Page 58 of The Couple’s Secret (Detective Josie Quinn #23)

Two Weeks Later

“Mom, I’m not walking down the aisle. This isn’t a wedding!” Josie complained.

Shannon shoved a bouquet of flowers into Josie’s hand and circled her, fussing with her dress and her hair. “You have to get to the front somehow.”

“I know that,” Josie said. “But I don’t have to do it in a bridal procession. I wanted small and intimate.”

Shannon tucked a loose tendril of hair behind Josie’s ear. “You look stunning.”

From the other side of the French doors that separated the lobby from the main room, Josie heard talking and laughing and somehow, above it all, her husband’s deep, rich voice, like her own personal siren song.

She couldn’t see him now because Shannon wouldn’t let her peek through the doors but they’d gotten dressed at home so she already knew he looked gorgeous in a light brown suit that went perfectly with his hazel eyes.

From behind her came a loud snort, then Wren’s amused voice. “You are totally walking down the aisle.”

Josie turned around and her breath caught in her throat.

As much as she enjoyed looking at Noah, there was nothing more beautiful than one of Wren’s genuine smiles.

Josie mentally hoarded them like the little Wren addict she was, counting each one as a win in the battle against Wren’s grief.

The battle for her soul. That was the weighty responsibility that Dex had given her.

Things had improved a bit in the last two weeks.

The two of them had had an actual moment.

One evening after dinner, Wren presented Josie with a wad of cash.

“To pay for your new work shirts,” she had said nervously.

When Josie asked where she’d gotten it, Wren explained that she’d drawn several kids at school as superheroes and charged them a couple of dollars each.

Her peers had been far more excited about the idea than she anticipated so she’d earned quite a bit.

Wren still wouldn’t share her work with Josie, but she had allowed a brief hug.

Josie had floated around on a giant cloud of euphoria for days.

“Hey, you okay?” Wren said.

Josie blinked. Shannon was assessing Misty now and shoving another bouquet into Erica’s arms, and there was Erica’s grandmother, Miranda, sprung from her assisted living facility for the day, looking positively radiant in a beautiful, flowing lavender dress with her long white hair cascading down her back.

She kept her hand tucked in the crook of Erica’s elbow.

Miranda lived with aphasia which meant that she couldn’t speak.

With therapy and assistive devices, she’d come a long way, but whenever they took her out—which they did as often as possible—she stuck close to Erica.

Honestly, the two of them couldn’t get enough of one another.

Miranda saw Josie staring and gave her a bright smile. Then she winked.

Dammit all to hell.

The tears came so hot and fast, Josie had no chance of stopping them. She spun back around but not before Wren said, in an awestruck voice, “Oh my God. Are you crying?”

“She doesn’t cry.” Gretchen sauntered in from outside, wearing a dress that fell just above her knees, which was one of the oddest things that Josie had ever seen. The bridesmaid dress Gretchen had worn at their first wedding—attempted wedding—had been floor-length.

Tears forgotten, she stared stupidly at her friend.

“What?” Gretchen said. “What is it?”

“I don’t—you just—you have nice legs.”

Wren laughed. “Was that a compliment? ’Cause you said it in the same tone of voice Trinity uses when she tells someone they have something in their teeth.”

Gretchen smirked, her eyes sparkling as she held Josie’s gaze. “Yeah, that was a compliment. We have a weird dynamic.”

Shannon flitted over and thrust a bouquet at Gretchen. Then she stopped and looked her over. “Wow, Gretchen. You have great legs.”

“Thanks.” She sidled up to Josie. “This wedding is good for my self-esteem.”

Josie wiped her tears away, hoping her makeup wasn’t ruined. “It’s not a wedding.”

The ambient noise from the other room got louder as the doors opened just far enough for Trinity to squeeze through them. “They’re just about ready for us and oh, look! You all look fabulous.”

Josie turned again to survey the scene. Everyone’s dress was different but each of them was a shade of lavender. “Why do I have bridesmaids? Mom, did you make my friends bridesmaids? I hope you know I’m not walking down the aisle.”

Shannon ignored her, waving everyone else into a line and putting them one by one in front of Josie.

Wren said, “It’s cute how you think Shannon’s not the boss of you.”

“She’s not,” Josie mumbled but not loud enough for her mother to hear.

Then the doors were opening and all the best women she knew were walking in a line to a song she didn’t recognize.

Christian was there with his arm extended for her to take.

Her actual father walking her down an actual aisle toward a husband she’d gladly marry every day of the week, even if it meant tolerating Shannon as wedding planner.

At the front of the room, the Chief waited with a little black notebook in hand.

He was officiating. Little Harris bounced on the balls of his feet between Noah and Drake.

Noah’s brother, Theo, laughed at something that Patrick whispered in his ear.

There was an energy filling up the vast space that was improbably happy considering the hardship and heartbreak it had taken them all to get to this place.

Not just Josie and Noah but the Paynes, Erica, Miranda, and Wren.

Josie could get high on this feeling.

Christian gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving her standing across from Noah. He grinned at her. “Nice bridesmaids.”

She laughed, long and loud, and not even a little bit elegant. “You bought an anniversary band, didn’t you?”

“No comment.”

“Right. We’re returning it after this…whatever this is!”

Noah leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. Drake said, “We’re not at that part yet, you two. Break it up.”

“We can’t return it,” Noah whispered. “Wren picked it out.”

Josie gasped. Spinning, she found Wren right behind her. Without thinking, she took her hand, encouraged that Wren didn’t recoil or pull away. “You picked out the band?”

“Oh my God. It was supposed to be a surprise.” Craning to see Noah over Josie’s shoulder, Wren added, “You’re, like, the worst secret-keeper ever.”

“Thank you,” Josie told her. “Come on. Let’s do this together.”

Without letting go of Wren’s hand, Josie guided her until she was standing between her and Noah. Shannon appeared behind them like some kind of wedding ninja and took their bouquets.

Noah looked down at Wren and extended his palm. Josie knew that the playful look on his face was meant to reassure her that he wouldn’t be offended if she refused his offer. After a few seconds of consideration, Wren slid her hand into his, completing their circle.

“All right, all right,” the Chief said. “Everyone be quiet. Let’s get this wed?—”

Josie gave him a pointed look which he returned with a barely noticeable smile.

“Let’s get this renewal ceremony started.”