Page 43 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)
Looking around again, he smiled when he saw Reaves and Alara talking. They were standing on the very edge of the circle of light cast by the lanterns that had been strung all around the formal lawn.
"Maybe there's some hope," he added.
Trick followed his gaze and nodded. "It looks that way to me. And what about you? I like Callie a lot."
Ollie let out a short laugh. "So do I, but I can't seem to get a minute with her."
"I'd figure that out if I were you. She's the kind of girl you make time for."
Ollie nodded his agreement, but it wasn't as though he hadn’t been trying.
~ ~ ~
Darlene spotted Elena standing alone, watching Xander and Tori, and Hannah and Grady, who’d all moved out onto the dance floor when the band started to play a slow ballad.
She went to stand beside the other woman and gave her arm a squeeze. “It’s good to see all our babies grown up and getting on with their lives, isn’t it?”
Elena turned to her with a sad smile. “It is. I was going to say that they’re not my babies, but you understand.”
Darlene nodded. “Seems to me that Jacob, Xander, and Hannah, all treat you like a mom. They love you, and you love them. At the end of the day, that’s what family means.”
Elena nodded gratefully. “I like to think so.”
“Well, now you don’t just have to think so, you can know so. And if anyone questions it, you can tell ’em that’s how it is because your bossy new in-laws say so.”
Elena laughed. “You’re not bossy. You’re wonderful. I love to think of you as family now.”
“Me too,” Darlene agreed. “I think Jacob and Becca are going to take off soon. Slade just came back and gave Jacob the nod, so things must be ready around the back. I think the band knows too – they’re playing more slow songs.
” She nodded to where Jacob and Becca were now dancing with the others, swaying slowly to the music, lost in each other’s eyes.
“I might just have to find my Chuck and get him up there. You should …” She hurried forward when she saw Walt sitting at one of the tables nearby.
“Get up and dance,” she told him.
He gave her a puzzled look but didn’t resist as she towed him over to Elena.
The two of them stared at each other for a moment until she laughed. “Just get out there and dance, would you? You’ll do me and Chuck a favor so we’re not the only oldies on our feet.”
She watched with a big smile on her face as they moved out onto the dance floor – she had high hopes for those two.
Chuck spotted her just before she reached him. He was sitting on the low stone wall, watching Becca dance with Jacob. The rest of their kids were sitting around one of the tables. They hadn’t mingled much, but they were enjoying themselves.
Chuck got to his feet and curled his arm around her waist as he guided her onto the dance floor.
“I thought you’d never ask, love,” he said with a wink.
She batted his shoulder. “You know damn well I wasn’t going to let the evening end without getting you up on your feet.”
“And I’d never call it a night till I got a dance with my honey.”
He held her close, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder, watching the couples around them as they shuffled to the music.
“You met Reaves’s dad, Charles, yet?” he asked.
She laughed and swatted his shoulder again. “You saw me talking to him, didn’t you? You’re a jealous old fool.”
His arms tightened around her. “Not jealous, love. I just wondered if you had any regrets. You could have moved someplace like this when we were young. Could have married yourself a Charles and lived on a fancy estate instead of getting saddled with old Chuck and the farm.”
She leaned back so she could look into his eyes. “We both know I was trying to get out of Dodge when I met you. But deciding to stay – to be with you? Best decision I ever made.”
She loved the way his eyes twinkled when he said, “Sweet talker.”
“Don’t give me that – usually you tell me I speak too plainly. You can’t have it both ways.”
She laughed when he spun her around and clung to his shoulders when he pulled her back in close.
He pressed a kiss to her lips. “I love you, Darl.”
“Aww. I love you, Chuck.”
He nodded. “Our wedding was a long time ago now. But I reckon we’ve done well at keeping our promises.”
“We have. We haven’t made it to forever yet, but I hope it takes a lot more years before we get there.”
She laughed again when he picked up the pace, twirling her around the floor. “We’ve got years and years left in us yet – we’ve only just begun.”
~ ~ ~
Callie herded all the single girls together, ready for the bouquet toss.
Becca had wanted to do it out front before they got into the car, and Jacob had looked so panicked that it was almost funny.
That man had engineered everything in advance so perfectly that today looked like he was just going with the flow.
She’d taken pity on him, not wanting his big surprise to be ruined at the last minute.
So, she’d taken Becca’s arm and told her it was best to throw the bouquet back here.
Then they could wait while everyone else gathered on the front steps to wave them off.
She’d even said something about the photographer liking the light better back here to catch all the single ladies in a scrimmage – and Becca was so loved up that she’d happily agreed.
She just wanted to head off to the hotel with Jacob now – and Callie didn’t blame her.
Hannah winked at her and held up her camera. “I’m not going to get into a wrestling match with Willow and Chelsea over the bouquet – I value my life more than that, and those two are getting impatient. And besides, you were spot on about the lighting back here.”
Willow came to stand beside Callie. “You’re not after the bouquet, are you?”
Callie laughed. “Err, no thanks. If it comes my way, I’ll bat it toward you.”
“I knew I liked you,” Willow said with a grin.
“That’s not fair,” said Delaney, elbowing her way through to join them.
“You have Slade, and you have an engagement ring – all you need is to set a date.” She looked over Callie’s shoulder and then edged past her, reappearing a few moments later, towing a stunned-looking Alara with her.
“Some of us need this bouquet more than you do, Willow.”
Tori laughed as she came to join them. “I’m just here for the fun of it.”
Willow grinned at her. “Then you’re on my team – I want that bouquet!”
Callie had to laugh. “We’re catching flowers, ladies, not playing rugby.”
Delaney nudged her with her elbow. “I think Becca’s ready.”
Callie was about to go stand with Becca, thinking it’d be safer to direct her from over there than from the middle of this bouquet-hungry crowd. But before she could leave, Delaney grabbed hold of her arm and shouted, “They’re ready, Becca, time to throw those flowers! Five – four –”
Callie glowered at her, but before she could say anything the other girls had all joined in the countdown, chanting, “Three, two, one!”
Callie turned back just as Becca threw the bouquet over her shoulder. Everyone hustled around her. She was determined to just watch where it landed – but it was heading straight for her head. She had no choice. Her hand reached up automatically before it hit her in the face.
And then there she was – holding the bouquet!
She looked around, feeling dumb.
Willow shrugged happily. “I’m glad it’s you – although I should warn you that I feel kind of invested now in making sure you put that bouquet to good use.”
Callie just laughed, but Delaney nudged her again and jerked her chin toward where Ollie was standing.
Callie inhaled sharply when he smiled at her and nodded. She looked away quickly, hoping no one else had noticed, but Tori exclaimed, “Oh! You and Ollie?”
“No. There’s nothing I …”
Willow laughed. “If there isn’t anything yet, there will be. Did you see the way he’s looking at you, girl? He may not be interested in what that bouquet might mean, but he’s definitely interested in something!”
Delaney spoke in a low voice beside her. “If you ask me, I’d say he is wondering what that bouquet might mean. I’ve known Ollie for years, and I’ve never seen him look at a girl the way he’s looking at you right now.”
Callie glanced over at him again, and her tummy flipped over when he winked.
She pulled herself together and handed the bouquet to Willow. “I have to go and help Becca. And you guys all need to get out front. They want to leave now, and Jacob wants everyone to be there when she sees.”
Willow looked down at the flowers. “I’ll hang on to these for you, but they’re yours.” Then she smiled around at the others. “Come on, ladies, it’s ready Freddy go time.