Chapter 18
Blair – POV
The morning sun broke over Whispering Pines with a bright, brilliant clarity that made the terrors of the previous night feel like a fading bad dream. The storm had washed the valley clean, leaving the humid air smelling of damp earth, crushed pine needles, and fresh beginnings.
Blair sat at her desk in the small courthouse office, a steaming mug of black coffee cupped between her hands.
She hadn't slept more than two hours, but the sheer adrenaline of victory was keeping her upright. Spread across her blotter were the finalized arrest warrants, the federal asset seizure forms, and the unfiled deed rider that completely dismantled Victor Hollister’s hold on the valley.
The glass window of her office door rattled slightly as Silas knocked and stepped inside.
He had changed out of his mud-stained uniform into a crisp, tan sheriff's shirt, though the faint dark circles under his eyes mirrored her own exhaustion. He was carrying a small white paper bag from the bakery down the street.
“Mornin’,” Silas said, his voice a low, comforting rumble that instantly eased the lingering tension in her shoulders. He set the bag on her desk, the sweet aroma of fresh cinnamon rolls drifting out. “Thought you might need a bribe to look over the state trooper reports.”
Blair smiled, looking up at him as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “You don't need to bribe a prosecutor with sugar, Colter. But I appreciate it anyway.”
Silas took a seat in the leather chair across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
“Feds picked up Hollister two miles from the state line at dawn. He was trying to catch a private charter flight. He’s in custody in the city right now, facing federal racketeering charges on top of everything we’re throwing at him locally. ”
Blair let out a long, slow breath, a profound sense of relief washing over her. She leaned back in her chair, looking out the window at the quiet, sun-drenched town square below. “It’s really over. The valley is safe. Whispering Pines land is safe.”
“Because of you,” Silas said softly.
Blair turned her gaze back to him, her heart skipping a beat at the intense, steady warmth in his eyes. There was no professional distance left between them now—not after the porch last night.
“Because of us,” Blair corrected gently, reaching across the desk.
Silas met her halfway, his large, calloused hand enveloping hers with a gentle pressure that felt entirely like a promise.
“I spoke to the District Attorney this morning. He knows the city firm is expecting you back next week to discuss your partnership track.” He paused, his thumb tracing a slow circle over the back of her hand.
“He wanted me to tell you that the county’s senior assistant position is open. Permanently. If you want it.”
Blair looked down at their joined hands. A week ago, the city partnership was everything she thought she wanted. But looking at the quiet dignity of this town, and the man sitting across from her, the roaring traffic and glass high-rises felt incredibly hollow.
“I think the city can survive without me,” she whispered, looking up to meet his eyes with a bright, certain smile. “I’ve grown partial to the mountain air. And the local sheriff.”
Silas’s jaw relaxed into a wide, rare smile that completely transformed his rugged face. “That’s the best piece of legal news I’ve heard all year.”
Before he could say more, the office door burst open, and Jonah walked in, practically radiating energy. He was wearing his best button-down shirt, though he still had a small smudge of charcoal on his forearm from cleaning out the farmhouse woodstove earlier that morning.
“Tell me you two are done with the paperwork,” Jonah said, clapping a heavy hand on Silas’s shoulder.
“Because Naomi just called from the church. The florist arrived three hours early, the baker delivered a cake that’s currently leaning slightly to the left, and she needs the Best Man and the Maid of Honor on-site immediately to prevent a total logistical collapse. ”
Blair laughed, quickly stacking her files into a neat pile and sliding them into her desk drawer. “The legal system can wait, Jonah. We have a wedding to save.”
Silas stood up, letting go of Blair’s hand but keeping his gaze locked on her as she grabbed her purse. “Let’s go get our friends married.”