Page 106 of Wrecked for Love
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 farI’dcome. That room had once been a tar pit in my life, sealed away like aforbidden 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?”
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