Page 6 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)
He frowned. The estate looked more like a cornflower farm than anything else lately. All the driveways were lined with them. The whole palette for the wedding colors had been designed around cornflower blue.
“I’m sending you the photos now. Lupe sent them to me. They’ll explain better than I could. If you want an arch like that, you’ll know – you’ll feel it as soon as you see them. Just like I did. If not, we can forget I called and disturbed your Sunday.”
He finally relaxed. “I don’t want to forget. You’re not disturbing me. You’re reaching out to suggest something I might like – something that might add to the wedding – and that means a lot, Elena. No matter what I think of your flower arch.”
His phone vibrated in his hand.
“Hold on, let me take a look, the photos just came in.”
The moment he opened the text, he inhaled sharply.
Elena laughed. “That’s exactly what I did when I saw it. It’s beautiful, no?”
“It is. I understand now why you had to call. Thank you. Who’s the … who made it?” He’d been about to ask who the artist was because the only way to describe the beautiful arch was as art.
“That’s the thing, Jacob. She’s not local.
She’s only passing through. Apparently, she’s a young woman who’s on her way from San Diego to Oregon.
She’s living in a camper van with her small daughter while she’s on the road, making her way north.
Lupe said that she’s working her way up there – taking jobs where she can find them.
I have her number if you want it. Her name is Alara. ”
“Thanks. Can you text it to me when we’re done?”
“Of course. You’re going to call her then? I don’t know if she’ll be able to help. Lupe said that she’s in Napa for a little while, but she didn’t know how long – or if she has other work while she’s here.”
“I’ll call her now.”
Elena laughed. “I’ll stop talking and send you the number. I hope you can make it happen.”
“Me, too. Thanks, Elena.”
“You are very welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow. But Jacob, if you manage to get ahold of her and she says yes, will you text me and let me know? I’ll be holding my breath, and keeping my fingers crossed.”
He had to smile. “I’ll let you know how it goes straight after I call her. And thanks again.”
“You’re welcome again. See you in the morning.”
“You will – but I’ll text you with any news.”
~ ~ ~
As the girls chatted about their wedding plans, Becca kept glancing toward the garage, hoping that Jacob and the others might come back soon.
She felt bad about putting Slade on the spot about whatever he wanted to talk to the guys about.
And she was worried that Jacob had maybe had enough of all the wedding talk.
That man had taken care of everything. He and her mom had teamed up and become a force to be reckoned with.
The sun had begun its descent, and the light turned that lovely golden color that made the rolling, vine-covered hills look like an old painting. Becca sighed. Everything about her life here was so perfect. She needed to stop fretting about little things.
Alyssa reached over and touched her arm. “That was a big sigh. Everything okay?”
“Everything’s perfect,” she said with a smile.
Willow laughed. “It sure seems that way. You and Jacob are perfect for each other. I love it.”
“And I do,” said Hannah. “I love that a week from now, you’ll be my sister-in-law.”
Becca looked around at them, tears stinging behind her eyes. “Aww, I love you ladies. It’s hard to believe that when I first met Jacob, I was thinking that I’d have to go home to Kansas. I didn’t know anyone here, I didn’t have friends. Now, I have all of you, and you all feel like family.”
Ava came to stand beside her, wearing a big smile. “Uncle Jacob says that it’s all thanks to me, you know.”
“And he’s right,” Becca agreed. Ava had been in her third-grade class last year.
That was how Becca had gotten to know Grady and Hannah.
Although, she hadn’t met Jacob through them – it had been Ava herself who’d introduced the two of them at the Christmas tree lighting here on the estate. “And I’ll be forever grateful to you.”
“That’s okay,” said Ava. “I’m grateful to me, too. I loved having you as Miss Taylor, my teacher. But I love even more having you as Auntie Becca who’s married to Uncle Jacob – you’re my family now.”
Becca nodded, knowing how much family meant to Ava.
She’d come to live with her Uncle Grady just before the last school year had started – she’d never known her father, and her mom had died when she was five.
Since she and Grady had moved in with Hannah, she’d been eagerly extending her family, first claiming Uncle Jacob and Uncle Xander – then going on to claim everyone who came into her circle.
“Speaking of family,” said Hannah, “when do your folks get in? Are Trick and Elliott going for them?”
“They are. They’re picking Mom and Dad up at noon tomorrow, so they should be back here late afternoon.”
Willow grinned. “I’ll be sure to stop by the house on my way home from work then. I adore your folks.”
“I’ll have to find a way to pop over and see them, too,” said Alyssa.
A rush of warmth filled Becca’s chest. Her family was so different from these guys.
It wasn’t just about money, though. She and her family were as down-to-earth as it got.
These guys had grown up in a whole different world – a world where appearances seemed to matter more than anything else sometimes.
She’d been concerned at first about how her two worlds might collide when they met, but she needn’t have worried.
Her folks had won everyone over pretty much immediately simply by being themselves.
Her mom seemed to have become a kind of group mom to all the girls – although no, she was the same with the guys, too.
Last time they’d been here, Becca had come downstairs to find her holding court in the kitchen with Slade, Trick and Elliott – the two pilots – and Walt, the groundskeeper.
Her dad and Walt got along as though they’d been friends for life – and that was a relief since Jacob had wanted her dad to make sure that the cornflowers were planted all over the estate and would grow well, while Walt had not only managed but also taken great pride in the grounds for over forty years.
“I know they’re looking forward to seeing you all.”
“But what?” Willow asked with a puzzled look. “What were you just thinking?”
“Nothing bad,” Becca replied hurriedly. “It’s just … well, I’m glad that they fit in so well with everyone here. I wasn’t sure at first, you know?”
“I know what you mean,” said Willow. “But surely you’re not still worried?”
“No! Not at all. I love how well they get along with everyone.”
“We don’t just get along with them,” said Hannah.
“We love them. I know you wouldn’t want them moving in with you, but I told Jacob the other day that I wished they lived here full-time.
Your folks are like … real parents.” She cringed.
“I don’t mean that ours weren’t, but …” She blew out a sigh.
“I guess all I’m trying to say is that I love them – we all do. ”
Alyssa nodded her agreement and shot a smile at Willow. “Even Ria loves them.”
Willow nodded enthusiastically. “She does. She’s looking forward to seeing them again, and she’s excited to sit with them since Jacob asked her to be kind of mother-of-the-groom.
” She laughed. “But I should warn you now, if Mom gets it into her head to invite your folks over to bingo night with Vic and Ingrid…!”
“Oh my god!” exclaimed Hannah. “We so need to set that up.” She turned to Alyssa. “You have to see it. If someone had told me a few years ago that the great Alexandria DuPont would one day be open to going for a night out playing bingo, I would never have believed it.”
“Me neither,” said Willow. “And she’s not just open to going, she’s more like a bingo fiend.
When you get her and Ingrid together…” She shook her head with a laugh.
“So, yeah. The point is that we’re all looking forward to seeing your folks – even my mom.
” She looked more serious as she met Becca’s gaze and added, “And if you have any lingering doubts about how well you fit in here – you or your folks – now’s the time to bring them up.
” She turned to Alyssa and Hannah. “Because we can talk her right out of them, can’t we ladies? ”
Becca loved the way the others nodded encouragingly, but she shook her head.
“I did have my concerns in the beginning – you all know that. But I’m over them now – I’ve been over them for a long time.
How could I not be? Jacob’s so … well, he’s just Jacob.
And all of you have been so good to me that …
” She stopped and dabbed at her eyes, surprised to feel the sting of tears.
Alyssa touched her arm. “It’s okay,” she reassured her.
Willow raised her glass. “It’s more than okay. It’s fan-freaking-tastic. I’m so glad you’re here, glad that you guys are getting married. Here’s to you – Becca and Jacob.”
The others tapped their glasses against Willow’s, saying, “Becca and Jacob,” and Becca basked in the warm wave of happiness that welled up in her chest and threatened to overflow.