Jim laughed harder, his belly bobbing. “Those damn boys. I don’t know where they got it from. Not from me.”

“Not from their mother,” Ellison said.

I stiffened at the mention of Jim’s late wife, Diane, but he grinned, his eyes lit only with fond memories.

He tapped the gold band on his finger. “She was a good woman. But she would never have caught my attention if she were all good.”

“The boys definitely get that from you,” Ellison said.

I wondered how long she’d known Jim. She seemed familiar enough with him to give him a hard time, but Taylor had never spoken of her.

She reached her arm behind me and squeezed, touching her cheek to mine. “It’s so nice to meet the other half of Tyler’s other half.”

Okay, maybe she’s just overly familiar with everyone.

Another woman approached us after taking a few pictures of the gazebo with her phone.

Ellison scooted down, creating an empty chair between us. “Sit here, Cami.”

“Oh, thank you,” Camille said.

I had the feeling Cami meant more than just giving her a place to sit.

Camille’s razored haircut bounced when she sat, and then she tugged at the bodice of her strapless dress. Her arms were covered in dozens of tattoos—large and small, simple and intricate—that ran down to her fingers.

She flashed a perfect smile, and I nodded.

“Falyn,” I said.

“I’m Camille.”

“Which …” I began but decided too late that it was an inappropriate question.

“Trenton,” she said.

Ellison held up Camille’s left hand. “They just got engaged! Can you freaking imagine?”

“I don’t … know what you mean,” I said.

Jim laughed. “She means, the thought of marrying a Maddox boy scares her. And she should be worried. She’s going to give in sooner or later.”

“According to Tyler,” Ellison said.

“You are not even fooling yourself,” Camille quipped.

Ellison just shook her head, still in good spirits.

After a few minutes, an older couple arrived with another woman. Jim introduced them as his brother, Jack, and his wife, Deana. The woman was America’s mother, Pam.

I looked down at my phone, checking the time. It was only ten minutes before the ceremony.

A fifth woman arrived, gripping her clutch and trying her damnedest to appear calm.

“Liis!” Camille said, a hint of panic in her voice. She reacted to Liis’s arrival, scooting away from me.

“What?” Ellison said, moving to the last seat in the row. “I thought …”

Camille seemed to just realize what would come next when she settled into her seat.

Liis stared in horror at the empty seat between Camille and me. Then she quickly sat down and looked forward.

Camille and Ellison traded looks, Camille’s cheeks flushing.