Free Save the Date! by Heather C. Myers

ship.
    To be honest, Dixon hadn't even thought of that prospect. He took a sip of his hot coffee before leaning in the chair he was sitting in. Currently, he was in the Harrison's dining room, his blue eyes flickering around the room occasionally before returning to the paper. It was hard for him to actually read the words because his thoughts proved to be rather noisy.
    But if he were to get married, he actually liked the idea of getting married on a ship. Maybe he would find someone who was as interested about the sea and sailing as he was, as Gemma was. Hell, this whole fake wedding might have been more bearable if they were actually planning it on the ship.
    Everything had to be traditional.
    Except the age between them. That amused him to no end as well. But oddly enough, the Harrisons didn't mind. There was a gap between the married couple as well, so they weren't quite affected the way other parents may be.
    He flipped another page and came to an abrupt halt when he recognized his picture on the right page. There he was, with Gemma. It was one of the photos the couple had taken at the park. She had messed his hair up slightly so it was sticking up more so than usual, and he was on his knees, leaning forward. Gemma was wrapped around him, leaning her torso on his back, curling hers so it would shape to his own. Her hair fell over one shoulder as she rested her chin gently on the top of his head. Her arms coiled around his neck loosely, and Dixon's arms reached up to encompass her bare forearms with his long fingers. Oddly enough, both of them were smiling genuinely. They had managed to get a pedestrian to take the photo, and after posing, Gemma started to laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation was. Dixon had no idea why, but he joined in and the pedestrian took the picture.
    Upon studying it, Dixon's lips curved up. He liked this picture, despite the fact that most of it was staged.
    Gemma Harrison, 20, has found her Prince Charming in Dixon Black, 35. The two got engaged once Dixon took leave from his job at an undisclosed government agent, which was sometime late July. The wedding date is set in November or December, depending on how soon Dixon's family can come up from Atlanta, Georgia. They are said to be very much in love, despite factors that may have originally kept them apart. But love knows no boundaries, as they say…
    It took everything in Dixon to keep his laughter in check upon reading the announcement of their engagement. He wasn't exactly a romantic, but he was sure that if Gemma were with him right now, she'd be laughing her ass off.
    At that moment, Brent headed out downstairs with his own cup of coffee in his hand, looking like he just stepped out of a shower. As always, he was immaculately dressed, ready for work. Upon getting assigned this case, Dixon came to the house early and left late at night, so it was not uncommon to see him lounging around, much to Gemma's dismay. Brent walked out the front door after greeting Dixon, prepared to go to work. Carlene and her daughter had left moments ago, looking at place settings and the like, something Dixon didn't have to (and didn't particularly want to) be a part of.
    A moment later, Brent dashed back inside, his cup of coffee forgotten wherever he had left it outside. Dixon abruptly stood, perking his brow up as though to inquire what was wrong.
    "I found this," Brent said almost breathlessly.   He was holding a piece of paper with a pair of tweezers he probably kept in a tool kit in his car. "I found this in the mailbox."
    His hand shook as he handed Dixon the same engagement announcement, except this one was destroyed with a black permanent marker. Gemma's head was circled crudely, and the words I will get her , were written next to her.
    Suddenly, Dixon felt his blood run cold. "When did you get this?" he asked, his voice crisp and calculating. All the amusement had fled from his eyes and he looked expectantly at his boss.
    "I, I don't know,"