Page 54 of Wrecked for Love (Buffaloberry Hill #1)

ELIA

Christmas had come and gone—one of the best in years at The Lazy Moose.

Having my brother at the dinner table felt like a miracle in itself.

And finally, Log got his wish—a double date with me and Claire.

The holiday had been full of banter, good-natured roasting, and more than a few embarrassing moments, thanks to my moonshine and Claire’s knockout eggnog.

Noah had flown back to Salt Lake City, and as usual, he wouldn’t say when he’d be back. But this time, it felt different. He wasn’t really gone, just elsewhere for now. We still had a lot to talk about, and something told me he’d return before long.

Thanks to Daniel’s brave testimony, Armand Voss was finally behind bars. He might be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but that didn’t stop justice from catching up to him. The sheriff and the prosecutor were confident Armand would spend a long time in jail.

Still, it hurt that Tessa’s death remained ruled an accident.

Claire had told the sheriff everything Armand Voss confessed to her, and she even testified during the trial for her own attack.

It wasn’t enough to reopen Tessa’s case, but now the whole town of Buffaloberry Hill knew the truth.

And that, at least, felt like a small piece of justice.

Meanwhile, Philip ‘Fritzy’ Fritz—the Vosses’s cousin who had been bouncing between Arizona and Montana—was now behind bars for kidnapping.

He had been trying to prove himself to Lucien and Armand, desperate for their approval after being rejected by his own family for being “weak.” It was sad in a way, but I couldn’t summon much sympathy.

As for Gideon Purcell, the head of The Revenants, he’d been extradited to New York and was facing multiple murder charges, including the deaths of Lucien Voss and Dr. Rick Ashbourne.

The discovery of Dr. Ashbourne’s diary had been a game changer.

In it, he detailed everything he did for Claire and how he gave her his deceased daughter’s identity, though he never mentioned Claire by name, only as “a lovely young woman.” I wish I had a chance to thank the doctor.

Without him, I wouldn’t have met Claire.

The New York prosecutors had also dropped the charges against Claire for the Brentwood massacre, accepting that it had all been self-defense. I knew it hadn’t been easy for her to relive those moments, but at least now she could finally leave the New York nightmare behind.

Logan couldn’t stop smiling when he found out The Willow had another renter. He credited Claire’s work in transforming the place into a real estate gem. I bet my Chili Pepper was proud, knowing she’d left her mark on this little town.

As for me, I was back in action. Bones had mended, bruises had faded—no more wincing every time I tossed a hay bale.

Ranch life was good again. But then, I had a new role to embrace: fatherhood.

Claire had started to show, and so far, her pregnancy had been smooth sailing.

It looked like I was going to have to brush up on my diaper-wrangling skills soon.

Relaxing in the house, I served Claire her tea as she settled on the couch. “How’s my spicy mama?”

She glanced up, her expression mellow. “A little guilty, honestly.”

I gave her crown a small peck. “Don’t be. My ego’s sky-high right now, knowing I can take care of you.”

I turned back to the kitchen to prepare something else for her. When I returned, Fixer Upper was playing in the background.

“Scoping out your next project?” I remarked, carrying the hot water basin.

“Maybe,” she murmured, then turned suddenly. “Oh, Elia, you didn’t have to?—”

“Shoosh,” I interrupted, setting the basin down. She dipped her feet in with a contented sigh. “You know, Chili, you’re free to renovate this place however you like. Just…maybe not all yellow.”

She laughed. “I’ve learned moderation since then. I guess I was just a little too happy when I redid The Willow.”

I nodded. “And maybe…start small?” I hinted at her pregnancy. Though, knowing her, there wasn’t much she couldn’t handle.

“I think I’ll start with the nursery—I mean, the baby’s. The plants seem perfectly happy ruling the second living room.”

I rubbed her legs, giving her a light massage. “Good call.” When I looked up, her face glowed in a way that still took me by surprise. “I’m going to take the rest of Tessa’s furniture to the community center tomorrow. They’ll put it to good use.”

She reached for my hand. “Your sister would be so proud of you.”

I pulled her closer, letting her fill the empty spaces inside me. She was my reminder of how far we’d come—how far I’d come. That room had once been a tar pit in my life, sealed away like a forbidden memory. But now, it was free. I knew she’d bring it to life, just as she had with The Willow.

I whispered, “I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re the turning point I never saw coming.”

“I might steal that and use it for my book,” she said, touching the tip of my nose. “And you—you’re the reason I finally stopped running. The feeling’s mutual, baby.”

She’d probably keep calling me that, though it was time for me to be more than just her baby. I had plans. But first, there was something else I had to take care of.

Reluctantly, I let her go, gesturing for her to wait as I retrieved something from the hallway closet.

“I’ve got something for you,” I said, one hand hidden behind my back.

Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of curiosity lighting them. “What is it?”

I revealed the gift, a box wrapped with care. She took it and unwrapped it slowly, the suspense building. When the paper fell away, she gaped, and then the tears came, streaming down her face as she hugged the photo frame to her chest.

After a moment, she gathered herself. “Elia…where did you find this?” Her voice grew tender as she admired the picture. “Look at me and Cody!”

I sat next to her, my arm around her shoulder. “I asked Annette to show me how to dig around on social media,” I said, grinning. “Found your old account. You two look so adorable there.”

“I haven’t seen this picture in years. Thank you.”

I leaned in, brushing a tear from her cheek. “I thought you might like a little piece of him back.”

“This was about a year before that night,” she said softly, her fingers brushing over the photo. “We were strolling through Williamsburg in Brooklyn when we saw this incredible street art. We just had to take a selfie. Or a wefie.” She let out a shaky laugh, but it quickly dissolved into sobs.

“I didn’t mean to make you sad.” I squeezed her hand.

“No, I’m not sad.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m happy. Happy I can see him again. You picked a good one. I can’t really remember why we were so happy that day, like we were two goofy teenagers.”

“And that’s not all,” I added, and she glanced at me, surprised.

“I asked for a little help from the sheriff. I mean, he’s been very ‘Buffaloberry’ about it, but since dealing with those New Yorkers who handled your case, he’s made a few friends.”

She chuckled through her tears but waited, her eyes still wide with anticipation.

“He managed to find where Cody was buried.”

“Really?” she croaked.

I nodded. “Yes. And whenever you’re ready, we’ll fly there and give him the proper burial he deserves.”

Right then, Claire threw her arms around my neck, holding on so tight that I thought she might never let go.

Her foot nearly knocked over the bowl of warm water soaking her feet, but neither of us cared.

She buried her face in my chest, her sobs quiet but full of emotion.

“Thank you. Thank you,” she murmured over and over. “I’d love that.”

I held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Good. And then, maybe after that…”

She pulled back just enough to look at me, her somber face lighting up. “What, Elia?”

I placed my hand on her belly. “Maybe…we can get married?”