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“Well, hi, I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Jenna, the groom’s sister.”

Devon grins, his gaze running over her before leaning down to kiss the back of her hand. “Name’s Dev. Nice to meet you.” Then, he swings his eyes to my mom with that same honey-smooth charm. “And you must be the other sister?”

Mom huffs a laugh, hip-checking Jenna out of the way. “I’m actually the mother, but you can call me Barbie.”

“Kill me now,” I mutter under my breath, grabbing mine and Xed’s bags from the Benz before stepping onto the porch.

Dad gives me an equally exasperated look over the rim of his book. “By the way, the A/C’s broken. Guy can’t fix it until next week.”

“Fuck, for real?” Christian wipes his forehead, peeling off his shirt like he’s seconds from melting. “It’s like a million degrees.”

“Why do you think nobody’s here?”

After claiming rooms, we all agree to meet at the lake for a swim. However, Mom and Dad decide to stay back, sipping sangria on the porch instead.

The bungalow isn’t big, just cozy enough with a sitting room and a decently sized kitchen tucked behind bright glass windows that let in the relentless Arizona sun. Val claimed a room with all her friends; Tyson’s stuff is piled in the loft. Hannah will be bunking with Jenna, and everyone else is paired up.

I have no idea where Xed wants to stay, so I drop our bags onto the full-size bed in the remaining room and quickly change into swim shorts.

As I head down the stairs, I run straight into Tyson coming up. He stops short when he sees me, something flashing in his eyes—too fast for me to place—before he grins his usual easy, charming smile.

“Hey, man. What took you so long? We were wondering when you’d get here.”

“Took a longer route so I could catch up with Xed,” I reply, tilting my head slightly at how he’s holding his towel so tightly against his body. “How’s the lake?”

He shrugs, skirting around me. “Cold, but not too bad. I’m actually kind of beat from staying out late last night. Gonna take a nap.”

“Alright, cool. See you at dinner.”

He doesn’t answer; he just disappears up the stairs without another word. I raise a brow at the weird interaction but ultimately shake it off. Other than Val, Tyson doesn’t know anyone here, so he’s probably just feeling awkward. It happens.

By the time I make it to the dock, everyone else is already swimming—except for Xed, sitting on the edge with his legs dangling in the water.

Grinning, I make a run for it, aiming to launch over him into the lake, but end up tripping and falling in, narrowly missing my sister in the process.

“Matthew, you asshole!” she screeches, covering her face from the onslaught of water as I resurface with a grin, wiping my eyes.

“Daddy, Auntie J said a no-no word,” Hannah calls out, floating near Xed’s legs with her shark tube.

I’m about to chastise Jenna when a pair of arms wraps around my shoulders.

“Hey, babe.” Valerie’s voice is syrupy as she wraps her legs around my waist, pressing her mouth to mine. Over her head, I catch the way Xed’s lips curl in something between a sneer and a wince before he drops his gaze.

The contact makes my skin crawl, and I gently push her away as inconspicuous as I can.

“Gross, get a room,” Taylor snickers, draping himself over Huckslee.

Salem groans, treading water as she glances at Xed. “I wish you’d get in here so I’d have someone to hold. I’m like the eighth wheel.”

Shit. That reminds me. “Where did Logan go?”

Salem visibly stiffens, her mouth opening and closing like she’s trying to find the right words. Before she can, Devon snorts.

“My nephew decided to drive back to Utah. Alerting his parents of his recent nuptials, no doubt.”

“Oh, screw off, Dev,” Salem snaps, shooting him a glare before doggy-paddling toward the dock. Her movements are jerky as she hauls herself out of the water and stomps toward the house.

Christian calls after her teasingly, “Salem! No seas una pequeña perra.”