Page 87 of Champagne & Handcuffs

He leaned back in his chair. “And since you’re quitting your job and moving to Miami, I’m assuming you two hit it off?”

“Well,” I rubbed the back of my neck, “I actually proposed to her.” I wasn’t sure why I was nervous to mention that to him, but I was hoping he wouldn’t judge me for rushing in so fast. I didn’t feel that it was fast because this was Cat I was talking about.

“No shit?” Gibbs stood, knocking over his chair.

“Shit went down, bro.”

“Apparently.” He righted his chair and smoothed his tie before he sat down.

“You have no idea.” Gibbs was my best friend, and I knew I could trust him, so I told him about the wedding, the undercover case and how Cat got mixed up in it. When I was done, he stared at me, not saying anything. “You gonna say anything?”

“I can’t. I’m literally speechless.”

“It’s all good now. The perp is dead, Cat’s safe, and I got the girl.”

Gibbs blew out a breath. “Still, dude. That’s some crazy ass shit.”

“I know. I lived it.”

He stuck out his hand. “Congrats on finally getting your woman.”

I smiled and took his hand. “Thanks.”

The two weeks flew by.I was able to give my notice, put my condo on the market, and get most of my stuff packed. My last day on the job, Gibbs threw me a going away party at Lola’s. The entire station came to wish me luck. Even my folks.

“Son, I always thought you’d follow in my footsteps.”

Dad had spent twenty-five years on the force before he called it quits. In that time, he’d made detective, sergeant, and lieutenant. He retired before making captain because my mother had a hard time being married to a cop. Things got better between them once he made detective and started to work more at a desk than out in the streets.

“I am,” I clarified. A few days after I’d returned to D.C., I had dinner with my parents, told them about my time undercover and, of course, everything about Cat. My mom was sad I was leaving but excited to meet my future wife. Dad …

Well, I guess he wanted me to marry the job.

“Once you get settled, I’ll call my guy at Miami Dade and see what we can do.”

I smiled. “You don’t have a guy in Miami.”

He chuckled. “All I need to do is drop my title.”

“Your previous title,” I corrected.

“Troy, leave Seth alone. He’s a grown man.” My gaze flicked to my mom. “Maybe he doesn’t want to be a cop anymore.”

“Whoa.” I held up my palms in defense. “I’m only relocating. I ain’t quitting the force.” I had practiced being a cop practically my entire life. I didn’t just decide it one day when I was twenty-one. I lived and breathed it, and that was where I went wrong when it came to Cat.

That was no longer the case.

Mom smiled tightly. “A mother can dream.” My mother hadn’t wanted me to be a cop. However, she’d supported me when I went into the academy and ever since. That was what mothers did when their sons were no longer babies.

“Take care of Grandma, yeah?” Dad said, changing the subject.

“Harold is doing a bang-up job, Dad. I’ve never seen her so happy.”

“Your mom and I are visiting for Thanksgiving. I’ll be the judge of this Harold character.”

I shook my head, laughing. “I look forward to it.”

A bell behind the bar rang, and I turned to see the bartender, Greg, who I also considered a friend, holding up a pint of amber colored beer. I looked around to see everyone in the bar was holding up their drinks.