Chapter 5

The dashboard clockread midnight as Levi pulled the RX into the garage at home. A too-long workday on what was supposed to be a no-work day, but he was happy to do this favor for Jamie, and he was heartened by how his team had stepped up to help too. Including the snoring man beside him. He gave him a gentle shake. "We're home, babe."

Marsh lolled his head on the headrest, face tilted toward Levi. "Can I just sleep here?" he grumbled, eyes still closed.

Chuckling, Levi leaned across the console and pecked his lips, then, using the distraction and opportunity, unfastened Marsh's seat belt and opened his door. "Let's go, cowboy. I promise the bed is comfier."

Marsh grumbled some more, but, as Levi had learned about his husband, the siren call of the bed at the end of a long day was irresistible. He followed the lead Levi had left for him, climbing out of the car, grabbing his hat from the back, and meeting Levi at the interior door to the house. Before he got it open, though, the door to David's room off the back of the garage swung open. Their son looked ready for bed, dressed in a stolen FBI gym tee and wrinkled sleep pants, but the headphones around his neck and the game controller in his hand indicated otherwise.

"It's past time for you to go to sleep," Levi said.

"I'm off this week," David said with an insolent teen shrug. Definitely back to himself. "You two were supposed to be off too."

"Why?" Marsh said. He pushed off the doorjamb, tossed his hat to Levi, and crossed to David, looping an arm around his neck and dragging him into a sideways hug. "We've got the best wedding planner in San Diego."

David twisted out of his hold and split a glare between them. "Whatever you're doing, be done with it by Friday."

"Roger that." Marsh gave him a salute, then, grabbing his hat back from Levi, flipped it onto his head and disappeared into the house.

For his part, Levi gave his son a less rambunctious version of the hug he'd endured from Marsh. "You good?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine." David, thankfully, hadn't withdrawn into himself like he would have done before Marsh had come into their lives, before the cowboy had brought them each back to a place where they could communicate and heal after losing David's mom. To where they could be a family again. "It was a madhouse here tonight with the grandmas, but Nona and Pop came over, and Brax and I cooked." An even larger family than either of them could have imagined, Marsh coming with two moms and the Madigans and, by extension, the Talleys and their crew. "There's leftovers in the fridge."

"But what about you?" Levi asked again. "How are you? Anything from Reese?"

"Fuck him."

"Lang—"

David raised a hand, and his green eyes were as fiery as late mother's. "If there's a time I'm allowed to curse, this is it."

He had a point. "Fair," Levi agreed. "Fuck him. But, truth, how are you?"

"Good." He rotated back into his room, tossed his game controller in his desk chair, then folded onto the futon, one leg under him, the other hiked, chin resting on his knee. "It's good having all the family around, even if it is Grand Central here."

Levi leaned a shoulder against the jamb. "Anywhere you need me and Marsh tomorrow?"

"Not tomorrow," he said, raking a hand through his ginger curls, a frizzy halo this time of night. "I need you both Wednesday night for the cookout. Trevor will be here, and I cannot guarantee I won't lose my shit."

Levi stifled his laugh, barely, David's crush on Charlie and Sean's husband no less diminished. "Maybe we'll have this case done by then."

David snickered. "Someone's optimistic for midnight." Eyes rolling, he slumped back in the futon. "Just be done by Friday."

"Anyone ever tell you you're an awesome kid and wedding planner?"

"Remember that when you get your credit card bill for this week."

"Also fair," Levi said with a laugh. "Now, I'm going to bed before we do all the chaos again tomorrow." He turned for the house door, but David's softer, more serious "Hey, Dad?" had him turning back around.

"Danger level?" David asked.

It was a system they'd developed after last summer, a way for Levi and Marsh to be as honest as they could be with David about the danger involved with their work, with whatever particular case or cases they were working. And if last summer had been a ten out of ten, then this case... "Three out of ten."

"Good," David said. "Get done by Friday."

"Roger that," Levi said, echoing Marsh's sign-off, before he headed inside himself.

He found Marsh at the kitchen island plating leftovers. "Eat," he said, pushing a plate of grilled chicken kebab and couscous in front of the closest barstool. "We forgot to today."

Levi claimed the seat, then waited for Marsh to take the one beside him. "We're off the wedding hook until Wednesday night," he told Marsh as he pried a morsel of chicken and a charred pepper off the skewer. He popped it into his mouth and hummed appreciatively at the flavorful bite. "We need to bang this out tomorrow if we can. For our sakes and for Press's. He's got enough stress as it is, by the sound of it."

"He's impressive. Basketball career and law school." Marsh dredged a piece of chicken through the red pepper spread he'd heaped on his plate. "We'll go through everything with fresh eyes in the morning."

They finished their food, Marsh clearing the plates and...

A gentle shake brought Levi back to where he'd fallen asleep cheek down on the bar. "Let's go, Wolfy," Marsh said, using the nickname that always made Levi smile, had him burrowing into Marsh's side as they headed for the stairs. "Sleep now, and I promise to make your morning worth it."

Levi liked the sound of that. Liked the sound of his quiet house too, knowing it was full of love and family, all thanks to the man beside him. He rose on his toes, brushing his lips over Marsh's. "You make every day worth it. And I can't wait to marry you again."