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His affection is unconditional—and I realize I’ve never felt that before. From Candice and the girls, sure—but never from a parent. Never from a lover.
Never from myself—until that brief moment when we stood in front of the judges.
I’ve been such an asshole to myself!
Emotion clogs my throat, and I find myself turning to Fallon. I need to tell him how I feel—that he’s cracked my mind and heart right open. I need to scream this epiphany to the rafters. By standing beside me throughout this whole experience, he showed me what it means to have someone to lean on.
He showed me love…
And I love him back.
I open my mouth to say the words that come rushing to the fore—but the judges appear with Carrie as a hum of excitement rushes through the barn. They’re about to announce the winners.
CHAPTER 24
Fallon
“It was a very difficult decision, but ultimately there was one team that shone throughout the competition,” Bernard says, his eyes moving to each contestant in turn.
Did they linger on Jen?
My heart thunders. My palms grow damp. I close my eyes as I inhale through my nose, needing to regain control over my rioting body.
I need to win this for Jen. I want to be the man who stood beside her and was able to give her the money to pursue her dreams. She needs to see how incredible she is.
“Congratulations, Fallon and Jen, you are the winners of the Boss Baker!” Bernard’s face splits into a smile as he turns to us. Carrie advances with the trophy.
Jen stands frozen, eyes wide, so I move to intercept it.
I turn to Jen and present the trophy to her, loving how reverently she accepts it—but most of all, loving the emotion swirling in her eyes when she meets my gaze.
“We did it, Fallon,” she whispers, hands curling around the trophy.
The emotion in her voice hits me like a hammer to the side of the head. Too many words come flying to the surface, and I’m struck dumb.
—I love you.
—I’ve been in love with you for years.
—You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met and the past month has been the happiest of my life.
—You deserve this.
—I never want to leave your side.
—I don’t deserve you.
My lungs constrict and my vision goes blurry from the tears in my eyes, and soon we’re swarmed by contestants and judges and family members. Jen’s parents stand off to the side, noses in the air, as if they just won the trophy and deserved every bit of it.
Jen is laughing, tears streaming down her face as she wipes her nose with her sleeve. Her eyes find mine again, hand reaching toward me. She squeezes my fingers, then lifts our joint hands in the air, trophy held aloft in the other. The mezzanine goes nuts.
I laugh—and then I can’t resist the temptation of Jen’s lips. Tugging her to my chest, I bury my hands in her hair and kiss her so hard it’ll probably need to be edited out of the show. Shouts and hollers sound from above, and I recognize Simone’s voice shouting, “Get a room! This is a family show.”
Jen smiles against my lips, eyes alight. When she pulls away, my chest constricts. She’s so damn beautiful I can hardly stand to look.
But we’re swept up in the celebrations, interviewed on camera, and finally someone calls, “That’s a wrap!”
The audience is allowed down from the mezzanine, and Jen and I are swept up in more hugs and congratulations. I keep close to Jen, ready to throw her over my shoulder in case this becomes too much. I know she hates crowds—I still remember how she looked in Four Cups that day, when she was on the verge of a panic attack from all the people.
