Page 7 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

When Jacob came out of the store, he checked his watch. He’d come into town to run a few errands – mostly he’d come so that Becca would have some time alone with her parents when they first arrived.

It wasn’t that he was trying to get away from them.

He enjoyed their company and was looking forward to seeing them again.

He always did. But he knew they’d enjoy having Becca to themselves when they first arrived.

He smiled as he crossed the street. One of his errands was to stop at the candy store.

Both Chuck and Darlene had taken a liking to the local fudge.

It made him laugh. He’d lived in Napa all his life, and until they’d come to visit, he hadn’t been aware that there was such a thing as local fudge. He hesitated as he passed Molly’s restaurant. He didn’t know if Grady would be working at lunchtime, but he could pop in to see Molly.

He checked his watch again. Then again, maybe not. He wanted to give Becca some time with her folks, but he didn’t want to be out for too long, and he’d almost decided he was going to stop at the DuPont estate on his way back home.

After he’d bought the fudge – salted caramel for Chuck, and chocolate for Darlene – he headed back to where he’d parked his Range Rover.

Once he was behind the wheel, he took his cell phone out and checked.

There was still no reply from this Alara woman.

He let out a sigh. Perhaps it was a sign that he shouldn’t bother.

Yes, the arch was beautiful. It could even prove to be the crowning piece.

But it was Monday already. All the other plans had been in place for months and were finally coming together.

The decorators hadn’t been thrilled this morning when he’d proposed the idea of adding the arch, although they had thawed somewhat when he’d shown them Elena’s photos.

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He wanted to try calling Alara again… but he started the engine and decided he’d stop at the DuPont estate on his way home.

When he arrived there, he drove right on by the house, heading instead for the offices. When he got there, he jogged up the steps and the girl sitting behind the reception desk greeted him with a smile.

“Hi, Mr. Jacobs. I think Bentley’s in a meeting, but I’ll just check and—”

Jacob held his hand up. “That’s okay. It’s actually Willow I’m here to see.”

“Oh, okay, sorry. I just assumed…” She looked a little flustered. “I … let me see if she’s available.”

Jacob stood to one side and waited. He was tempted to run up to Willow’s office, but if she were busy, she wouldn’t appreciate the interruption.

A few moments later the girl looked up at him. “She’s on her way down.”

It was only a few minutes before Willow appeared and greeted him with a puzzled smile. “Is everything all right? What can I do for you? Bentley’s in a meeting, but…”

He gave her a rueful smile. “It’s not Bentley I’m after. I’ve come to ask your advice.”

Willow glanced at the girl behind the desk. “Hold my calls, would you, Juliet? And call Andrew, let him know I won’t be in my office. I’ll stop by to see him when I’m ready.”

Jacob frowned. “I don’t mean to disturb you, I—”

Willow waved a hand at him. “It’s fine. Want to walk outside?”

Jacob held the door for her, and once they were back outside in the sunshine, he was glad she’d suggested it.

“Want to walk or sit?” she asked when they reached the bottom of the steps.

He met her gaze, and she laughed. “Right. Walk. Walk and talk. Tell me what’s going on.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Nothing’s going on.

At least nothing bad. There’s no panic or anything.

There’s just…” He blew out a sigh. “Elena told me about something – an arch – that might be the perfect addition to the wedding, but I don’t know if I can make it happen. And I don’t even know if I should try.”

Willow gave him a puzzled look. “And you’re asking me because…?”

“Because I think you’ll be able to give me the perfect mix of logical assessment and female insight.”

Willow laughed. “Thanks, I think. I’m going to take that as a compliment, although part of me wonders if I should be offended.”

Jacob laughed with her. “It’s definitely intended as a compliment, but I can see how you might not take it that way.”

She shrugged. “Either way, it’s irrelevant. Tell me about this arch. Tell me the pros and cons.”

“Thanks, that’s exactly why you were the one person I wanted to check with.”

He told her about Elena’s phone call yesterday and how he’d been trying to get in touch with Alara ever since.

“She hasn’t returned your calls?” Willow asked.

He shook his head.

“And you really think this arch might be the cherry on top of all your already elaborate wedding plans?”

Jacob took his phone out and found the photographs Elena had sent him.

“I think it might be,” he said, before handing his phone to her.

“But at the same time, I’ve noticed that I’m tending toward the emotional or sentimental side at the moment.

So perhaps I’m going overboard. Perhaps it would be too much.

And the logistics – if I can even get ahold of her – may not be ideal.

Adding in one more person, one more job. ..”

She took his phone. “Well, you know you came to the right person to tell you either way.” A big smile spread across her face when she looked at the photos.

“You need to talk to this woman,” she said immediately.

“I know enough about your plans from what you’ve said, from what Bentley’s shared, and from seeing all the cornflowers lining the driveways on the estate.

If you can get this arch, I think it’ll be perfect, Jacob. ”

She handed his phone back.

“But…?” he asked as he watched her expression change.

She lifted a shoulder. “My only concern now is that you’ll be disappointed if you can’t get it.”

“You’re right. I will.”

“So, call her again. Call her now.”

“Thanks, I will.”

“Is there anything else I can do?” she asked.

He chuckled. “Not unless you know where a woman living in a camper van might be staying. If she won’t return my calls, I’m considering trying to hunt her down.”

Willow laughed. “Call her again first. I’ll see what I can find out.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that?” Jacob asked.

She grinned. “I’ll start with Elena, then move on to her friend, Lupe. The arch you just showed me was at Lupe’s daughter’s wedding, right? The daughter may know where this Alara is staying, or where we might find her if we can’t get her on the phone.”

“Thanks, Willow.”

She reached out and touched his arm. “There’s no need, Jacob.

I’m happy to try to help.” She chuckled.

“And I should warn you now that although I’ll keep my mouth shut until you get this arch in place – and I’ll never speak a word if you don’t manage to make it happen – I may tease you about it afterwards. ”

Jacob gave her a rueful smile. “That’s fair, and it’s a price I’m happy to pay.”

She checked her watch. “Well, if that’s all, you go call her. I’ll go back to work. I’ll check in with you later. Let me know if you talk to her and I’ll call off my hunt.”

“Will do. Thanks again.”

As soon as he climbed back into his Range Rover, Jacob tried calling Alara again. There was still no reply, and he left another message – hoping that this time, she might get back to him.

~ ~ ~

Becca parked her Range Rover outside the hangar and patted the door when she got out. “You wait there, Grover,” she told him. “I’ll be back soon.”

She wandered out to look at the runway. It still blew her away that Jacob had not only his own plane but also his own runway right here on the estate.

She checked the tracker app on her phone and then looked up at the sky.

She still didn’t really have the hang of how it worked.

The little blue line on her phone looked as though the plane should be here already, but when she looked up, she didn’t know which direction to check.

She went back to stand beside Grover, enjoying the feel of the sunshine on her back.

She remembered the first time she’d flown out of here by herself.

Jacob had gone to San Diego for Elliott’s dad’s funeral, and she’d been nervous about flying alone.

Slade had come with her to make sure she was okay getting on the plane.

He hadn’t been able to go with her, though.

She scowled when she remembered that horrible Jamie person.

He’d been awful. But she didn’t have to worry about him anymore.

The sound of the jet approaching drew her attention back toward the sky.

She smiled when she spotted it. She was glad that Elliott was back at work now.

She’d liked him from the moment she met him, and of course, she loved Trick.

It was sad that Elliott’s dad had died, but he seemed to be doing better lately.

She knew that both he and Trick got along well with her parents — so much so that her dad had invited them to fly out a little earlier than they needed to today so he could take them for lunch before they flew back.

He was Kansas proud, and he knew that Trick and Elliott both loved the local barbecue place in town from their previous visits.

She shaded her eyes with her hand as she watched the jet touch down, and a little shiver ran down her spine.

In her mind, her folks’ arrival marked the official beginning of wedding week.

She couldn’t wait to see them. She planned to make the most of every moment between now and the wedding and having her folks here as part of it all only added to her enjoyment.

She watched the jet come to a stop, and Elliott waved to her as he lowered the stairs. Then her mom appeared, closely followed by her dad. By the time they reached the bottom of the steps, Becca was there waiting to greet them.