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I knew exactly which cousin he was talking about and I could guarantee that if Ryan were not a ghost, he and Maeve would have in some way embarrassed me with inappropriate behavior at the wedding.

Thewedding.

My insides all fluttered at the thought of planning a wedding and then actually getting married.

“Maeve hates men in uniform.”

“I don’t have a uniform, just a badge. And all women love a man in uniform. It’s a fact.”

“She doesn’t.”

She did. I just wasn’t going to admit that unless it was under actual torture. I didn’t want him to pine for anything beyond what he already was.

“You’re going to be a bridezilla.”

“Probably.” There was no point in denying it. I worried about everything, I loved details, and I wanted pure perfection. No recipe for disaster there.

“Did you say Alyssa’s married? When did that happen?”

“Oh, she got drunk at the FOP party and married a sheriff that she knew for about three hours.”

Ryan nodded. “That’s fair.”

“How is that fair? I’ve known Jake for eight years and you think it’s nuts I’m marrying him but Alyssa can spontaneously marry a stranger?”

“You’re very different people.”

“I can’t argue with that.”

I couldn’t arguewith Alyssa apparently, which was how Jake and I wound up having dinner with her and Lawson Hill on Friday.

Jake couldn’t argue withme, so in spite of his earlier protests he didn’t want to go to dinner on a double date he accepted his fate.

We were in a restaurant downtown, which in no way was the halfway between Alyssa and Lawson like she had told me she’d promised him. It way leaned in her favor, by about thirty miles, which was in our favor as well, so I wasn’t going to butt into her “marriage.” It seemed Lawson couldn’t argue with Alyssa either.

She was a force.

Once upon a time, I had wanted to be a force as well, but like Jake, I’d accepted my fate.

I was beige coordinates and stress sweat.

Much to Jake’s obvious relief, Alyssa and Lawson weren’t being lovey-dovey or touchy-feely. They seemed like a normal new couple, very much into each other, but still learning about each other.

Now Jake and Lawson were talking home renovation, which normally interested me, but I was worrying about both Ryan and the fact that James hadn’t shown up in days.

“I’ve had my house for about ten years,” Lawson said. “I redid the kitchen and the bathroom and some serious exterior work. It was a pain in the butt, but it’s really damn rewarding.”

“We’re at the stage where everything needs to be done so we’re not sure what to tackle first. Bailey started pulling down wallpaper and then stopped.”

“I didn’t know what I was getting into. I’ll get back to it after the play.”

“Play?” Lawson asked, lifting his beer halfway to his mouth. “Are you an actress?”

Lawson still didn’t trust me since the one and only time we’d met I had called him to report a corpse and then when he’d arrived it hadn’t been there. I think he was implying that liars are actresses and vice versa.

“No. I’m directing a production at the senior center where my grandmother hangs out. I inherited this project under duress.”

“If you need help I’ll jump in on costumes with you,” Alyssa said.