Where do you wed the girl of your heart? On a mountaintop, of course. It’s only fitting that we promise “I do” in the Smoky Mountains near the cabin where I first saw Josie as more than one of the guys.

The wedding chapel is supposed to hold fifty, and the few we invited sit in the pews of the small church. We’re early, but so are our guests. Many will stay in Gatlinburg after the wedding. They’re probably ready for us to get on with the ceremony.

I have an hour to stand around uncomfortably while Josie, along with her maid of honor Kiley, finishes getting ready in the back room.

My best man Gunner paces outside with his cranky baby. Leo stands whispering with Harper. He’s set to walk my bride down this tiny aisle.

A baby’s coo draws my eye. Mom sits in the first row holding Henley in her arms. At four months, Henley wraps everyone around her tiny fingers. She’s my little social butterfly.

I glance at my watch and then at the back room where I know Josie is getting ready. It’s going to be one long hour. The front door to the church opens, and a woman walks in.

There’s something about her that looks familiar, but I’m sure I don’t know her. Our wedding is so far from Nashville. I don’t expect to see strangers. She asks someone a question I can’t hear, then strides directly toward me.

“Dane?”

“Yes.” I smile at her. “I don’t think we’ve met. Do you know Josie?”

“I don’t,” she answers with an air of mystery. “But I look forward to meeting her.”

I shift uneasily. “So, do you know my parents?”

She holds out her hand. “I’m Meggie, Ellen’s sister. Your aunt.”

The sister who cut ties with Ellen? A person who should’ve been there to help all this time? Disgust washes over me. “I…I didn’t expect to ever meet you.”

It takes me a second to realize she’s still holding out her hand to me. I slip my hand into hers for a brief shake.

“I know it’s a shock,” she says. “Ellen and I…we’re trying to mend our relationship. We used to be close.”

Staring at her face, I understand why she looks familiar. She and Ellen have the same eyes and nose. They even share the same smile.

But what happened between these two that did that much damage? Then I remember how many times in the past months I’ve wanted to cut my own ties.

It’s a long road to mending some hurts. But worth it, I think.

I exhale and look around at the people I love who came to witness this day. “Why isn’t she here? She said a friend from support group would bring her.”

* * *

Meggie nods. “She was talking about me. Can we step outside and talk? I know the timing is bad, but I don’t want to bother you afterward.”

“Sure. Why not.” I suck in a deep breath. I give her a smile and then point to a back entrance. “Why don’t we go out back?”

“Yes,” she says. We stroll to the door and I open the door, then follow her outside.

“Ellen’s never said much about you.”

“No. She never said much about you either, until recently. I only knew she had a baby and gave him away. I’m going to make this short.” She pulls out a business card. “Here’s my contact info. I work for an oil company and live right outside of Nashville. I’d like to get to know you and your family.”

I pull in a breath. “Okay.”

Meggie steps to the side of the church, away from the back door. She wraps her arms across her chest in the chilly weather. “I went to see Ellen yesterday. She isn’t feeling well this week. She asked me to come without her. She was afraid she’d…”

“What?”

Meggie shakes her head and closes her eyes, then opens them. “She said she couldn’t trust herself at your wedding. She was too nervous about ruining it. She said to send her love to you and Josie and your little one.”

My chest gets tight. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“I want you to know that I know how you feel. Or maybe I know. It’s tough to deal with someone who can be wonderful one minute and not-so-wonderful the next. Ellen did horrible things to my family,” Meggie says. “I’ve had a hard time forgiving her. But when it comes down to it, she’s trying to get well. I need to let go of the past. We were close before she got mixed up with drugs.”

I don’t have time for a long conversation with this woman on my wedding day, but I’m curious as hell. I want to know if she worries about her own mental health. Is she schizophrenic, too? Does she have children?

I slow my racing brain so I can respond to her statement. Then her statement registers. “She was a drug addict?”

“Oh, yeah. She had this boyfriend right after you were born. He got her into all kinds of things—cocaine, meth, anything. We think that’s what caused her schizophrenia.”

The air punches from my lungs and my heartbeat drums in my ears. “What? Drugs can cause it?”

She gives me a quizzical look. “It can. Substance abuse can change the chemical balance. She didn’t tell you the schizophrenia came after?” Meggie pauses. “I guess she didn’t if she didn’t tell you about the drug use.”

Another piece of the Ellen puzzle clicks into place. Maybe I haven’t asked Ellen the right questions all these years and she’s only told me what she wanted me to hear.

I look toward the church and back to my newfound aunt. “Can we meet for coffee sometime? I really want to talk. But I guess I need to get back inside now.”

“I’d like that.” She pats my arm. “I wanted to meet you, since I’m a wedding crasher. I hope you don’t mind that I came without Ellen. I’d like to take photos to show her.”

Impulsively, I lean forward and give her a light hug. “Sure. Thanks. I have to go get married.”

We turn and walk back inside, my wide grin drawing looks from my dad who stands at the back of the pews now.

“Dad. This is Meggie. She’s going to take some photos,” I say and motion toward her.

He smiles and looks at his watch. “It won’t be long. Come have a seat near the front so you can get some good shots.”

Meggie and Dad stroll away and I catch the sound of my name from somewhere.

“Psst. Dane!”

Josie peeks out from a sliver of her open door. “Come here.”

I cover my eyes and walk forward slowly so I won’t trip. “You said I couldn’t see you before.”

She laughs. “I changed my mind. Come in here.”

I drop my hand and take five quick steps to stand inches from the door. “Too late to change your mind.”

She yanks at my jacket and pulls me into the room. “I haven’t. I wanted to tell you something before I go out there.”

Her words fade into background noise as I take her in. She’s a visual feast. Bare shoulders. A cream-colored dress that nips in to a waist that’s so different from four months ago. My gaze travels back up to her bright eyes and pink lips.

She smells of oranges and vanilla. I’d like to see if she tastes like them too.

“Where’s Kiley?” I ask with wicked intent.

She pushes me back a step with one hand. “I didn’t ask you in here for that.”

My back hits an old armoire. The bright room is small and crowded. There’s barely room for two people. I give a disappointed sigh. “This is not going to work.”

“What’s wrong?” Her eyebrows dip together in an anxious line.

“You’ve pulled me into this closet wearing that dress and looking like an angel and all I can think about is…” I wiggle my brows. I tug her close to me. “I forget. Did you say you wanted to talk?”

She drags her hands down my chest and reaches around to grab my ass.

Wow. How likely is it that I can get away with ravaging my bride in the changing room half an hour before the nuptials?

“Five minutes without Henley,” Josie murmurs, “and now I’ve forgotten what I wanted to say.”

“Mmm….” I say and punctate with a tortured moan. Stepping back, I count to three. “Okay. Talk, girl. Get my mind off how sexy you look in that dress.”

“I have to wear something old. So I wanted to show you what I made when I was fifteen.”

I touch the soft twist of hair pulled back from her face. “What is it?”

She holds out her wrist for me and her charm bracelet sparkles in the sunlight streaming through the window. “It’s an infinity bracelet I made. Mom taught me how to make jewelry one summer.”

I tilt my head to the side, not sure where this is going. “Pretty.”

“Look at the charm.”

I lift her hand to examine her wrist. With two fingers, I hold the swinging charm still and read the engraving.

D A N E

“For infinity. Dane,” she says and gives me a tender kiss.