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A few minutes later he sent me another message.

Chase: Oh, I can do it. How do you feel about being married by someone ordained by the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Jimmy: Is it wrong I’m thinking Italian for lunch after?

Chase: Pretty sure the church allows it. They seem like the progressive types.

Jimmy: Sounds good. Let’s not mention to Melena exactly *who* ordained you.

Chase: Pretty sure we’re talking about a what in this case. I’ve got a feeling the Flying Spaghetti Monster is non-human, non-denominational, non-judgmental.

Jimmy: Noted. Thanks for agreeing to do this. Saturday at 11? I’ll take us all out to lunch after. Bring Tamra?

Chase: Ha! She wouldn’t miss this. You’re her favorite, you know.

Jimmy: Don’t be offended if she cries at my wedding.

Chase: Because she’s so sentimental? Not sure you know my girlfriend. Nerves of steel, that one.

Jimmy: No. Because I’m taken.

I snickered. Let him sit with that one for a while. He knew I was joking. Tamra only had eyes for Chase. I switched back to my messages with Melena.

Jimmy: We’re all set for Saturday. 11 at the Pagoda. See you tomorrow for our licenses.

I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck before making the call I’d been dreading. The conversation was too important for text. I’d have to bring all of my de-escalation skills into play. No matter how much I protested, Andi was going to read this as Melena taking advantage of her only brother. She picked up on the third ring.

“Everything okay, Jimmy? You never call me,” my sister said.

It was true. We texted often, but I didn’t call. To be fair, neither did she. We were both busy with our own lives. I worked twenty-four-hour shifts on a rotating schedule, and my sister was a big-shot professional, rising fast at work. We grabbed beers together when our schedules allowed, but it’d been a month or more since we’d seen each other.

I’d paused too long.

“Jimmy? You’re scaring me.”

I cleared my throat. “I, ah, have news. Nothing bad,” I rushed to add.

Her snort was audible over the phone. “No conversation that starts with a pause like that can be good either.”

“I don’t know how to tell you,” I admitted.

I could picture her pacing in her apartment, dark curls spiking above her like a halo.

“Nope. Not ominous at all. Spit it out, brother.”

“I’m getting married,” I said. “On Saturday.” It came out all in a rush, like if I said it fast enough, maybe she wouldn’t overreact.

“What shade of stupid do you think I am? Who is this woman? It is a woman, right? Don’t even think about bringing some kind of child bride into our lives. No more strays. You can’t save them all, Jimmy.”

I grimaced before the full meaning of her words sank in. “What the hell, Andi? Child bride?Never.”

I could practically see her shaking her head at me. “I know you. You attract the helpless ones. It’d be just like you to help a pretty young thing out of a bad situation.”

Melena might not be in the best situation, but marrying her wasn’t me being overwhelmed by my desire to help. My desire for her, maybe. I flopped on my couch before responding.

“Melena’s of age. In fact, she’s close to my age. Stop being gross.”

“Okaaay,” Andi responded. “Then what’s wrong with her?”