I tiltedmy head from side to side, trying to shake off the confetti. As Lukas handed me a glass of orange juice, his eyes met mine. ‘It’s a shame you can’t have champagne at your own wedding,’ he murmured.
I gazed at him. ‘I don’t need alcohol. I’m already intoxicated enough.’
He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. ‘We could send all the guests home,’ he growled into my ear. ‘We’ve done the ceremony part. The rest is just window dressing.’
‘We should probably feed them first.’
‘Probably.’
I leaned in towards him. ‘But we could always slip out between courses.’
His black eyes danced.
There was a click of heels and somebody behind us cleared their throat pointedly. Lukas and I turned. ‘I have a bone to pick with you,’ Buffy said, her hands on her hips.
‘With me?’ I asked.
‘Yes!’ she snapped.
By her side, Fred sent me an apologetic look followed by a helpless shrug. I glanced from him to Buffy. ‘You’re wearing matching clothes,’ I said faintly. It was true. Fred was wearing a pink three-piece suit with a navy-blue tie, while Buffy was in a pretty dress of the exact same shade of pink and with a navy trim.
Fred beamed. ‘You should have seen the hat that she tried to make me wear.’ From his expression and the way he touched the still-visible scar on the side of his head, he’d have been delighted to wear anything that Buffy asked him to.
‘Yes,’ Buffy said impatiently, ‘we both look gorgeous. I already know that.’ She glared at me.
‘Go on then,’ I said, relenting under the force of her stern expression. ‘What have I done?’
‘Why did you make Laura and Liza bridesmaids but not ask me to be matron-of-honour?’ she demanded,
I pressed my lips together.
‘Well?’
I leaned across and kissed her cheek. ‘Love you, Buffy.’
She huffed. ‘I love you too, detective.’ She wagged her finger in my face. ‘But next time, don’t you dare leave me out.’
Next to me, Lukas raised his eyebrows. ‘Next time?’
She raised her shoulders in a shrug. ‘I’m just saying.’ She looked down at my belly. ‘You could call the baby after me, if you like.’
Lukas choked on his drink. Fortunately, I was saved from responding by Grace limping over in our direction. ‘Emma! Congratulations!’
‘Thank you. How are you feeling?’
‘The physio is working wonders. I’ll be back to my old self in no time.’ He flicked a look over his shoulder. ‘I see Fred and I aren’t the only police who’ve been invited.’
I followed his gaze to DSI Lucinda Barnes, who was deep in conversation with Phileas Carmichael. Both of them seemed to sense they were the focus of our attention and turned towards us. Phileas bowed, his cheeks staining red as if he were still embarrassed about recent events. Barnes only raised her glass in a silent toast and smiled.
‘DSI Barnes and I had a meeting last week,’ I told him. ‘Everything is resolved and I’m in the clear.’
Lukas snorted. ‘I should think so too.’
‘There have to be checks and balances. Nobody is above the law.’
‘And that,’ Lukas told me, ‘is why the supernatural community have finally learned to trust Supe Squad.’
I bit my lip. The re-building of the Supe Squad headquarters was already underway, and it wouldn’t be long before we were back in our old place. I’d already had assurances from the supe leaders that any criminal acts committed by supes would fall under our jurisdiction. The fact that Max had slipped under everyone’s radar for so long had been more than enough for the last barriers to fall away, and even the likes of Lady Sullivan had acknowledged the need for an independent, autonomous organisation like Supe Squad. We were already making plans to encourage more supes to join up to avoid any hint of bias towards one group or another.
