Tour De Heart - Epilogue [TG Lesbian Romance]

Anonymously Commissioned

Epilogue

“Thank you so much!” The little girl said. She bounced on her toes, beaming ear to ear as Amelie returned the autographed photo. “I’m gonna put it on my wall!”

“I’m honoured.” Amelie smiled.

“And one day, I’m going to race against you and win!” She said seriously.

“Lilly!” Her mother scolded her, but Amelie just laughed and gave the grin a grin. 

“I accept your challenge. See you in a few years?”

“A-huh!”

The mother tugged her daughter away, and Amelie gave her a little wave as the pair walked out of the shop. 

“That’s Amelie Blanchet Mama!” The girl squealed. “The real one! Not like from the TV.”

Amelie giggled; those were her favourite fan interactions. Cycling didn't have as many kids following it as something like basketball or tennis, but the ones who did were the sweetest. 

“I feel like I got diabetes watching that.” Jean joked, sidling up to Amelie at the front desk. “She had pigtails and everything. What a sweetheart.”

“I know,” Amelie replied. “Makes all that training worth it.”

“That and the three gold medals?”

“Those help too.”

Jean raised a teasing eyebrow and leaned in for a kiss. It was supposed just to be a peck, but Amelie wasn't about to let her get away so easily. She reached up and cupped her lover's face, pulling her close and parting her lips to deepen the gesture. Three years together, Amelie still never tired of the taste of Jean’s lips. Every kiss felt like a first kiss, exciting and romantic. 

Since that first win, Amelie had gone on to win the Tour de France femme twice more. Leaving Kerrie in the dust each time. However, the woman didn't get to her nearly as much as she used to. Now that she had Jean, she found herself less drawn in by the drama. She had bigger and better things to worry about than the occasional attempted slander by a lesser cyclist. She’d said that in her last interview and taken just a little too much pride in watching Kerrie’s fans disappear almost overnight. You sleep in the bed you lie in, she supposed. And Kerrie’s bitchiness had finally come back to kick her in the butt. 

“Don’t worry about me, ladies, take your time.”

Amelie almost jumped out of her skin.

“Louis! When did you get here?”

“Oh, a few minutes ago,” He grinned. “I didn’t want to interrupt… But then you just kept going.”

“What a gentleman.” Jean rolled her eyes. 

“Well, it didn’t seem like you were going to stop any time soon!”

“What do you need, Louis?” Amelie asked fondly. “We are still on break for another week. Or did you just miss me?”

“Actually, I am here for Jean.” He grinned. “I’ve been talking with one of Amelie’s sponsors, the one for those new lightweight bike tyres. They are open to doing a special deal with you. You’d be able to offer them cheaper than any of your competitors.”

“Really!?” Jean’s face lit up, and Louis nodded.

“Let’s go out the back, I’ll walk you through the paperwork. I am sure Amelie can handle running your shop for a little bit.”

“Of course.”

Amelie watched them go with a fond smile. Jean looked a lot like that excited little girl now. Being the girlfriend of a famous cyclist certainly had its perks when you ran your own bike shop. The office door closed, and the shop was silent. Amelie wandered aimlessly, running her hands over the polished bikes before returning to the desk where hers was sitting. That same blue bike that had changed everything for her. She still remembered her original life, but now, she looked back and laughed at how hard she had fought to get it back. That life had been fine…just fine. But this one was rich in love and accomplishments in a way Ken’s never could have been. She was so stuck in her own head that she didn't hear the little bell by the door chime. 

“Um, hi. Could I get some help picking a bike?”

She whirled around to see a meek looking man standing a few feet away. He was wearing ill-fitting athletic clothing that looked brand new and had a sheepish smile on his face. He was so skinny that Amelie almost missed him; she’d seen more muscle mass on teenagers. 

“Sure.” She smiled. “What sort are you after?”

He blinked at her.

“Uh, I’m…not really sure.” he blushed. “I’m trying to get a bit fitter y’know? Bikes…are a good way to do that. Right?”

“They are also expensive.” Amelie pointed out. “You want to get the right one.”

The man twiddled his thumbs a little and sighed. 

“Maybe…I should just give running a go instead.”

Amelie looked him up and down; she took in the slouch in his posture, the unsure way he held himself. This man practically radiated self-confidence issues. He reminded her of…well, her. Or rather, the man she used to be. With a gentle smile, she gripped the handlebars of her beloved bike one last time and wheeled it over to him. 

“I think this is the bike for you.” She said. 

“Is it expensive?”

“Oh no, you can have it for free.”

“Free? What’s the catch?”

“No catch,” Amelie said, holding up her hands in defence as she passed it over. “I promise. This was a bike that was given to me back when I first got into cycling. It taught me a lot. I’d like it to do the same for somebody else now.”

The gangly man awkwardly swung his leg over and tried out the seat with a surprised smile. It might have been Amelie’s imagination, but she could have sworn she saw the metal of the bike shift ever so slightly to fit the new rider's height better. 

“It feels pretty good.”

“Go take it for a spin, and if you like it, just keep going!” Amelie grinned. “I promise you can have it. Maybe in the future, you’ll give it to somebody else who needs it, too.”

“If you’re sure!” 

Amelie opened the door and watched the man awkwardly wobble out, his peddling getting more and more confident as he made his way down the street. 

“Did you just give away your bike?” Jean asked, stepping outside to join her a moment later. Amelie nodded.

“He needed it more than I did. Besides, I happen to know this amazing shop where I can get one discounted.”

“Oh really?”
 Jean laughed and leaned in for another kiss, one Amelie happily gave. She could only hope that whatever life that bike gave its new owner, it was as good as hers.