Although Sissy had known this was going to be a big wedding, she hadn’t realized the kind of people who would be attending. On one side of the floor were some of the biggest names in the oh-so-boring universe of software and computer…stuff. Sissy only knew that because Brendon mentioned them, and he seemed pretty awed. Being a lion, he wasn’t easy to awe. Surrounding that unwitting group of full-humans were more Packs and Prides and unattached cats than Sissy had ever seen in a room together. Some of them she recognized from her work in New York City. Others she’d never seen before, but she’d heard about them. They came from all over the States, as far away as the West Coast.

Then there were the wild dog Packs. Asian wild dogs, dingoes from Australia, and more African wild dogs than you could shake your fist at. And since they never shut up—Lord, those dogs could talk and talk—Sissy would love to shake her fist at them, all right.

The rest were Smiths. Either blood relations or related by mating. They’d come from all over, including North and South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas. The only area feebly represented was her own damn home, Smithtown.

Now Sissy had known right off Sammy couldn’t make it to the wedding. He had ten pups and a diner that he and his wife ran in the heart of Smithtown. Vacations for them were pretty much nonexistent. But Sammy had contacted both Sissy and Bobby Ray to let them know and offer his apologies. Because that was the way it was supposed to be done.

That, however, did not explain the absence of Travis, Donnie, or Jackie. How her own kin could treat their brother like this was beyond Sissy. You simply didn’t do that, no matter what you felt about a person. Blood was blood, in Sissy’s mind, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her kin no matter how much she hated them and wanted to smash their faces in when given the first opportunity.

She’d deal with that on another day, though. But she’d damn well let Travis know how she felt about this. She wouldn’t even bother with Jackie and Donnie. They only did what Travis told them to, anyway.

Mitch leaned back in his seat, one long leg stretched out, his arm resting on the back of her chair.

The man did look good in a tux. Of course, she preferred men in jeans and a T-shirt to a stuffy suit or tux. Well, actually, she preferred them naked, but society frowned on that sort of thing.

His gold eyes scanned the room, and she knew he was thinking what she’d been thinking.

“So much shit to start,” she murmured next to his ear, “so little time?”

He grinned. “It’s too easy. Like lambs to the slaughter.”

Sissy leaned in closer, enjoying the big cat’s scent. “This is almost over now, right?”

“Not even close, sweet cheeks.”

He was right, ofcourse. But Sissy still figured the worst of it was over.

Until the music started…

Mitch loved it. The wild dogs were the absolute best. They’d heard less than six bars from George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” before they all “whooped!” as one and rushed the dance floor. Even the bride left her new husband and got on that dance floor bow-wowing with the rest of them.

The rich geeks joined in, completely oblivious. The rest of the breeds, though, appeared thoroughly horrified. The cats were astonished since they were used to the wolves, who were more predator than goofy canine. The wolves were embarrassed by the goofy canine behavior. The bears were typically bored.

“Why are you smiling?”

Mitch laughed at Sissy’s question. “Come on! How cool was that? It was like that Dog Whisperer guy came in and rallied them all to the floor!”

The lions and Dez laughed. The wolves…not so much.

“Don’t walk away mad,” he said as they did. “You’re completely missing the humor in this.”

Sissy gripped her brother’s hand and pulled him into the kitchen, smiling and waving when everyone called her name.

“How do you know these people?”

“You were never a people person, Bobby Ray.”

“These people” were the kind of people who helped Sissy when she needed it most. These were the people she always made sure she took care of when they performed a service or gave her a little non-job-related assistance.

Sissy led Bobby Ray to the room she’d been sitting in with her father and closed the door behind them. “I wanted to give you something.”

Her brother crossed his arms over his big chest. “Another lecture about the perils of hybrid children?”

“Why bother? You’ll just have to learn it for yourself, I guess.” She picked up the wrapped package she’d left on the table and handed it to him. She had known the staff would leave the gift there. The chef adored her.

“This is for you.”

Bobby Ray stared at the package in his hand. “For what?”

“For your wedding.”

“You said having a wedding was stupid and that marriage was stupider.”

“That hasn’t changed. But since you went through with it, I wanted to get you something. Open it!” She bounced up on her toes while her brother pulled off the wrapping. He opened the box and blinked. Then he closed his eyes, and his smile was slow and warm.

“Where did you find this?” he finally asked.

“Going through your room looking for cigarettes. You’d only been gone to the Navy a month or so.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t throw it out.”