Page 40 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

Jacob and Bentley stood off to one side watching people take their seats. They’d arrived a little too early, just as he’d intended.

“The arch is spectacular,” said Bentley.

Jacob turned to stare at it. It was even more beautiful than he'd believed possible when he'd seen it this morning while Alara was still working on it. A rush of warmth filled his chest.

“What’s that smile for?” asked Bentley. Then he shook his head. “Forget I asked. You probably don’t want to …”

Jacob chuckled. “It’s okay, I don’t mind sharing.

I was just looking at the arch …” He gestured around at the beautiful scene laid out before them, at the cornflowers lining the driveway, and the way the whole estate had been transformed for this day.

“I was remembering the first time I saw a cornflower.”

Bentley gave him a puzzled look.

"When Fred—Becca's car," he added with a rueful smile, "broke down while Slade was driving it back from Oakland for her.

He brought it back here, and when I went out to the garage to look at it, Slade showed me the little flower vase on the dash.

She had a crocus in it." He grinned at his friend.

"It's just so Becca – a crocus in a Focus. "

Bentley chuckled. “I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, well, that’s because I only ever told you about the cornflower she had in there.

She said she kept it because it reminded her of home.

And that’s how this whole thing came about.

I wanted this place to feel like home to her.

” He gave his friend a wry smile. “It’s a long way from Kansas, after all. ”

“It might be a long way,” said Bentley, “but I know she thinks of this as her home now. And not because of the cornflowers – because of you.” He gripped Jacob’s shoulder. “I’m happy for you, my friend.”

Jacob nodded, not trusting his voice for a moment. “Thanks. I’m happy for me too.”

Bentley nodded to where the officiant was beckoning them over. “It looks like it’s almost time.”

“It’s time, all right,” said Jacob. And the two of them went to stand beside the arch.

After he’d greeted the officiant, he smiled out at the rows of friends and family who were watching them more attentively now. It seemed there were representatives from every era and area of his life.

Smoke sat with his wife, Laura, and his parents, Madeleine and Cole.

There was a time when it would have been hard to believe they’d ever all sit together again.

Smoke gave him a nod, and Laura waved. Beside them were Smoke’s brother and sister, Cam and Chelsea, with their partners, Piper and Grant.

The Hamiltons had been a big part of his childhood, and here they were now, part of the most important day of his life.

He chuckled when Antonio waved at him. He was sitting with the rest of the DiGiovannis – his wife Mary Ellen, his brother Marcos and his wife, Molly.

Little Luca sat on Marcos’s knee, a toddler now, waving his chubby little arms at his grandparents.

Antonio’s mom gave Jacob a wave, and he waved back.

He considered those guys to be the Italian branch of the family.

Xander grinned at him. He and Tori were sitting with Willow and Slade, who gave him a nod. Jacob was glad to see John with those guys and touched his fingers to his brow when John saluted him.

They were all just behind Russ and Ria. Ria held his gaze for a moment, and he had to close his eyes.

She was the closest thing to his parents he had here today.

Next to her and Russ, Elena and Walt sat tall and proud, making him glad he’d asked them – not just to sit with his family but to prove to the world that they were his family.

The thought had him needing to clear his throat.

His parents might have been gone a long time, but he had more family now than ever.

As if to prove it, Darlene got up from her seat and came toward him, a grin on her face and a tissue in her hand. “You look like you’re getting a bit choked up there, big fella,” she said as she handed it over.

He had to laugh when she winked at him.

“Don’t worry. I’m keeping my back to them so no one can see.”

He chuckled. “Thanks, Darlene.”

“You’re welcome, love.” She hesitated for a moment, and Jacob held out his arms. He held her tight for a moment when she wrapped him in what had to be the most motherly hug he’d ever known. Everyone in the first few rows laughed when she finally let go of him and turned to Elena and Ria.

“I know he’s yours, but we’re all one big family after today. My Chuck’s already said we’re not giving our Becca away. We’re claiming this one and the rest of you, too.”

Bentley grinned at Jacob as she bustled back to her seat beside CJ.

Jacob deliberately made eye contact with every one of Becca’s siblings. CJ grinned. Danny gave him the thumbs-up. Dawn surprised him with a warm smile. Even Dean gave him a nod. There’d be time to get to know them better, and the rest of his life to do it.

Scanning the rest of the crowd, he grinned when he saw the pilots all sitting together: Trick and Elliott, who’d worked for the family for years, and Ollie and Reaves, who’d been part of his circle of friends since elementary school.

He chuckled when he saw little Zia sitting on Reaves’s lap, and her mom, Alara, with Charles St. James right there with them.

He turned to Bentley, about to ask if he knew what was going on between Reaves and Alara, but the sound of a single note played by the cello made his breath catch in his chest.

This was it. It was about to begin.

~ ~ ~

Becca twisted her hands together nervously.

It was almost time; she and her dad were waiting just inside the doors that led out to the formal lawn.

Hannah and Grady had just gone to take their places, and Ava was clinging to Callie's hand.

She'd gotten so anxious about it that Callie had asked Becca how she felt about her walking with Ava instead of following her.

Of course, she was fine with that.

She loved her dad even more when he went and squatted down beside Ava. "I know you're nervous, but you're going to be okay."

Ava nodded and gave him what was obviously a forced smile.

"Want to know a secret?" her dad asked. Ava looked a little more interested at that. Her dad looked at both Becca and Callie before winking at Ava and continuing. "If you want to know the truth, Grandpa Chuck's nervous about walking out there in front of all them people too."

Ava's eyebrows lifted. "You are?"

He nodded vigorously. "I am. But do you want to know what I do when I'm nervous?"

"Yes," said Ava.

He reached in his pocket, and Becca had to laugh when he pulled out one of his mints and said, "I suck on one of these."

Becca exchanged a glance with Callie. Her dad had always carried mints, ever since the two of them were small – he used to give them out like rewards.

She'd never heard him say that he ate them to calm his nerves before.

Whether it was true or not didn't really matter.

What counted was that Ava took the one that he offered with a smile and then looked up at Becca to ask, "Is it okay if I—"

"Of course it is, sweetie. I'd ask for one too, but I'd probably choke on it while I'm trying to say my vows," she added with a laugh.

"Don't say that," said Callie. "Nobody's going to choke."

Becca bit down on her lip. The last thing she wanted was Ava worrying about choking on her mint. To her relief, Ava smiled up at her. "I'll be careful, I promise. But I think Grandpa Chuck's mint might help," she said as she popped it into her mouth.

Callie picked up the basket full of freeze-dried petals that Ava was going to scatter on their way down the aisle. Becca hadn't been sure about the pink petals at first, but now with so much blue everywhere, she knew they were going to be perfect.

When Callie handed her the bouquet, Becca gave her friend's hand a squeeze. "I'll see you up at the front, then."

Callie squeezed back. "You bet. I'll be there waiting. Just remember what I said. Relax and enjoy every moment, okay?"

"You should listen to her," said her dad. "She's right." He smiled at Callie. "And thanks. I needed the reminder too."

Becca caught her breath when a single note played on the cello sounded. "Oh, my goodness. This is it," she exclaimed. "You're going to do great, Ava."

Ava nodded and took hold of Callie's hand. "So are you," she said with a smile.

Becca pressed her lips together as she and her dad watched Callie and Ava start their slow walk down the steps and between the rows of chairs.

The music floating over the scene – the sweet, familiar melody about trees of green and skies of blue – matched the day perfectly just like she'd hoped it would.

Her dad chuckled. "I love that you chose this song, Louis Armstrong would be proud."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I always remember it from when we were kids. It used to make you smile. And Jacob said his dad loved it, too."

Her dad blinked a few times before he said, "It's sure as hell making me smile right now. But it'll probably bring a tear to my eye every time I hear it in the future."

"Aww, Dad."

He chuckled. "Aww, Becs. But come on, we need to pay attention. It'll be our turn in a minute."

Becca looped her arm through his and smiled like an idiot as she watched Callie and Ava walk toward the front, Ava scattering petals as they went. Her dad was right; the song was perfect – it really was a Wonderful World.

She did her best not to look at Jacob, she didn't want to see him until he saw her.

It might be silly, but she wanted that moment – the moment when they laid eyes on each other.

So she only watched Callie and Ava until they were halfway to the arch – she didn't even want to see that until she was out on the steps – on her way.