onto the track, unable to contain ourselves.
I stand back as Oliver and the crew help him out, wanting to give him his moment of celebration, but as soon as he’s out, he points to me, crooking his finger.
It gives me a flashback to almost two years ago, sitting in the stands of an empty arena and watching the cocky playboy try to flip.
In a moment, I’m running toward him, his arms open as he catches me as I jump into his arms, peppering his face with kisses.
His hands cup my ass, and he presses his lips to mine.
The crowd cheers, the crew hooting and hollering, but I can’t focus on anything but the man before me.
“You did it!” I yell, tears in my eyes as I hold onto him tight.
“I did,” he says, then looks over to see Oliver standing there with a shit-eating grin, both overjoyed by the win and entertained by my antics.
I’m a bit reluctant to let go as he sets my feet on the ground, but he has so many people to greet, to celebrate with.
Kevin stands in the back, tears in his eyes as he watches his son proudly, and it makes me tear up again.
But instead of moving away, Rome simply puts a hand out to Oliver, who hands something over to him.
I’m confused, baffled even, until I watch as Rome shifts, bending and moving until he’s on one knee before me.
The crowd’s cheers change to gasps and grow almost deafening, but my eyes are locked on the box in his hand, a shining diamond sitting in black velvet.
It’s gorgeous and ostentatious, but classic, exactly what I would have wanted if I picked out my own ring.
“Rome,” I whisper, and he just grins up at me.
“I promise I’ll give you a long speech about how much I love you and how much you mean to me tonight, about how much I promise to take care of every version of you, but it’s loud as fuck, so I’m just going to keep it simple. I love you, Lana. Marry me.” My throat swells, my hand to my chest.
“This is your moment,” I whisper, staring down at him. “We don’t have to—”
“I want every moment from now on to have you in it. I can’t think of anything that would make the best day in my life better than you agreeing to be mine.
” Tears fall, but Rome doesn’t tell me not to cry.
Instead, he just lifts a hand and wipes my cheek just like I know he’ll do for the rest of my life.
A dream.
I’m living the dream.
“Marry me,” he repeats, a declaration rather than a question, so very Roman.
“Make me a winner, Lana.” I nod, of course, and he grins the widest, most boyish grin I’ve ever seen, before standing and pressing his lips to mine, dipping me in the most romantic kiss of my life.
For just a moment, I have the presence of mind to think that I am so grateful this engagement happened today, knowing I’ll have hundreds of angles recorded, immortalizing this moment forever.
When he pulls back, he is still grinning as he slides the perfectly sized ring onto my finger, then scoops me up, turning me to the crowd.
“She said yes!” he says, then the crowd cheers.
Tyler somehow procures a second bottle of champagne, shakes it, and it arches over us, making me sticky as Rome presses his lips to mine again. I can’t do anything but kiss him back and laugh out loud, not caring how silly I look, not caring what anyone thinks.
Because here, with Roman, I’m me.
I’m free.
And I’ve never been happier in my life.