Page 3 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

Callie frowned when she heard her phone ring.

She wanted to ignore it; it had taken her all morning to get out here.

Now she was in the shed behind the cabin that housed her wheel and kiln, she wanted to get lost in her own little world.

If she answered the call, it would take her back to the real world.

She made a face. She felt guilty enough about the way she’d escaped the real world that used to be her life back home in Kansas. If it was her folks calling, she’d feel worse if she missed them.

Blowing out a sigh, she stepped back out onto the porch outside the shed where she’d left her phone.

It was probably a dumb thing to do, but she liked to leave it out here.

The shed was her own private sanctuary. No one was welcome inside unless she invited them.

And silly as it probably was, that meant she didn’t want to bring most people inside with her, even if they were only on the other end of the phone.

She grinned when she saw Becca’s name on the screen. Picking the phone up, she went back inside the shed as she answered.

“Hey, Becs! How’re you doing? One week to go now. Are you all ready and excited?”

“I am. I can’t wait. I feel a bit bad that as far as the ready part goes, I think we are, but I don’t really know. Between them, Jacob and Mom have it all figured out.”

Callie laughed out loud. “I love that for you. Your mom’s a force to be reckoned with. If you were marrying anyone else, I might feel sorry for them. But Jacob’s the same way she is – and lucky for you they get along so well.”

“Right? You know I always wanted a big wedding, but the thought of planning one never really occurred to me. I was into looking at the dresses and venues, but masterminding every little detail isn’t exactly my style.”

“And it doesn’t need to be, not with your mom and Jacob on it. So, are you all set then? Anything you want me to do?”

“Just be here with me, like we promised each other.”

Callie smiled at that. “You know I will. I plan to drive down there on Friday like we talked about.”

“I …”

Callie frowned when she heard the hesitation in Becca’s voice. “What is it? What’s up?”

“Nothing. I … Oh, what the heck. I’m just going to ask, and you can say no if you want to. Feel free to say no. It’s not like I …”

Callie laughed. “Just tell me already. I’ll say no if I have to, but if I can, I’ll do whatever you need me to.”

“That’s the thing – it’s not a need, it’s a want.”

“Well, you’re the bride and I’m the bridesmaid, so your wish is my command. And don’t forget that’s how it works if I ever get married,” she added with a laugh.

“Oh, that makes me feel better about asking. I promise I’ll do the same for you if you want me to.”

“So, how about you just tell me?”

“Oh, right, yeah. Well, I know we talked about you driving over here on Friday morning so that you’ll be here in the afternoon before the rehearsal dinner. But …”

“You want me to come sooner?”

“Can you?”

“I can.” She looked over at her wheel and the kiln with a smile.

“That’s the beauty of my life out here. I don’t have a set schedule.

I work when I want to – sometimes inspiration strikes at three in the morning, and I can come out and make whatever I like, then I can sleep all afternoon.

My days are my own to manage as I please. So, if you want me to come Thursday …”

“How about Wednesday?”

Callie didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll be there. If I set out early, I can be there by lunchtime.”

“How about if you set out at lunchtime and be here in no time?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know how Trick and Elliott, the pilots, are flying in a lot of the guests? Well, Ollie and Reaves, the pilots who work for Bentley, have offered to help out, too. So …”

“The airport here isn’t big enough,” Callie interrupted.

She’d flown in Jacob’s jet with Becca at Christmas.

It was amazing; she’d loved being able to get back home to visit her folks without all the hassles of the big airports at the holidays.

But she’d seen the airfield here – and the small planes that landed there.

There was no way Jacob’s jet would fit on that runway.

Becca laughed. “How do you even know that? It didn’t occur to me that it wouldn’t be, but when Jacob had his meeting with the pilots, they figured that out right away. But it’s okay. Ollie said that he can come for you in the Cirrus.”

Callie made a face. “And the Cirrus is smaller?”

“Apparently – listen to me, sounding as though I know what I’m talking about.

All I really know is that Jacob said that Ollie’s happy to come get you in the Cirrus.

If you want to come on Wednesday, it’d make things easier since they’re all going to be flying around all day on Thursday and Friday.

But if you can’t, or if it’s difficult for you to get away, Ollie will fit you in whenever you can both work it out.

The main thing is, I’d love for us to get a few days together. ”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Just let me know when this Ollie wants to come, and I’ll be waiting at the airport ready.”

“Awesome! You’re the best. Do you mind if I give Ollie your number so that the two of you can work it out between you?”

“Not at all. It makes more sense for him to call me rather than have you or Jacob in the middle of it – it’s not like you don’t have a million other details to sort out, is it?”

After they ended the call, Callie took her phone back outside and set it down on the porch railing. The morning fog was finally lifting, and sunbeams tried to push their way through. Maybe this afternoon she'd head out for a drive up the coast.

She'd been in Fort Bragg for just over a year now, and she'd grown to love the place.

With the fog and the damp, it was nothing like Kansas.

Back home the land rolled away to the horizon under wide skies.

Here, she could go for days without seeing the sky – only the fog, the clouds and the drizzle.

And even they had to force their way in through the dense forest. She loved it.

She sighed as she headed back into the shed to sit at her wheel.

She just wished that she'd been honest with her family about why she'd moved out here.

Pulling the cart that held her supplies toward her, she shrugged.

She was doing well, making a living doing what she loved.

Her family might not understand, but she was still clinging to the hope that one day, she'd be so successful that they'd have to accept that being a ceramicist was more than messing around making things with clay as they saw it.

The sound of her phone beeping with a text had her getting back to her feet to go check it – then she was going to turn its sound off so that she could work in peace.

It was a text.

Becca: Ollie has your number now. He'll be in touch. Can't wait to see you!

Callie: Can't wait to see you! I'm going to make you something – don't know what yet.

Becca: Aww, thanks! I love my mug. And Jacob was serious about wanting to commission you to make a whole dinnerware set!

Callie smiled. She was more inclined to believe that Jacob was only being nice when he'd said that. He was a good guy, but she didn't have him down as the kind to love her work.

Becca: I know what you think, but I'm serious!

Callie: We'll see. Going to work now. Love you. TTYS.

Becca: Love you. TTYS.

~ ~ ~

“Let me at least pay for the fuel,” said Jacob.

Ollie rolled his eyes. “Can't we call it part of your wedding gift? It's not as though I can't afford to make a quick hop up to Fort Bragg, is it? If you want to know the truth, I'm looking forward to it. I haven't managed to take the Cirrus up much lately.”

“Well, if you're sure. Callie had planned to drive herself here, but I didn't like that idea. She's the bridesmaid after all. She shouldn't have to drive herself while all the guests get flown in.”

“It's not a problem. I'm glad to be able to help.”

“You have her number now, so I'll leave you to figure it out between you.”

Jacob checked his watch. “I should head home.”

Bentley got to his feet. “I'll walk you out.” He turned to Ollie, and Reaves, who was sitting beside him.

“And you two are happy with it all? I told Andrew that he needed to schedule any travel for the sales team after the end of next week. You guys will be taking folks back to San Francisco and wherever else they need to go on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. You should take the rest of the week off.” He pursed his lips.

“And if Andrew calls you with any last-minute so-called emergency requests, you send him to me.”

Reaves chuckled. “It's okay, Willow already said the same thing. I passed the message on to Andrew, so I doubt he'll be asking us to fly.”

Bentley exchanged a smile with Jacob. “The thought of having to explain himself to my sister should be enough to put him off.”

“I can't blame him,” said Jacob. “I know I wouldn't dare try to sneak anything past Willow.”

“She's good,” said Ollie. He knew the others weren't talking badly about her, but ever since they were all kids, he'd automatically stood up for Willow. She was a tough cookie, no question about it, but she wasn't as hard as people made out.

Bentley shook his head with a smile. “I know that – we all do. I'm not speaking ill of her – not only do I respect the hell out of her, but I also don't mind admitting that she's a lot better at the job than I used to be.”

“She's just tougher,” said Jacob. “But come on, if you're walking me out, let's go.”

Ollie and Reaves walked outside with Jacob and Bentley but left them to whatever groom and best man conversation they still needed to have. They climbed into Reaves's SUV and headed over to the hangar.

“Did you already get Jacob and Becca a wedding gift?” asked Reaves.

“I did. How about you?”

“Not yet. I haven't had the time to even think about shopping.”