I pulled out my wallet. “Let’s get it done.”

  * * * *

  Scotty scanned the wedding-cake-flavors menu as he sat next to me at a LBGTQ-friendly bakery called Creative Cakes.

  “Chocolate Raspberry Truffle,” he read.

  “I like chocolate. Not that fond of raspberries paired with it, though.”

  “It’s got Chambord.”

  I shrugged.

  He grinned. “Lemon Summer Berry. This light tender vanilla cake is accented with lemon mousse and strawberries and raspberries. That sounds better.”

  “Uh-huh. I like all of that.”

  “Southern Hazelnut Praline. Vanilla cake brushed with Frangelico and filled with hazelnut praline butter cream and a thin layer of chocolate ganache.”

  “Sounds very decadent.”

  “Sure does. And a Tuxedo Cake. Rich chocolate cake with vanilla mousse filling.”

  I smiled. “Yum.”

  “Now!” The owner of the bakery came out from the back, wiping her hands on a towel, and smiling big. “What would you like to taste?

  In the end, we went with a Black and White Cake, with marble cake and alternating layers of vanilla meringue and fudge butter cream.

  * * * *

  That night when we got home, I showed Scott the plans for our honeymoon. While I wanted to surprise him with it, I found that I couldn’t really hold back. I wanted him to know just what we had to look forward to for the cruise.

  “Wow,” Scott said, reading the stuff Gloria had printed out for me. “This is all so fancy, Edgar.”

  “Yeah, but it was reasonable, I promise. And we’re saving so much having the wedding at Mama’s.”

  “Okay. Well, let me know how much I owe.”

  “I’m paying for this.”

  “Edgar.”

  “No, I mean it, Scotty. We share most of our expenses already. And soon we will for everything. And the wedding, we are. I want to do this. Please?”

  We had plopped onto the couch with “cake overs,” as Scotty called it, our stomachs having tried way too much sugar. He seized my hand in his. I love the feel of his fingers wrapped around the palm of my hand.

  “I love you. And if this is really that important for you, then yes, okay.”

  “It is.”

  Scott leaned back his head. “I went and saw her again yesterday, by the way.”

  “Your mom?”

  “Yeah. When you went over to Gloria’s. She was okay. Better than the day we tried to see her. I told her about the wedding, and she seemed to understand.”

  “That’s great, babe.”

  “Yeah. So. I asked her to come. I mean, I think with it being at your mom’s, it’s going to be a bit less intimidating. And Ofelia said she’d bring her.”

  I caught the anxiety in his eyes. He actually was concerned I’d protest his mother coming. He still didn’t get that I would do anything for him, give anything to him. But I’d spend the rest of our lives making sure he knew.

  “Scotty, I’m glad. I want her there.”

  “You do?”

  “She’s your mom. Why in the world wouldn’t we want her to be there?”

  “It might not be a good day. She might cause a scene.”

  “Sure. And if that’s the case, we’ll deal with it. But she might not. And I would hate for you to ever regret that she wasn’t there.”

  He had tears welling in his eyes. “It’s not like she was mother of the year.”

  “I know. But she’s the only one you had. So she comes.”

  “Edgar, I—”

  “I feel the same, Scotty. I couldn’t be happier that you’re going to be my husband. I can’t wait to start our lives as husbands.”

  Chapter 8

  A crazy amount of planning went into everything. Before I’d decided that I wanted to marry Scotty, I’d really had no idea. It seemed simple. I was responsible for solving murders. I’d been a cop for years. I had a pretty good education. I owned a house.

  But damn wedding planning was hard. I’d wondered more than once if I should have hired someone instead of us trying to do it all ourselves. It saved money, sure, but not headaches. I had those in droves.

  We finally booked caterers. We decided on something simple. Only two choices. Baked chicken with wild rice or a vegetarian pasta.

  We bought ten bottles of red wine and ten bottles of white. We bought five bottles of champagne. And several cases of beer. We rented plastic washable wine and beer glasses.

  It would have to be enough, we decided in the end.

  Parker’s old partner agreed to act as our bartender to pour wine and beer for us. For free. That was a godsend. And we ended up agreeing to allow Mama and Gloria to handle all the flowers, as they had insisted.

  A few days before our nuptials were to take place, Scotty sent me a text, asking me to meet him at the harbor. Someone less confident than me might have been worried he was meeting me there to break things off. Call an end to the wedding and everything.

  But, nah. I was rock solid with Scotty and he with me. There was no one I trusted more than him.

  He was standing next to a bunch of docked sailboats when I arrived. There was just the lightest of breezes coming off the bay when I stopped beside him. A perfect day in Haydon Cliff. The kind that would make you forget there was ever any crime there. We knew differently, of course.

  “Hi, babe.”

  Scott kissed me. Right out in public and in front of everyone. Yeah, we’d made progress. There’d been a time when he was firmly in the closet.

  “What’s up?” I asked. His crystal blue eyes were shining with a heady mixture of love, mirth, and excitement.

  “Look.”

  “What?”

  Scott put his hand up to my face, framed my jaw, and turned my head to look at the sailboats. “Look.”

  “What am I looking at?”

  I mean obviously there was some really nice looking boats, but…

  “Edgar. Look.”

  This time, he was pointing. I looked. At the end of the left side of the row of boats was a slightly battered sailboat. It appeared like maybe it had been recently painted. And then I read the name on it.

  Edgar’s Lady.

  My mouth dropped open. “Scotty, what did you do?”

  “That there boat is your wedding present.”

  He still held onto my face or I would have turned to gape at him. “My-my wedding present,” I said faintly.

  “Yep. It’s used. Obviously. And okay, I have to make payments for a few months, but I got it for a steal.”

  “But even used sailboats are like twenty thousand dollars!”

  “This wasn’t quite that. Like I said, I got it for a steal. Nice guy. Remember Mr. Whitaker? We…solved his daughter’s murder.” His voice had softened quite a bit there. His hand dropped from my face, but he smiled, even if it was a little sad.

  “Yeah. I remember him. He was really sweet.”

  “It was his boat. He’s leaving Haydon Cliff. His other daughter lives in Arizona and he can’t use this boat there.”

  “This is amazing, Scotty. I just…I never imagined.”

  “I know. It was a surprise. A good one, I hope.”

  “A very good one.” And I was feeling incredibly emotional. I didn’t get that way. Not ever. That wasn’t me. But I was amazed that Scotty had done this for me. Bought a sailboat. Because I mentioned wanting one and he loved me. And I was also sad because of Mr. Whitaker and his daughter. Life sucked sometimes and he had deserved to outlive his daughter, but he didn’t. And also because for me and Scotty there would be no more Mr. Whitakers together. We weren’t partners on the force anymore. Never would be. And that sucked, too.

  “We were really good together.”

  It didn’t surprise me at all that Scott knew the direction of my thoughts. People talked about soulmates. I’d always thought that was nuts. Until I met Scott O’Hara. The perfect partner in every single way for me.

  “The best,” I whispered. “And I’ll still have you. I know. Every day I’ll come home to you and that’s really the greatest thing ever. And Sean’s okay. He really is.”

  “Had to be hard to admit,” Scott joked.

  “Beyond hard. But true. He’s okay. And pretty smart. A good cop. He’ll make a decent partner. But he’ll never ever be you.”

  I pulled him close and held onto him, burying my face in his neck.

  “Thank you.”

  I meant for everything. All that we’d ever been through. I knew Scott would understand, too. He always did.

  “You’re welcome, babe. You’re welcome.”

  * * * *

  “Should I write my own vows?”

  Callahan stared at me. “Isn’t the wedding tomorrow? Aren’t we headed into your rehearsal dinner?”

  “Well, we don’t really need a rehearsal dinner. We just wanted to have a ‘dinner the night before’ kind of thing.”

  “Right. I get that. Writing your own vows takes time, doesn’t it? I mean, you don’t think up the night before ‘well, let me write this.’ Didn’t you and Scott talk about this?”

  I shrugged, then opened the door of the Italian restaurant where we were meeting everyone. The place belonged to an uncle of Callahan’s boyfriend, Mantegna.

  “There’s so much to talk about, I forgot to bring it up. I just thought about it this morning and wondered if I should have done it.”

  “Go with traditional, Lopez. Take my advice.”

  “Your advice about what?” Andy Mantegna asked, approaching us. He greeted Callahan with a peck.

  “Wedding ceremonies,” I replied.

  Mantegna rolled his eyes. “What does this clown know about those?”

  “Hey. I know things.”

  “Sure. Sure. Scott’s over there, Edgar. Seany, come meet my uncle.” Mantegna led Callahan away.

  I found Scott sitting next to my mama. I kissed them both.

  “This is it,” I announced in a dramatic voice.

  “No, tomorrow is it,” Mama said. “You ready?”

  “I am. I’m even packed for the cruise.” I sat next to my intended. “How about you, sugar? You ready?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Ready as he’ll ever be.” I chuckled. “Should I be seeing you? Is it bad luck?”

  “That’s on the day of the wedding and that’s in a wedding dress. Which I’m not wearing, so we’re good.”

  I noticed he held a glass of wine. Not that surprising, really. “Where’d you get that? I could use one myself.”

  Scott stood up. “I’ll get you one.”

  When we were alone, I turned to my mother. “Thank you for all of this. Making it happen. Suggesting your house for it. I think it’s really helped Scotty. He feels better about having his mother there.”

  “She should be there.” Mama patted my leg.

  “I agree.”

  “When you first told me you were gay, I didn’t think I’d ever get to be at your wedding,” she confessed.

  My eyebrows shot up.

  She waved her hand. “Not because I didn’t think you’d find love. You’re very loveable.”

  I snorted.

  “I didn’t even wonder if you’d ever settle down. Men, they like to sew wild oats.”

  This time I didn’t comment or make a noise. I wasn’t sure if she was right. Maybe. I guessed.

  “But I didn’t think this country would make it legal for same-sex couples. Not while I lived. So…I’m glad I was wrong. And that you get to marry the man of your dreams all legal and everything.”

  “Do you wish I got married in a church?”

  “Eh. Maybe a little. But you have to find the path right for you. Not what I say. Not what they say. It’s yours to do with as you want. Yours and Scott.”

  I nodded, musing. “Mama, do you think we should have kids one day?”

  “Kids? I didn’t even know you were thinking about that.”

  “I’m not. I mean, not yet. And I haven’t talked about it with Scott. Maybe I should. Heterosexual couples talk about that kind of thing before they get married, right?”

  She shrugged.

  “Did you and Pop?”

  “Not really. I mean, I just assumed we would. I think he just assumed the same thing. Life wasn’t the same as it is now. It wasn’t so complicated then. If you and Scott want to do it, you’ll find a way. And if you don’t? What does it matter? That’s also part of your path. Your choices.”

  She left me then to go play hostess as Scott returned to me with a big glass of chianti.

  “What were you and your mama talking about?”

  “Kids.”

  Scott choked on a sip. “Huh?”

  I grinned. “We probably should have talked about it. You want some? I mean, someday. With a surrogate. Or adoption. Whatever our options might be.”

  Scott shook his head. “Honestly? I’m not ready to even think about that. Our line of business. Do we even have time for that? We barely have time for each other sometimes.” He peered at me. “What about you, Edgar? You want some?”

  “Not sure either.” I shrugged. “At least we’re on the same page about that. I never thought it was something I needed to consider. But in the future? If we want to talk about it, who knows?”

  Scott fell silent. Then he moved his shoulders in a way that wasn’t exactly a shrug, but close. “I worry sometimes.”

  “About what, babe?”

  “The Early Onset Alzheimer’s. I mean, Ofelia and everyone says Mom’s isn’t the kind that’s hereditary. I get that’s what they say…”

  “But?”

  “There’s so much they don’t know until they know it. Right? Maybe they’re wrong. Passing on my genes to some child.” He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “There’s adoption.”

  “Or even using you instead of me.”

  I nodded. “We don’t have to make any decisions, Scotty. Let’s just enjoy this. Our immediate future. The wedding, the cruise, the sailboat. Life looks pretty good right now from where I’m sitting.”

  He smiled and leaned into me. “Me, too.”

  * * * *

  “We are gathered here today to join in matrimony Edgar Lopez and Scott O’Hara.”

  I looked across at Scott as we stood underneath the wedding arch decorated with tiny red, pink, and white roses. Mama and Gloria had outdone themselves. Not just with the roses on the arch, but all the flowers attached to the aisles and the chairs and the table. The whole backyard looked and smelled amazing. I couldn’t imagine a florist could have done any better of a job. I was filled with love, appreciation, and pride for their gift of doing this for us.

  Callahan beamed at us and at the crowd of our friends and family gathered in Mama’s backyard to watch us.

  Sitting in the front row was Mama. She was holding onto the arm of Scotty’s mother, who sat, rather serenely I might add, next to her. They both wore soft peach dresses, chosen to complement each other. On the other side of Mama was Gloria and Matteo. And on the other side of Scott’s mother was Ofelia, her husband, Ryan, and their two kids.

  The precinct was out in force. No pun intended. Rivers, of course. And Mantegna. And everyone else, really. Parker stood next to Scott. He looked surprisingly elegant in his rented tux. And not at all uncomfortable standing there as I’d thought he’d be. My cousin, Bobby, stood next to me.

  It was a perfect sunny day in Haydon Cliff. Well, on the edges were a few white puffy clouds, but that was it. No fog and not really even an annoying wind. God had been kind to us.

  We didn’t have to leave for Seattle for the cruise until the day after tomorrow. I’d planned it that way with Gloria. It would be nice for Scotty and I to have a full day of wedded bliss at home before traveling. And when we returned, I’d be checking out my wedding present to find out how seaworthy it was. Year and years ago, when Pop had been alive, I’d spent some time on the seas with him. I knew a thing or two about it. And what I didn’t know, I’d learn. With Scotty.

  “Edgar?”

  I blinked. Stared at Callahan. “Yes?”

  Everyone laughed like there was some big joke I’d missed. Obviously, I had.

  Callahan said, “Scott wants to say something to you.”

  I turned to gape at him. “Scotty?”

  He smiled. “I’ve been practicing.”

  I had a little moment of panic. Okay, a huge moment of panic. “But…I didn’t write any vows. Sean said to stick with traditional.”

  “I know,” Scotty said. “It’s a surprise.”

  “Scotty,” I whispered.

  “It’s okay, Edgar.” Scott cleared his throat. “I never in a million years imagined I would fall in love with my best friend. But I did. And he fell in love with me. And sometimes I wake up and look at him while he sleeps, and I know I’m just the luckiest guy in the world. Edgar thinks that I don’t entirely trust him with my heart, but that someday I will. That someday is now. I do. With all that I am and all that I’ll ever be, I give my heart, my faith, my fidelity, my everything to you, Edgar Lopez, now and forever, for the remainder of our lives, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, and until death parts us.”

  And damn it, my eyes filled with tears again. Only Scott could do this to me.

  I shook my head. “I really am not prepared.”

  Scott laughed. But he had tears in his eyes, too.

  “When Scotty and I got together, I said I didn’t want any labels. I asked why we had to have them. I took him for granted like the arrogant idiot I can be, and I came ridiculously close to losing him. I will be forever grateful you gave me another chance, Scotty. Because I believe in labels now. And the label I want for you is my husband, my friend, my brother, my life, Scott O’Hara, now and forever, for the remainder of our lives, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, and until death parts us.”

  “And now,” Callahan said. “By the power invested in me by the state of California, I pronounce you, lawfully wed. You may kiss your husband.”

  The loud cheers were ear-piercing as Scotty and I sealed our vows and our love with a long, satisfying kiss.

  We broke apart as our guests threw rose petals at us and the mariachi band began to play.

  I clutched Scott’s hand and faced them and the day and our lives the way it should be…together.