Page 35 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

Willow took out her phone. “I was planning to.”

After a brief conversation with Hannah, she smiled at the others. “Hannah thinks it’ll be a good distraction. Ava is starting to get nervous, and Grady said that having Auntie Willow and Auntie Tori around might be just the distraction she needs.”

Alyssa got to her feet. “Give her a hug from me, will you? Tell her I’ll see her later. I’m going to get ready to go and meet Dad.”

“What do you think?” asked Tori. “Do you want to all meet up back here so that we can ride over there together about three o’clock?”

“I’d love that,” said Alyssa.

Willow nodded. “Of course, we weren’t going to go without you. We’ll see you later.”

~ ~ ~

When Ollie got back from his morning run, he fed the dogs before going up to take a shower.

He needed to get a move on. He hadn’t arranged a time to meet Reaves at Charles’s place, but he wanted to spend some time there with them before he had to come back to get changed.

He wasn’t looking forward to this afternoon.

Of course, he was happy for Jacob and Becca.

But he wasn’t looking forward to seeing – or more to the point, having to talk to all the Napa dignitaries he knew would be there.

He usually avoided them to the best of his ability.

It had gotten easier over the years. Most of them had taken the hint.

But while he might technically be in the wine business, he neither knew nor wanted to know anything about it.

He loved living here in Napa – he’d grown up here.

But he didn’t know that he would have stayed if he hadn’t reached the arrangement with Jacob to handle all of Stratton Wines’ business for him.

He felt bad that he hadn’t managed to include Bentley in the deal.

To be fair, he hadn’t even thought about it at the time.

All he’d wanted to do was wash his hands of the business.

And since the team that his father had in place used to deal with Jacob’s parents, it made sense to him.

At the time, at least, it had seemed like a quick and easy solution.

He took a bottle of water from the fridge as he watched the dogs eat, wishing that he could spend more time with them. Rosa and Luigi loved them and took great care of them when he was working, but he wanted to spend more time with them himself.

Although lately, he was starting to wonder if he even wanted to keep flying – at least professionally.

He loved to fly. He just didn’t like to be tied to someone else’s schedule.

He loved working for Bentley and the DuPont family, but since Ria had moved to Summer Lake, he and Reaves were spending a lot more time in the air, catering to more family trips as well as the business side.

He blew out a sigh. He didn’t need to decide anything right now.

He couldn’t imagine walking away from the DuPonts.

More than that, he couldn’t imagine walking away from Reaves.

The two of them had flown together for years.

He smiled at the thought that if he left the job, he’d have to bring Reaves with him — although he didn’t think that Reaves would accept a salary just to be his friend.

When the dogs had finished eating, they both turned to stare at him.

He laughed and flopped down on the sofa and laughed harder when they both jumped up and clambered all over him.

He rolled around with them for a few minutes, all three of them thoroughly enjoying themselves.

He knew that most people would be worried for him if they could see what was going on, but these two weren’t vicious, no matter how they might look.

He pushed to his feet, and they both sat to attention. They’d look like highly trained, efficient guard dogs – if they weren’t sitting on the sofa.

“Don’t look at me like that, guys. I have to go. Tomorrow…”

He sighed. What was he saying? Tomorrow he’d be going to the brunch. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to fly Callie home before he started taking the other guests back to the airport in San Francisco. But whatever he’d been about to promise, the dogs would have to wait.

He scratched their ears, and their tails thumped in unison against the sofa.

“Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – how about that? Bentley said we can take the rest of the week off once the wedding guests are delivered back to wherever they came from. So how about the three of us hang out together?”

From the way they panted and their gazes never left his face, he took that as a yes.

“Maybe we’ll get Reaves to come join us.”

A pair of contented whines rose from them, tails keeping time on the cushions.

“Okay. I’m going to take a shower. I’ll be back.”

As he ran upstairs, he couldn’t help thinking that although he looked forward to a couple of days with just him and the dogs, and Reaves if he wanted to join them, it’d be even better if he could persuade Callie to stick around.

He went into the bedroom and stripped off his shirt. Then he took his phone from the pocket of his jeans. He couldn’t ask her to come over. She hadn’t even committed to sticking around past tomorrow morning yet, but he could at least send her a quick hello.

Ollie: How’s it going? Is everything okay over there? Is the bridesmaid managing to keep the bride happy?

He watched his screen for a few moments, but she didn’t reply. Oh well, it had been worth a try. He’d see her later even if he wouldn’t get to talk to her much. Maybe he should just forget about it. He didn’t want to, but if she wasn’t interested, what else was he going to do?

~ ~ ~

“How’re you doing, Callie love?”

Callie stopped in her tracks. She’d been hurrying back upstairs to Becca’s dressing room, which currently felt more like a beauty salon.

She and Becca had had a great time this morning, just hanging out, laughing and joking.

All she’d really wanted to do was make sure that her friend was relaxed.

And she’d done a good job of it, even if she did say so herself.

Now, though, with the hairstylist and other people coming and going, she knew that Becca was starting to get a bit tense, so she’d come downstairs to make one of her friend’s favorite chamomile teas.

She smiled at Becca’s dad, who was leaning in the doorway from Jacob’s study. “I’m doing great, thanks. Becca’s fine.”

He laughed. “Oh, I’m sure she is. She’s been looking forward to this day. It’s not as though we have anything to worry about, is it? Jacob’s a good man. And he loves her right – the way she deserves.”

She nodded happily. “Doesn’t he? It’s so easy to see. But then again, it’s understandable – she’s wonderful.”

He held her gaze as he nodded. “She is. And you’ve always been a good friend to her. I’m glad the two of you have found your way back to each other out here. I feel a bit better about her being so far away, since I know she has you.”

“Oh, thanks, Mr. T.” Callie had always adored Becca’s dad, she couldn’t bring herself to call him Chuck, though.

She and Becca had christened him Mr. T when they were small, and for Callie, it had stuck.

“I feel the same way. I knew she was out here in California somewhere, and I love that we’re not too far away from each other. ”

Her heart started to pound when Mr. T gave her a stern look. “I know your folks like knowing that she’s close by for you as well. But…” He pursed his lips, his bushy eyebrows drawing together.

She held her breath as she waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, she finally had to ask, “But what?”

“I know it’s not my place, love, but I worry about you.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him quickly.

“I can see that, but… your folks don’t know, do they?”

She closed her eyes and let out a big sigh. “They know that I’m fine.”

“Yeah, but they think you’re working at some job. And you’re not, are you?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to lie to them. I love them, you know.”

He reached out to touch her shoulder. “I know that. I’m not giving you a hard time. If you want to know the truth, I understand it. But I can also understand how they’ll feel when they find out.”

She swallowed. “You’re going to tell them?”

“No. But I’m hoping that you will, and soon.

I can understand why you told them that you moved out here for a job.

I can also understand why they’d worry if they knew that you were doing your pottery instead.

But you’re a smart girl. You always have been.

” He sighed. “Like I said, I know it’s not my place, but I worry about you, and I feel for them. ”

“I know I need to tell them. But… I was kind of hoping that I can get to the point where I can tell them that the pottery is so successful that I don’t need a job.”

He gave her a wry smile. “And just happen to skip the part about telling them that you never had one?”

She nodded sheepishly. “That was the plan.”

“ Was the plan?” he asked. “You don’t think that’s going to happen?”

She met his gaze. “It sounded like you’re going to tell them before I get the chance.”

He shook his head slowly. “I want to – I won’t lie about that. But how about you keep me updated? That way, I won’t feel so bad about keeping it from them. All they want to know is that you’re doing okay.”

“And I am, honestly. But thank you. And I promise I will – I’ll keep in touch; let you know how I’m doing. And… I did talk to one of Hannah’s friends, and she seems to think that she might be able to help me market my work a bit better.”

Chuck cocked an eyebrow. “And you’d be interested in letting her do that?”

Callie had to laugh. “You know me too well, don’t you?”

He chuckled with her. “I do. But all I’ll say is that these folks might be a bit different from what we’re used to back home, but they seem to do well enough on it. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to see what this girl has to say for herself.”

Callie nodded.

“How about this – you have a talk to her, see what she has to say, and let me know. Okay?”

“Okay.” She’d only mentioned Delaney as a way to make him feel better. Now she knew that she’d have to follow through. She couldn’t give Chuck her word and then go back on it.

He smiled. “All right, I’ll let you get on. I bet Becca’s waiting for that tea.”

“She is. And thanks, Mr. T. I’ll see you in a little while.”

“You will.”

When she got back to Becca’s dressing room, she set the tea on the table in front of her and stepped back. Becca crossed her eyes at her as the stylist bustled around her. Callie had to laugh. “You’ll be fine,” she assured her. “Drink your tea.”

Becca laughed. “I know. I’m just not used to all of this.”

The stylist smiled at Callie. “Don’t look so smug. You’ll be getting the same treatment soon.”

Callie rolled her eyes and backed away, Becca’s laughter following her.

She went and flopped down on the small sofa near the window and took her phone out of her pocket. It had buzzed while she was in the kitchen, but she didn’t think there was anyone she needed to talk to today who wasn’t already here.

Her tummy did a little flip when she saw Ollie’s name on the screen.

Ollie: How’s it going? Is everything okay over there? Is the bridesmaid managing to keep the bride happy?

She stared at the words. He was only being friendly. He’d been really good about helping her feel less out of place.

She tapped out a reply.

Callie: The bride’s doing well. And the bridesmaid is happy to be here with her.

She looked at her words for a few moments and then added:

Callie: Although, if you want to know the truth, the bridesmaid will be happier when this is all over and she can relax.

She hit send and waited. He probably wouldn’t reply – he’d sent his text a while ago.

She grinned when her phone buzzed in her hand.

Ollie: If she wants to hang around for a few days, the bridesmaid can relax and chill with the pilot if she likes.

All her breath caught in her chest. She’d already been debating with herself about how long she should stay. She knew she couldn’t leave tomorrow morning like she’d originally told him that she might.

But it didn’t seem right to stick around here for too long, either – not after Becca left.

She stared at the screen, not knowing what to say in reply. Then another message came in.

Ollie: Not trying to pressure you. Just think about it. See you later.