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The backyard of Nico’s cottage—her cottage too now she had to keep reminding herself—was decked out for the occasion.Lanterns hanging on poles had already been lit and a string of fairy lights glowed cheerfully over the arbor which had been decorated with posies of white flowers.The soft light of late-afternoon shone, lending an orange hue to the trees in the orchard behind the arbor.It was a still and balmy evening, the heat of the summer day just now lifting, leaving a gentle breeze and a lilac sky.Music drifted from hidden speakers, and rows of rustic benches marked a makeshift aisle, as many excited faces turned to stare at her, a hush falling over the crowd as they noticed her.The nerves came back a little then as she saw how many people were here, all looking at her.
Linc sat in the last chair of the back row.He turned and gave her such a beaming, sunny smile, almost as if he was the one getting married.“Looking good, Shorty,” he mouthed, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him, her anxiety melting away with his white, toothy grin.Her gaze drifted to the rest of the rear row of seats, which were filled with other officers.Shadbolt was there with his wife—Lacey had never considered what Shadbolt’s wife would look like, but was surprised to see a petite woman with lots of bouncing, curly hair and a broad smile—Gorman and Hickey sat next to him, looking slightly uncomfortable in their suits, the stitches on Hickey’s ensemble straining around his biceps and broad chest almost to breaking point.Constable Dawn Lawson was there, and surprisingly even Detectives Saito and Pederson.She was glad they’d decided to come, although Pederson wouldn’t quite meet her eye, which didn’t surprise her.If Nico had followed Pederson’s lead on the case, rather than using his own intuition, Lacey might well be dead by now.
Margie waved at her energetically from her seat three rows back, looking like a bright butterfly in her orange and pink flowered dress.Herb sat beside her, looking almost as uncomfortable in his suit and tie as Gorman and Hickey.And there were lots of other locals, who she and Nico had got to know over the past few months, familiar faces that made Lacey feel calm.They were the faces of her home now.
Family from both her mother’s and father’s sides were standing in the front row.Aunts and uncles and cousins she hadn’t had a lot to do with over the past few years, but like always, a wedding brought them out of the woodwork.
Taylor waved at her shyly, her mother standing ramrod by her side, watching everyone warily.Her poor mother, she may never be able to trust anyone or any situation ever again.Part of Lacey understood where that fear was coming from.But Taylor seemed to be coping much better.She looked bright-eyed and determined in her summery dress, showing off her coltish legs, her long, auburn hair floating around her shoulders, not caring that her scars were on display.Most of them were healed now, but she’d always bear the marks of her terrible time in Serge’s hands.She was so beautiful.And so alive.Lacey didn’t want to think about the alternative.Serge had let her go, and now he was in jail, where he could no longer hurt anyone.That was the reality, and she shouldn’t dwell on what-ifs.Taylor had agreed to fly over from Brisbane for the wedding, and Lacey was so glad she’d decided to come.It felt like she now had some sort of closure on that whole terrible episode.
Lacey glanced down and saw her father standing at the bottom of the steps, waiting patiently.He was going to give her away.It was only fitting, even though she’d questioned her reasoning many times in the past few weeks.A little voice of sedition had murmured that her father hadn’t really done much in the way of being a true father, and that perhaps she didn’t want him giving her away.But he was her father, and she’d decided not to take that honor away from him.The way he was smiling at her now, so full of pride and standing so tall in his impeccable dark-gray suit, she was suddenly glad she’d stuck with her decision.
But before she took those steps down to her father, she raised her gaze to see Nico proud and tall waiting for her at the end of the aisle.Her brave, beautiful man.Smudge sitting obediently at his master’s feet.Her equally brave and beautiful dog.
She’d heard from a little birdie—her sister Sammy had delightedly nudged her elbow and whispered in her ear earlier—that Nico had looked decidedly ill all morning, like he might be about to puke all down his black tuxedo.Lacey didn’t blame him, after her own wedding jitters back in the bedroom.She wasn’t sure if he was more worried about getting married, or becoming a father, or both, all had happened in a whirlwind over the past few weeks.
The “Wedding March” began to play, and everyone stood.It was time.She stepped carefully down and took her father’s proffered elbow.He smiled at her.“You look lovely,” he said, and there was no doubting the pleasure in his voice.
Lacey walked on air all the way down the aisle, her father’s firm grip on her arm the only thing from stopping her floating away on a bubble of happiness.Fleetingly, she caught sight of Elora standing beside Aunty Pam and Uncle Donald who’d flown over from America for the wedding.Aunty Pam looked a lot like her older sister, but that was where the similarity stopped, because her eyes twinkled with delight as Lacey walked by.Her mother’s face, however, was blank as she merely lifted one eyebrow in an arch when Lacey passed.Who the hell knew what that was supposed to mean.Her mother was a closed book most of the time.But Lacey was too happy to care right now.Her brother, Matty, lifted his chin and gave her a wink of appreciation, making her forget about her mother.It was so nice to have him and her sister here to share in this day.It felt like perhaps her family might be wobbling their way back to some kind of normality.
In the front row on the opposite side of the aisle, Catarina waved a lace handkerchief in front of her face, her eyes already damp and the ceremony had yet to begin, her arm linked tightly through Andy’s, seeming to use him to hold her upright.Beside them, Gaëlle was practically jumping on the spot with excitement.
Nico’s younger sister had been a godsend.She’d arrived a week ago to lend a hand planning this hasty wedding, and she’d been in her element, helping Lacey choose the flowers, dealing with the furniture hire company, stringing all the fairy lights in the garden and so much more.She was also the spitting image of Nico, except where Nico rocked the tall, dark, and handsome image, she was petite, blonde, and bubbly.Their facial expressions were the same, and she had the same way of piercing you with her stare, lasering all her focus on you while she listened to what you had to say.Her boyfriend, Oscar, had arrived yesterday, escorting Catarina and Andy across to the island on the ferry.They’d been going out for nearly six months now, and Gaëlle had confided in Lacey that her biological clock had started ticking all of a sudden a few months ago, and while she didn’t want to scare Oscar, she was hoping this wedding might nudge him in the right direction.All of Nico’s family were staying here, in the house with them.Which meant the little cottage was bursting at the seams.But it was a happy house, full of light and laughter, and Lacey didn’t begrudge one second spent getting to know Nico’s family.
Lacey lifted her head to see Sally-Ann on one side of the altar, along with Lacey’s sister, Sammy, both looking pretty in their chosen outfits.Lacey wasn’t the sort of bride to demand her bridesmaids wear a certain matching dress.She gave them a color scheme and let them choose whatever suited their bodies best.And they both looked stunning.Sally-Ann twitched at her dress a little nervously, then shot Lacey a warm smile.Sammy looked as glamorous as always, but Lacey could tell even she was a little tense.She hoped some of Sally-Ann’s homespun, kind spirit and cheerfulness would rub off on Sammy, who’d been a tad distant all day.But Lacey put that down to Elora’s influence.Because her mother wasn’t allowed to lecture Lacey, she was taking her spite out on Sammy instead.But as Lacey drew closer, Sammy seemed to draw herself up and beamed at her older sister, a genuine happiness in her smile that lightened Lacey’s mood even more.
Tyrell and Brice, Nico’s brother, stood next to Nico on the other side.Lacey had been so glad when Nico chose Tyrell to be one of his groomsmen.He was Nico’s best ally at work, but more than that, he was also a great friend.Gabriel had been Nico’s best friend in Burnie, but after he was incarcerated, Nico hadn’t really bothered to find anyone else to replace that bond outside of work yet.It was a shame that Tyrell would be shipping back to America soon.
She barely noticed her father leave her side and walk back to join her mother in the front row.All she wanted to do was stare at the man she was about to marry in front of her.
The celebrant cleared her throat and brought her book up in front, ready to begin the ceremony.A slim woman, wearing a flowing linen dress and lots of bohemian jewelry, the celebrant’s voice was soft and calming; exactly what Lacey needed right now.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Sally-Ann’s appreciative glance in Tyrell’s direction.He was certainly a handsome man, but even more so in his black suit and tie, which was a nice foil to his dark skin and white on white teeth.About the same age as Sally-Ann as well.And single.Hmm.She made a mental note to look into that match later.Much later.But maybe she’d just found a reason for Tyrell to stay in Tasmania after all.
“Welcome, family and friends,” the celebrant intoned, and Lacey shut everyone else out of her mind.It was just her and Nico, and the words of the celebrant.The woman read the introduction, but Lacey barely heard her, all she could see was the sapphire blue in Nico’s eyes.
Then suddenly, she caught the words, “Nicolas Favreau, do you declare before me and before your witnesses here present, that you come here voluntarily and without reservation and that you are free by law to be married to Lacey Carmichael today?”
“I…”His voice broke, and he had to clear his throat and start again.“I do.”
And that’s when Lacey’s tears threatened to overflow.God, she’d never been a crier.Certainly never cried at weddings before.But then she’d never attended her own wedding before either.Never been about to marry the most perfect man in the world.
Then it was her turn to say “I do” and now her throat was closing up.
Nico had composed himself by the time he had to speak his vows.They’d both written them in secret, and she had no idea what he was about to say.
This time his voice was deep and full of purpose as he spoke.“I promise to stand by your side and respect everything you do.There is danger in our chosen professions, but I promise to love you enough to not interfere or argue with your choices.”There were a few quiet chuckles at that one.Everyone knew how overprotective Nico got.But Lacey liked his commitment, even when she knew she might have to remind him of his vows, and probably sooner rather than later.His need to safeguard her was exasperating, but also one of the reasons she loved him so much.
“I also promise to love, guide, and respect our child for as long as we all live,” Nico continued, but this time, his words caught her off guard.He’d included their unborn child in the ceremony and it touched a chord deep within her.He finished with, “You bring out the best parts of me.I give you everything I have and everything I am.”
And now it was her turn.She could hardly speak to utter her own vows.
She cleared her throat and concentrated on his face.The setting sun caught the scar on his cheek, making it seem more prominent.And making her remember how much she loved him.For all his differences and flaws.His imperfect perfection.
“You are my knight in shining armor, my guardian angel, my north and my south and my salvation.You are my everything.”And so much more, but she had to keep this short, otherwise they’d be here all night.And she was impatient to become this man’s wife.Then she could whisper all of these things into his ear as they lay cocooned in bed.
“But even though you are all these things, just remember that I can drop you on your ass whenever I feel like it.But I promise not to do it anymore.I don’t want our children to get the wrong idea.”Matty gave a startled laugh at this from behind her, and more than one person’s muffled giggle erupted from the crowd.
“I promise to respect you, and encourage you, walk beside you through whatever life brings, especially when you are in pursuit of justice and what is right.I promise to be grateful for you every single day and to choose you over and over again.Falling for you wasn’t a choice, it was an absolute, and I can’t wait to start our lives together.”
