Grilled Rye Murder: Book 16 in The Darling Deli Series by Patti Benning

married. The next time they ate together would be at their reception, as husband and wife. The thought sent a thrill through her.
    This is also going to be the last night I spend without him , she thought. Tomorrow night, we’ll be sharing a bed. That sent a different kind of thrill through her, and she blushed.
    Closing her eyes, she tried to calm her nerves. Tomorrow was going to be the happiest day of her life, but also, in a way, the most terrifying. This was a huge step that she was about to take. Tomorrow would be the first day of the rest of her life… but tonight would be a wonderful reminder of the past eighteen months.
    They had arranged their last dinner together as an unmarried couple at the Redwood Grill—the site of their first real date, and many dates since. She was wearing one of her very favorite black dresses, a comfortable pair of flats, and simple makeup. Tomorrow she was going to be spending most of her time completely done up, and she was determined to take her comfort when she could.
    “Don’t be nervous,” she whispered to herself. “It’s just a date like any other. You’ve got this.”
    After the date, she wouldn’t see David again until she was walking down the aisle. Candice and Martha, her two maids of honor, were spending the night at her house tonight, and bright and early tomorrow morning they would begin the arduous project of getting her—and themselves—ready for the ceremony. Moira’s one comfort was that everything was out of her hands now. All of the arrangements for the wedding had been made, and most were supervised by people whom she trusted deeply. As long as nothing unforeseen came up, all she would have to worry about was not falling on her face while she was trying to match her step to the bridal march.
    At the sound of tires on the gravel driveway she straightened up and gave each of the dogs a quick pet goodbye. “Maverick, Keeva, you two be good, all right? Candice should be here soon, and I’ll be back in a few hours.”
    She left them inside and met David just outside her front door. He took her in his arms, then kissed her before uttering a word.
    “Ready?” he asked.
    She nodded, trying to quell the newest swarm of butterflies in her stomach. Just another date , she reminded herself. “Let’s go.”
    Their regular table was waiting for them at the Grill, but Denise had gone the extra mile and had dressed it up with candles and roses. Moira smiled at the sight. She really did have great friends.
    “So,” he said, sitting down across from her. “How was your day?”
    “Busy,” she admitted. “There were a lot of last-minute arrangements to make, but at least everything is done now. I’m glad I made a checklist. Whenever I worry that I forgot something, all I have to do is look at the list.”
    “I wish you’d let me help more,” he said. “I feel bad that you’ve had to do so much by yourself.”
    “You’ve been working on the case,” she pointed out. “That’s just as important. Being married to someone in prison wouldn’t be much fun.”
    “That’s true, I suppose.” He gazed at her for a moment, then added, “You’re beautiful.”
    “This is one of my favorite dresses for a reason,” she joked.
    “I don’t mean just tonight,” he said, taking her hand. “I mean always. You’re the most beautiful, the strongest, the most good-hearted person I know. Every day I feel lucky that you agreed to spend the rest of your life with me.”
    “That’s—” She cleared her throat. “Thank you. I don’t even know what to say. I’m the one that’s lucky. Before I met you, I hadn’t even thought about getting married again.”
    As they spoke, her nerves melted away. What had she even been nervous about? This was David. Yes, tomorrow would change both of their lives forever, but in the end he was still the same man that she had spent the last year and a half falling deeper and deeper in love with.
    “Any news about the case?” she