Page 33 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

Reaves was surprised to see the gate standing wide open when he arrived at the Jacobs estate early on Saturday morning. He brought his SUV to a stop, and John came out and greeted him with a smile.

“You’re here early. You’re not flying, are you?”

“No, I…” He only hesitated for a moment. There was no point in hiding what he was up to; he was sure people already knew. “I’m here to pick up Zia.”

John gave him a puzzled look.

“Alara’s going to be working on the arch all morning – putting the flowers on. And with so many people milling around…”

John laughed. “Man, I wish I’d known. She could have come and hung out here on the gate with me. I love that kid.”

Reaves chuckled. “I’m not sorry I beat you to it – isn’t she awesome?”

“Yeah, and as envious as I am, she’ll be better off hanging out with you. I’ll be busy with people coming in. But wait — you said you’re picking her up? You’re not going to hang out here with her?”

“I’m taking her over to see my dad.”

John looked even more puzzled.

“Slade told her that my dad lives in a castle.” He shrugged.

“Ah, right. Given the way she’s been naming everyone as if we’re all the characters from a fairy-tale kingdom, I get why she’d love to go see a real castle. And Slade’s not wrong, is he? Your dad’s place could be a castle.”

Reaves didn’t want to admit how much he was looking forward to seeing how Zia would react when she saw the place.

The house had been an embarrassment to him when he was a kid, but these days he almost appreciated his dad’s quirky taste.

He’d bought the estate before Napa had earned its place on the map in the wine world.

The original owners had built their home to resemble an English castle.

His dad had even used a likeness of the place on the label of House of St. James wines.

“Yeah, I think she’ll love it, and I think my dad will get a kick out of talking to her. Although what she’ll name him is anyone’s guess.”

John laughed. “You have to promise to tell me what she comes up with for him. And be sure to stop and say hi when you bring her back.”

“Will do.”

He parked behind the kitchen at the big house and hurried around to the lawn where everything was set up for the ceremony. There were people milling around everywhere, carrying boxes, barking orders. A team was covering all the chairs with white fabric and tying ribbon bows around them.

He spotted Alara and Zia over by the low stone wall.

Alara was going through the contents of a large box while Zia skipped along the wall.

His heart leaped into his mouth when she stumbled, but Alara’s hand shot out, caught hold of Zia’s, and helped her steady herself.

He was impressed. He’d been concerned at first that she was so focused on her work while Zia ran around untended.

From what he’d seen, though, she was very much the watchful mom.

“Prince Daddy!” Zia’s delighted squeal when she spotted him sent a rush of warmth through his veins. He wasn’t sure anyone had ever been that pleased to see him before.

By the time he reached them, Zia was clutching a backpack that looked like a fox and tugging on Alara’s hand. “Can we go now? I have all my things, and I promise I’ll be good and…”

“Zia.”

A shiver ran down Reaves’s spine at the sound of Alara’s voice. It was warm, almost musical. He could see why it had a calming effect on Zia.

She smiled at him. “First we need to make sure that Reaves is still happy to take you.”

“You are, aren’t you? Please say you are. I want to see the castle and your dad who gave you your name.”

He chuckled. “I’m still good with it – that’s what I’m here for.”

Alara met his gaze. “Thank you. And you have my number?”

“I do, and you have mine. I promise I’ll call you if we need anything. Or Zia can call you if…”

“I won’t,” said Zia. She hopped back up onto the wall and threw her arms out.

Reaves’s chest tightened as he watched the two of them hug.

He couldn’t say that he’d ever even considered having children.

But now he couldn’t help wondering how it would feel to be the person that a child loved like that.

He cleared his throat — he wasn’t thinking about just any child.

He wondered how it would feel if Zia loved him.

When Zia let go of her, Alara ran her hand over her daughter’s hair as she said, “Thank you. I appreciate it so much. I know she’ll be fine with you.” She let out a little laugh. “But you must promise that you’ll call me if you need rescuing.”

That made him chuckle. “I promise I’ll do my best. We’ll figure it out between us, won’t we, Zia?”

She jumped down from the wall, making him inhale sharply.

“We will,” she said confidently. “I can rescue you.” She took hold of his hand. “Can we go now, Mom?”

“I need to come with you to get your car seat.”

She frowned when the chief decorator came hurrying toward them. “Are you going to have your boxes there for long? I need this path clear.”

Reaves bristled at the tone the woman used, but Alara smiled calmly and said, “I’ll be done soon. As we agreed, I’ll move everything I need over to the arch and then I won’t get in your way – nor you in mine.”

Reaves relaxed when the older woman smiled. “Thank you. Sorry, things can get tense when I don’t know who I’m working with.”

“I understand,” said Alara. “I won’t add to the stress. I’ll have these moved soon.”

Reaves was already picking up a box. “You want these over by the arch?”

“Oh, there’s no need, I can—”

He smiled. “I know you can, and I can help.”

“Me too,” said Zia, picking up a bag full of ribbon reels.

Alara seemed to catch her breath as she stared at them for a moment. Then she smiled and picked up a box.

It didn’t take long for them to get everything where she needed it, and to get Zia’s car seat set up on the back seat of Reaves’s SUV. He felt dumb that he hadn’t known she couldn’t go in the front seat – he would have sat her up there with him.

Alara gave her daughter last-minute instructions through the open window about listening to Reaves and calling if she wanted her.

Reaves felt bad, almost as though he was taking her daughter away from her.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” he asked. “I can hang out here with her if…”

She shook her head. “It’s fine, honestly, more than fine. It’s so kind of you – and your father.”

“Alara?”

She rolled her eyes at the sound of someone calling her. “I’d better go. Bring her back as soon as you like.”

“She can stay as long as you need. Want to call when you’re ready?”

“Okay. Thanks again. Love you, Zi.”

“Love you, Mom. See you later.”

~ ~ ~

Jacob stood in the kitchen at the cottage, watching Slade fry bacon and Xander scramble eggs. Bentley winked at him.

“You know you’re going to be fed well today,” he told them.

Slade laughed. “We know that, but you have to have a good breakfast – set you up for the day.”

“What’s up, brother?” Xander asked. “Are you nervous? Don’t want to eat too much?”

He laughed. “I’m not nervous in the least.”

“Not even about the logistics?” Bentley asked.

“I have to say that when my turn comes, I’m not so sure I’ll be as relaxed as you seem right now.

There are people all over the estate – setting up chairs and tents, and others taking care of food and flowers and…

” He shuddered. “I’d need to keep an eye on them all. Need to feel like I was in control.”

“Ah, but when your turn comes, you’ll know why I was so relaxed this morning.”

Bentley gave him a puzzled look, but Slade turned and winked at him.

“What do you know that I don’t?” Bentley asked.

Slade grinned. “Jacob has a secret weapon.”

Jacob had to laugh. “Don’t look at me like that. He’s talking about Darlene. She’s amazing. I wish I’d met her years ago. I would have hired her as my COO – we’d probably have taken over the world by now.”

The others laughed.

“I’m glad you get along with her so well,” said Slade.

“Me too. She’s not someone I’d like to get on the wrong side of.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” said Xander. “She thinks the sun shines out of you.”

“Only because she can see how much he loves Becca,” said Bentley.

“Oh, I know,” said Xander. “I think it’s great. Even if I am a little bit envious. Do you think Darlene might want to come when Tori and I get married?”

Jacob laughed. “Want to come? Try and stop her! You need to get used to the idea that she’s claimed you as family. She’d be heartbroken if you didn’t invite her.”

He was surprised how much that seemed to mean to his brother.

“That’d be awesome to have them there with me. I mean, of course I’m going to ask Elena and Walt to come, but it’s not like I can ask Ria to be there for me, can I? She’s the mother of the bride.”

Bentley smiled at him. “I think if you asked her, she’d decide there had to be an intermission during the ceremony so that she could switch at half time and spend the second half of it sitting on your side. She loves you guys, she always has.”

Slade laughed. “I was thinking about that – when you and Tori get married, we might have to arrange all the seats in just one big block instead of two separate ones. We all belong to you both.”

“It’s true,” said Jacob. “And by the time everyone’s married I think we’ll all be officially related in one way or another.”

Slade handed him a fresh mug of coffee, and he raised it to them. “I’m happy to be joining Becca’s family today, but I want to thank you guys for always being my family.”

“Aww,” Slade winked at him as he imitated Becca. Xander threw a napkin at him as he laughed and said, “I had no choice, remember.” And Bentley held his gaze and nodded as they all raised their mugs.

~ ~ ~

“Do you want to go downstairs yet?” asked Callie

Becca shook her head. “Soon. I want to see Mom and Dad and at least spend a little time with the family, but I don’t want to go yet.”

She went to stand in front of the windows and looked back at the bed. Most Saturday mornings she and Jacob drank their coffee in bed looking out at this view. It was beautiful – the vines and the rolling hills and …

“Are you okay?” Callie asked.

“I’m so freaking happy, Callie. I’m almost scared that you’re going to wake me up soon, and we’ll be seven years old again and I’ll discover that this was only a dream.” She swallowed. “That Jacob was only a dream.”

Callie came to stand beside her. “Don’t go upsetting yourself! It’s not a dream. It’s real, Jacob’s real, the way he loves you is so real it melts even my heart.”

“Aww. You make it sound like you’re cynical about love or something.”

Callie shrugged. “Not cynical, just realistic. It’s not on my priority list, that’s all.”

Becca raised her eyebrows. “Could you be persuaded if the right guy came along?”

Callie nodded slowly. “Maybe.” She narrowed her eyes. “But I know what you’re thinking – you mean Ollie. And yes, he’s hot, and he seems like a great guy. But he’s not the right guy.”

“Aww, why not?”

Callie laughed. “Don’t sound so disappointed. He’s just … he lives here in Napa for one thing. Even if we wanted to go on a date, we’d have to meet in the middle somewhere, and that’s not exactly—”

“No,” Becca interrupted. “You wouldn’t have to do that. He could—”

Callie held her hand up. “I know he’s a pilot, but it’s not like he could come flying up there whenever he wanted to see me, is it?

And can we drop it for today at least? This is your wedding day.

If you still want to bug me about Ollie by the time you come back from your honeymoon, then we’ll talk about it.

” She waggled her eyebrows. “I’m not denying he’s hot. But today is all about you. Okay?”

Becca wanted to protest. Yes, it was her wedding day, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t talk about Ollie as a possible interest for Callie.

And she really wanted to make her friend understand that if he wanted to fly up there to see her Ollie could take his plane and go any time he wanted – every day if he wanted to.

Callie smiled. “I’m going down to get us some coffee. Do you want me to bring anything else back up?”

Becca had to laugh. “Have you forgotten what my mom’s like? She’ll send you back up with more food than we could eat in a week and want the empty plates back for washing in half an hour.”

Callie laughed with her. “I love your folks; they’re awesome. And I don’t want to hog all your morning. You’ll want some time with them, too.”

Becca nodded. “I will, thanks. But first breakfast.”

After Callie had gone, she went and sat back down on the bed.

Leaning back against the headboard, the way she and Jacob did most Saturday mornings, she smiled out at the sight of the vineyards marching away across rolling hills, all the way to the horizon.

Jacob had woken up to that beautiful view for most of his life.

She hugged herself, happy in the knowledge that she’d be waking up beside him for the rest of hers.

She reached for her phone from the nightstand, but her attention was caught by the two bright blue velvet boxes instead.

The first one held the earrings he’d given her when they said goodnight.

The second was the long slim box that had been sitting on her pillow when she came out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed.

She’d looked around eagerly, thinking that he must have changed his mind and decided to spend the night here after all.

Instead, she’d found Callie standing in the doorway. “Sorry, I can see that you thought he put that there – that he was here. He isn’t – he asked me to do it last thing before you went to bed.”

Her hand had come up to cover her heart. Even now, tears stung behind her eyes.

She reached for her phone to reread their messages.

Becca: Jacob! It’s so beautiful. Thank you.

Jacob: You’re beautiful. I wanted to give it to you with the earrings, but I couldn’t carry the box around with me all evening. I don’t know what jewelry you plan to wear tomorrow. Don’t feel you need to wear those, but I wanted you to have them so that you have the option.

Becca: I’ll wear them. They’re perfect – just like you.

Jacob: I’m not, and we both know it. But I promise I’ll never stop trying to be perfect for you.

Becca: You don’t need to try, you already are. Are you having fun with the guys?

Jacob: We’ve had a great time, I’m glad we did this. Going to turn in soon.

Becca: Me too – I’ve loved this evening with Callie, but I just want to get to tomorrow.

Jacob: We’re nearly there. I’ll say goodnight. See you under the arch at 3:30.

Becca: I’ll be there!

Jacob: I’ll be waiting. Love you. Goodnight, Becs.

Becca: Aww, goodnight, Smiley.