Gia hiked up the mountain behind Aaron, nerves increasing with every step. How would Elijah react to seeing her? Would he be pleased, or horrified?

She’d met Aaron at Sara’s diner that morning. When she’d asked him if Elijah had mentioned her much, he’d shrugged and told her he and Elijah hadn’t discussed her at all. Gia suspected he was lying, but didn’t know whether it was for good or bad.

Elijah had every reason to hate her.

She’d been responsible for the destruction of everything he’d cared about. She was the reason he’d been stabbed and nearly died. She was also the reason Aaron had been hurt, but thankfully he didn’t seem to resent her. When she’d apologized, he’d shrugged and told her it was his own fault for being a romantic.

Nerves pooled in her stomach. A few more minutes and she’d see Elijah for the first time in months. It had taken that long to take care of Ray’s body and estate. She’d donated all his money and property—a significant sum, none of it acquired legally—to various charities she’d handpicked. That it would have enraged Ray made it all the sweeter. She’d been shocked to find he didn’t have a will, and she’d therefore inherited everything, but made something good from her time with Ray.

Better yet, he’d put a life insurance policy on himself for reasons she still didn’t fathom. From papers and fragments, she guessed he’d been planning to run some kind of scam. She couldn’t figure out the details, and didn’t particularly care.

Ray was dead and buried now. Whatever schemes he’d intended could no longer affect her.

Aaron led her around a corner and suddenly Gia was in the most beautiful spot she’d ever seen in her life. A cabin stood in the middle of the clearing, bigger and sturdier than the previous one had been. More windows, too. A fledgling garden surrounded it, alive with color and butterflies and birds. There was a table with chairs, as she’d suggested so long ago.

A chicken coop, she recognized. But the greenhouse was new.

A windmill turned above the trees.

It was also only a few hours walk from town. Nestled in the woods, to ensure privacy, but a much shorter, easier distance than the previous spot Elijah had lived.

When Gia had come to town and asked to hire Aaron to take her up the mountain, she’d been bracing herself for a two-day hike. He’d said he’d rebuild, and she’d assumed he’d meant the same spot as his father’s cabin. She’d simply been grateful it was no longer winter for the hike. But when he’d said she could walk up by mid-morning, she’d had the first flutters of excitement.

Maybe Elijah had done this for her. Maybe he did care, maybe he wanted her after all.

The best part of this new cabin was Elijah himself. He had his back to her and hadn’t seen her yet. His hammer came down on the door, nailing the planks of wood together.

“You’ve got a visitor,” Aaron called.

Elijah spun around. When he caught sight of Gia, the nails fell from his mouth and dropped forgotten in the dirt at his feet.

“Gia,” he whispered. He was as handsome as ever. He’d trimmed his beard recently. And the warmer weather meant he was in a t-shirt, showing off his impressive biceps. Her mouth watered. Oh, how she’d missed him.

She smiled, tentative, her heart full to bursting. He didn’t look unhappy to see her. But she couldn’t be sure.

“Hi,” she said. Her stomach clutched with nerves. How would he react to seeing her again after so many months?

“Hi,” he replied. He gestured to Aaron, no doubt giving him some kind of signal, because his presence immediately disappeared from behind her. But she couldn’t tear her eyes from Elijah.

She’d missed him so much.

“I know I messed up,” she said once they were alone. “Ray finding us, destroying everything.”

He stared at her with a blank expression, so she took a deep breath and plowed forward. She had to be brave, to get this speech out, or she’d never forgive herself. She had to put her heart on the line for him. “I understand if you can’t forgive me. But I’m here, asking—”

“Forgive you for what?” Elijah asked. Now, his expression was clear. Confusion.

“For the cabin. For getting you hurt. For everything.”

He took a few steps closer to her. “Gia, no. There’s nothing to forgive. Everything that happened brought me to you.” Her heart soared to hear the words, making tears well. It wasn’t too late. She hadn’t ruined everything. His voice lowered. “You’re the greatest gift I could have ever asked for.”

She didn’t know if she moved first, or he did, but suddenly they were running towards each other and then wrapped in each other’s arms.

“You’re here,” he said, words full of wonder.

“I’m home,” she mumbled into his chest, clutching him to her. He smelled so familiar. So right.

His arms tightened around her. “Yeah. You are.”

They stayed that way for a long time, breathing each other in. Around them, birds chirped and animals scurried, and the garden scents drifted on the breeze. Peaceful.

Slowly, reluctantly, Elijah pulled back and looked into her eyes.

“Are you here for good?” he asked, running a hand over her hair and cupping her face.

“If you want me,” she told him. Would he want her to stay forever?

His eyes widened incredulously. “Want you? Of course. Of course I do. I love you, Gia. More than anything.”

He kissed her before she could reply, fierce and desperate and possessive, until they were both gasping.

“I love you, too,” she told him on a relieved laugh when they’d finally broken apart. She hoped that cabin already had a bed installed, because the kiss had set her body on fire.

“What took you so long?” he asked, giving her an intense stare.

“There was a lot I needed to wrap up. I didn’t want to leave it hanging. Didn’t want to have to go back. If you’d had a phone I could have called…”

His eyes lit up. “There’s no cell phone reception here, but if you really want we could get a satellite phone. I’m still putting the finishing touches on the cabin.” He turned and gestured proudly at his—their—new home. “I was going to come get you when it was good enough. But it’s not quite there.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist. “It’s beautiful,” she told him.

“So, you could live here?” he asked. “This part is on the edge of my father’s property. I actually sold some of the land to the government to help pay for all this.”

She hadn’t actually known he’d owned the land. She almost laughed at herself.

“I couldn’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be,” she told him. He’d built this for her, she had no doubt. He’d fought for her in his own way, with gestures instead of words. He couldn’t ever give her a big speech, but his heart ran deep, and he wasn’t afraid of showing her that. “I even researched nearby markets, and how to make beauty products. I want to try selling them.”

He let out a deep, shuddering breath and pulled her into his arms. “That sounds perfect. And the baby?” he asked, his hand cupping her rounded stomach.

“Healthy, so say the doctors. Not sure on gender yet. I was thinking it might be a nice surprise.”

He nodded. “Healthy is all that matters.” His eyes shone.

Gia turned her gaze to her new home and sighed happily.

She was exactly where she belonged.