Abby shook her head, unfazed. Camille watched from the floor, not the least bit worried.
The boys walked in, breathing hard and chuckling, red blotches on their faces and arms. Trent used the back of his hand to dab his bleeding bottom lip, and Travis pointed at him and laughed.
“Don’t grab my nuts next time, dick licker,” Tyler said.
Camille went to the refrigerator and returned, giggling as she held a small ice pack covered in a dishtowel to Trent’s lip.
“God almighty,” Jim said, returning to his chair.
Travis didn’t seem to have a scratch on him, but Tyler limped to the sofa.
“Whoa,” I whispered.
Abby patted my knee. “Might as well get used to it. It’s a regularly occurring thing.”
“You okay?” I asked.
Tyler tugged at the crotch of my jeans. “That fuck knuckle tried to rip off my balls.”
Trent cocked his head. “Nice. I like that one.”
“It’s Australian,” Tyler said.
“Cool,” Trent said, nodding.
“It means Trenton,” Tyler added.
Trenton frowned while everyone else laughed—even Camille and Jim. He reached for Taylor’s duffel and tossed it to him. Taylor jogged over to his dad, leaned down to kiss the top of his head, and then made his way up the stairs.
“You boys are going to give me a heart attack,” Jim said.
“No, you eating a pound of bacon every morning is going to give you a heart attack,” Trent said.
“He’s a Maddox,” Travis said. “He’s invincible.”
Someone knocked on the door, and then it opened, revealing one younger couple and one older. The older gentleman looked very similar to Jim.
All but Tyler and Jim stood again, including Abby. She threw her arms around a stunning, long-legged blonde, and they chatted non-stop for a solid two minutes.
Tyler pointed. “That’s America. She’s Abby’s best friend and Shepley’s girlfriend. Shepley is our cousin. His dad, Jack, is my dad’s brother, and his mom, Deana, is our mom’s sister.”
I turned to look at him. “I don’t follow.”
He grinned, expecting my reaction. “Shepley is our double cousin. Both sets of parents are siblings. Dad and Jack. Mom and Deana.”
“So, Jack and Jim … Deana and…?”
“Diane,” Tyler said with reverence.
I glanced at Deana, wondering how much she looked like Diane, and if that was hard for Jim and the boys. He seemed to be happy they were there.
“What is with the names?” I asked.
“I dunno,” Tyler said. “I guess it’s a Midwestern thing? My parents were named with the same first initial, so Mom did it with us, too.”
Taylor tromped back down the stairs and fell in between Tyler and me. Tyler elbowed his twin—hard—and Taylor yelped. “Fucking Christ!” Taylor yelled.
“Goddamn it! Language!” Jim said.
Jack helped Deana with her coat, and she kissed him on the cheek before he left her to hang it in the closet. Trenton fetched chairs from the dining room with Shepley’s help.
The second Shepley sat down his cousins began harping on him.
“No ring on Mare’s finger yet, Shep? Don’t you love her anymore?” Taylor asked.
“Shut up, dick. Where’s your date?” Shepley snapped back.
“Right here,” Taylor said, hooking his arm around me. He kissed my cheek, prompting Tyler to yank him to the floor.
Jim shook his head.
“America can only plan one wedding at a time,” Deana teased, winking at Abby.
Taylor rubbed his elbow. “Have you met Ellie? Her dad is Philip Edson. Edson Tech.”
“Whoa,” America said. “So you’re like … a billionaire?” She grabbed Shepley’s arm. “She’s an heiress! I think I’ve seen you in People magazine!”
“That would be my sister, Finley. My dad is the billionaire. I’m quite broke, I assure you,” I said.
“Oh,” America said, looking sheepish.
“Ellie is the photographer for The MountainEar,” Tyler said.
Taylor piped in. “She takes action shots. Her stuff has been featured in five issues of the magazine over the summer.”
“Impressive,” Deana said with a sweet smile. “Sounds like you’re making it on your own just fine. I’ll have to look up that magazine for your work.”
Suddenly, Taylor and Tyler were nervous.
“It’s not online. I’ll see if I can send you some copies,” I said.
Deana nodded, appeased for the moment. Of course I couldn’t send her anything, not with Taylor and Tyler’s dirty faces plastered all over the feature, digging and setting back burns with drip torches.
The twins seemed to relax, listening to the family catch up. Shepley’s parents would celebrate with Deana’s family this year, and they were going to miss Abby’s pies. In the middle of their visit, Thomas called, and the phone was passed around while insults were made as greetings and instead of terms of endearment.
Jim and Jack yawned at the same time, and Deana stood. “Okay, we’ve got an early morning and a long drive. Let’s head home, my love.”
Jack stood. “How do I argue with that?” He kissed his wife, and Shepley and America stood as well. They hugged me and everyone else, waving as, one by one, they stepped out onto the porch and made their way to Jack’s car.
Travis and Abby stood at the window with their arms around each other, watching them leave.
Jim stood. “All right. I’ll see you kids in the morning.”
The boys stood and hugged their father. Trenton was in the kitchen and back with a glass of ice water before Jim had even made it to the hall.
“Thank you, son,” he said, taking a sip on his way to his bedroom.
“Kiss ass,” Taylor hissed.
“I just know what he likes since … you know … I’m here to take care of him.”
They all groaned. “Too real, Trent,” Tyler said. “Let’s leave that shit for another holiday.”
Trenton lifted his middle finger, gathering his and Camille’s things. “See you tomorrow, ass hats.”
“Goodnight, Trent,” Abby said.
Tyler stood and held out his hand. “I think I’ll head upstairs. You coming?”