“After you,” he said to Becca. As she stepped inside the loft, he flicked on the lights to the main room.
“Surprise!” rang out in a great chorus of voices, along with a few barks. All their friends were there waiting for them—Jeremy and Charlie, Nick’s sister, Kat, and all of Nick’s teammates and their girlfriends. Baltimore police detective Kyler Vance, who’d been such an ally during their investigation, was there, too. And Nick had even managed to convince Walter and Louis Jackson to come. Walter had been Charlie’s landlord and had taken a special interest in helping Becca, even calling in the assistance of his son, Louis, who’d turned out to be an amazing resource for the team as the coordinator of the city’s task force on gangs.
“Oh, my God,” Becca said with a huge smile on her face. She turned and threw her arms around Nick. “You planned all this?”
Now he could grin. “I did good, huh?”
She laughed and hugged him tighter. “You did amazing.”
When they broke apart, he and Becca were surrounded by their friends and family, although the distinction didn’t mean much in this room. These people were all their family of choice. Everyone offered words of congratulations as Becca showed off her ring and recounted his proposal.
“Congrats, man. I couldn’t be happier for you,” Jeremy said, wearing the most unreserved smile Nick had seen on his brother in weeks. Not that Nick could blame him—between recovering from brain surgery, managing the construction on the other half of the Hard Ink building, and grappling with the death of two friends in the attack, the guy had a lot on his plate.
“Thanks, Jeremy. That means a lot,” Nick said. He shook his brother’s hand and tugged him in for a quick hug. “I’m happy for you, too. You and Charlie.”
Becca arched a brow at Charlie. “So, going to a movie, huh?” Charlie’s smile was a little sheepish, where Jer’s was a total shit-eating number that said he was pleased with himself for pulling one over on her. “So you were in on all this?” she asked them.
Charlie nodded. “It’s nice to have something else to celebrate.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Nick said as he watched Becca hug the blond-haired man who’d helped make tonight possible when he’d given Nick his blessing to propose to his sister.
Someone touched Nick’s arm, and he turned to find Kat standing beside him. Short, with long brown hair, she matched Nick for stubbornness and guts, something she’d proven more than once during the recent investigation. “She’s really good for you, Nick. You deserve this. And I’m really proud of you,” Kat said. Given the way the two of them butted heads sometimes, the words meant a lot. They hugged, and Nick was reminded yet again just how much he had in his life now. Because of Becca.
“Thanks, Kat. Although all this happiness is really fucking weird,” he said.
Rolling her bright green eyes, she shook her head. “Too damn bad. You’ll just have to get used to it.” She linked arms with Becca. “So when do we get to go dress shopping?”
“I’d love to help, too,” Sara Dean said, brushing her red hair back from her face.
“I hadn’t even thought about it yet,” Becca said, looking between Kat and Sara. Of all the women here, Becca and Sara had known each other the longest. Nick knew that Becca held a special affection for Sara, who’d helped him and the team rescue Charlie from the basement of the strip club where Sara had been forced to work. “I’m off on Thursday and Friday, so maybe then? Jenna and Emilie can come, too. We’ll do a whole girls’ day.”
“After everything that’s happened, isn’t it weird to think we can just go shopping?” Sara said. Words of agreement rose up all around, and Nick was glad that Becca had a close group of friends to share all this with.
Shane McCallan came up behind Sara and kissed her on the cheek. “Champagne?” He held out a tray of plastic flutes. Sara looked up at Shane with so much affection on her face, and Nick wondered if he and Becca were that blatant with their feelings. Hell, he guessed they probably were. But everyone in this room deserved a big old slice of happiness, so Nick couldn’t begrudge a single one of them.
“You make a good waiter,” Nick said to his best friend as he took a glass for Becca and himself. “In case this security business doesn’t work out, and all.”
“Don’t make me tell you to fuck off at your engagement party,” Shane said, a hint of his Southern accent coming through.
Nick laughed and shook the guy’s free hand. “Thanks again for coming with me today.”
“Wouldn’t have been anywhere else,” Shane said. And Nick knew that was true, despite the initial disbelief and subsequent ribbing Shane had dished out when Nick had told him what he planned to do.
When everyone had a glass of bubbly in their hands, Shane called out, “Hey everyone, gather ’round. I’d like to make a toast.”
Standing in a big circle between the loft’s open living room and kitchen, everyone quieted. Becca slipped her arm around Nick’s back and leaned in tight against his side.
Shane held up his glass. “Nick Rixey is my best friend, my teammate, and my brother, and I know he’d lay down his life for me as quickly as I’d do the same for him.”
“Fuckin’ A,” Nick said, giving Shane a nod. Their other teammates—Beckett Murda, Derek “Marz” DiMarzio, and Edward “Easy” Cantrell—sent up words of support, too.
“So I couldn’t be happier,” Shane continued, “to see him getting everything he deserves. Well, maybe even more than he deserves, given how amazing Becca Merritt is.”
Against a round of laughter, Nick grinned and nodded, while Becca protested and hugged him.
Shane winked at her. “Becca, you went above and beyond in helping us clear our names, and I will forever be proud to call you my sister.” Before things had a chance to turn serious, he added, “So if you ever need any help with this stubborn pain-in-the-ass man with whom you’ve chosen to spend your life, you just let any of us know.” He gestured to the other guys in the room.
“Count me in for that, too,” Jeremy said with a big smile. Everyone laughed, and damn, it felt good seeing their friends at such ease.
“So let’s raise a glass to the couple who brought us all together. May love, peace, and happiness be your constant companions. To Nick and Becca.” Shane raised his glass higher.
“To Nick and Becca,” everyone called.
Grinning up at Nick, Becca clicked her plastic flute against his. “I love you,” she said.
“Right back atcha, Sunshine,” he said, his heart feeling two sizes too big for his chest. They drank.