“It’s now or never,” J.D. said and Tiffany steeled herself. She climbed out of the Cherokee and was hit by the strains of “The Anniversary Waltz” being played by a small dance band. The notes carried on a breeze tinged with the scents of cut grass and honeysuckle. A faint odor of cigarette smoke wafted through the summer air and the hum of conversation grew louder as they approached the single-story house.

Millions of tiny white lights decorated the trees and fence line, as if it were the Christmas holidays instead of the beginning of August.

Guests, dressed in everything from silk and diamonds to denim and rhinestones, wandered the grounds. But no Stephen. “This is insane,” Tiffany muttered under her breath as she followed a path that led behind the house. Rounding the corner by the back porch, she nearly slammed into a woman walking in the other direction.

“You decided to come after all!” Bliss, dressed in a shimmery silver-blue dress, smiled widely. Her blond hair was pulled into a French braid and her eyes sparkled as brightly as the thousands of tiny bulbs. Beside her was a tall man with light brown eyes and sun-streaked blond hair. His hand was placed firmly in the middle of Bliss’s back.

“I don’t know if you’ve met Mason,” Bliss said. “My fiancé, Mason Lafferty. This is Tiffany Santini, my half-sister.”

Somehow, despite the worry congealing her insides, Tiffany managed to make the appropriate noises as well as introduce J.D. as her brother-in-law and explain why they’d shown up. “We decided to come here because I’m worried sick about Stephen and he isn’t at any of his friends’ houses. No one knows where he is but he was interested in coming to the wedding today and I thought . . . I mean, J.D. thought he might have shown up here.”

Bliss’s smile had slowly given way to a frown of concern. Tiny lines of anxiety etched her forehead. “I wish I could help out, but I don’t remember seeing him,” she said, looking to Mason for support.

“Don’t ask me, I’ve never met him.” Mason glanced around the crowd that had collected around the rim of a temporary dance floor in the backyard. “There are a lot of kids here, though.”

“It’s true.” Bliss’s eyes clouded with genuine worry. “There were a few boys about Stephen’s age at the ceremony, and more here.” Her gaze swept the area. “But it’s easy to get lost in this place.”

Tiffany’s stomach, already tense, tightened another notch. “You don’t mind if we look around?”

“Of course not. Dad will be thrilled that you’re here,” Bliss said.

“Not if he found out I came here because I lost his grandson.” Why did her tongue still trip over the word?