“He’s not a hobo-sexual. He has his own house. Six of them, in fact.” One of them was actually a private island, and discovering that had made Chelle actually think about staying married long enough to go on vacation. “I hired Tony Falcon to do a background check on the quick and look into him. Nash Beckett came out clean. No priors. No history of unsavory things. No current wife. No unpaid debts to the mob. No insider trading. He is pretty much exactly as he presents.”

Karmel sighed and shook her head. “If you’re sure.”

Chelle gave her worried friend a quick hug. “I am.”

“Then I’m excited for the wedding.” Karmel grabbed the stack of the Guild Hunter series books by Nalini Singh from the counter, dropped them into her My Weekend’s All Booked tote, and slung it over one shoulder. “Okay, I’ve let you hide long enough. It’s time to break out of your rut and go talk to that fine man.”

“It’s not about that.” Chelle liked being on her own, not to mention she very much did not want someone else leaving her shower curtain open or loading the dishwasher wrong, nor did she want to deal with the small annoyances that came with sharing a space with another person. Set in her ways? Hell yes, she was, and that was just fine by her. “You know how much work goes into having a husband. I’ve reached a point in my life when I’m happy and don’t want to change anything. Getting married for real is pretty much the last thing in the world I want.” Chelle set her mug down on the counter. “That’s not a rut.”

“No,” Karmel said, “it’s clinging to control because you don’t want to be vulnerable because of your toxic family.” She gave Chelle a quick, solid hug. “As the great line goes, life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death. Go out there to that man and make yourself a plate.”

“You’re such a pain in my butt,” Chelle grumbled even as she knew her friend was right.

“That’s what makes me such a great friend.”

It was exactly the opening Chelle had been waiting for. “A good enough friend to marry us tomorrow?”

“Yes!” Karmel’s smile lit up her entire face. “I didn’t think I’d get to do it again after Darrell and Buzz’s wedding.” She clapped her hands together. “Oh, this is going to be wonderful. I have to tell you, though, that I have a one hundred percent totally in love record on my weddings.”

“You’ve only presided over your son’s wedding to his fabulous husband that he already loved.”

“Small details.” Karmel waved off what she obviously considered minor. “Now walk me to the door. You’re not going to get your happily ever after in your kitchen.”