Page 88 of Champagne & Handcuffs
“I’ve known you for a long time, Seth. I was here when you solved your first case, through all the nights you were stressed about solving more cases and I’ve watched your revolving door of women through the years.” Everyone chuckled, including me. “I was even here to make your pain go away when that girl, who oddly enough is the reason you’re leaving, broke your heart. I’m going to miss you, Detective McKenna. You’ll always be a brother to me. And if beer were an ocean, and I was a duck. I’d swim to the bottom to drink my way up. But the ocean is not beer, and I’m not a duck. So here’s to us, now let’s get fucked up.”
The entire bar erupted into cheers, and that was exactly what I did.
A month later,I still hadn’t found a job. It wasn’t for lack of trying, but the process was taking longer than I’d thought it would. I debated submitting an application for a patrol position, but I knew in time that I’d find a job. Even if I had to call my old man and have him put in a good word.
My cell rang, and I picked it up off the coffee table. “Hey, baby,” I answered.
“Autumn had her baby!” Cat screeched.
I smiled. “That’s awesome.”
“Want to go to Vegas this weekend?”
I chuckled. “Do you?”
I could tell that every day got better for her. When I was back in D.C., there were some nights I had to stay on the phone until she fell asleep. Then there were times I’d wake up to a call from her asking me to calm her after a nightmare. It tore me up inside each time, but they were slowly coming to an end. I could feel it.
“I do. Face my fears and all that. Plus, I want to see that baby!”
“Okay, then let’s go to Vegas this weekend.”
She squealed. “I’ll tell Joss we’re coming and book us a flight.”
“Cat—” I started to protest.
“Don’t start with me, 5-0. We live in modern times. I can afford a trip to Vegas. You can’t ‘cause you aren’t working, and you aren’t working because of me.”
“Because of us,” I corrected. “I quit to make an us. You and me.”
“I know, and that’s why I’ve got this. Plus, you bought me a two-carat engagement ring and a trip to Fiji.”
And I’d spent most of my savings doing so, but I didn’t give a fuck. “All right. I’ll pack a bag.”
We arrivedin Vegas a little before midnight. We rented a car because there was no way Cat would ever step foot in a stranger’s car again. I didn’t blame her. When Gibbs and I had gone into that house with all the doll heads, I’d had nightmares about them coming alive. To this day it’s hard for me to even look at aBarbie. When Cat and I have kids, I would be praying for boys. And if we have girls, they’ll be playing withG.I. JoesandHot Wheelsor having tea parties with teddy bears. Ain’t no headless doll making their way into my house.
The following morning, Cat and I stopped at Starbucks outside of Bally’s before heading to Gabe and Autumn’s. We’d upgraded to a suite like we had the first time we’d stayed in the hotel. I wasn’t sure if any other place on the strip offered a fifty dollar upgrade, but Cat insisted we stay by Starbucks. What I wanted to do was find the taxi she was put in and drove to her nightmare. If he was still out there, he needed to be put away too. I needed to talk to Joss and find out where the case was at. Surely she’d gotten the camera feed from the hotel and had found that fucker.
We pulled up to the address that Joss had texted to Cat. Paul’s Jeep was sitting at the curb, so I parked behind him. I stole a glance at Cat before we opened the doors to get out. She was beaming.
“Ready?”
“You’re excited?” I teased.
Cat chuckled. “I’m excited to see our friends again, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, let’s go!” She opened the door and then she was out of the car. I followed, grabbing her hand as we walked up the walkway to the front door and rang the bell. Gabe pulled the door open.
“Hey, Papa!” Cat greeted.
He smiled, dimples appearing in his cheeks. “Hey, guys. Thanks for coming.”
We shook hands, Cat hugged him, and then she skated around him to where Autumn, the baby, Joss, and Paul were sitting.
“So what’s it like?” I asked, looking at Autumn as she passed her baby to Cat.
“Being a father?” he asked, shutting the door behind me.
