Page 9 of The Wedding Toast (The Hamiltons #10)

When Becca finished getting ready on Tuesday morning, she came back out into the bedroom to find Jacob standing in front of the windows. She went to him, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Do you have a busy day?” he asked.

She chuckled. “Kind of, but nothing like normal.”

He gave her a puzzled look and she shrugged.

“I was going to say that yes, I do have a busy day. I need to hang out with my folks. I told Hannah I’d go over to the cottage because Ava wants to try her dress on one more time, and Hannah said that she’s a bit nervous about the whole flower girl deal now that it’s getting closer. I just want to reassure her.

“And there are a thousand details that my mom, Elena, and Mrs. B all want to talk about. But I feel a bit silly saying that’s a busy day. Compared to my normal working days with a class full of third graders, this is nothing.”

“Will said the same thing to me the other day,” Jacob said with a smile. “He thinks I’m playing hooky from work and leaving him to face everything. He thinks that those are the important details.”

Becca loved the way he smiled at her as he added, “But we know the truth, don’t we? There’s nothing more important in the world than this.”

“Aww - there isn’t to me. I’m just glad that you see it that way too.”

He tightened his arm around her. “Of course I do. Although, as important as the wedding is, it’s about so much more than that.”

Becca nodded her agreement. “Exactly. Of course I’m excited about the wedding, but only because it’s the official start of our life together.” She poked him in the ribs. “You and me – and all our children.”

She loved the way the lines around his eyes deepened when he narrowed them at her. “I thought we’d settled on three. I’ve told you before, I’m no spring chicken.”

“And I’ve told you that you’re no old man, either. We’ll just have to get started and see how many we can have, won’t we?”

“We will,” he agreed, wrapping both his arms around her as he turned to face her. “I should probably get going. I told Will that I’d run over to the office for an hour before I meet with your dad and Walt.”

“And don’t worry if you need to stay,” she told him.

“Dad and Walt are both happy to make sure that…” She shrugged.

“I don’t even know what they could do about the flowers at this point.

They all seemed to be blooming beautifully to me.

And if they weren’t…” She lifted a shoulder.

“What could they do about it between now and Saturday?”

Jacob chuckled. “I was thinking the same thing, but since the cornflowers are the centerpiece of everything, we want to make sure. Make sure of what, I don’t really know, but …”

“I get it. It makes you all feel better to know that you’re keeping an eye on them and doing what you can, right?”

“Exactly. Do you know where you’ll be around ten-thirty?”

She gave him a puzzled look. “Probably still with Hannah and Ava. Why, do you need me for something?”

He shook his head rapidly. “No, I was just curious. I might have to run out for a while, that’s all.”

“Is there anything you want me to do?”

He tightened his arms around her waist. “Just enjoy yourself, whatever you get up to.”

She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. She loved the way he kissed her – she always had.

When he finally lifted his head to look down into her eyes, she reached around to squeeze his butt.

“You’d better get to work, Mr. Jacobs.”

“I’m going. I’ll see you later.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I can’t wait until I can finally say, see you later, Mrs. Jacobs.”

After he’d gone, Becca hugged herself as she looked out at the vineyards. She couldn’t wait to be Mrs. Jacobs.

~ ~ ~

When Jacob arrived back at the house a couple of hours later, he was relieved to see that Becca’s Range Rover wasn’t parked with the other cars behind the kitchen.

He was excited to tell her about Alara and the arch, but he wanted to meet the woman first, make sure that she and her daughter were people he’d be comfortable having around the estate over the next few days.

He also wanted to make sure that Alara was going to commit to making the arch before Becca got excited about it. The last thing he wanted was for her to end up disappointed. He ran up the kitchen steps and let himself in, smiling when he found Becca’s mom and Elena in there laughing together.

“Morning, ladies. It sounds like you’re having a good time,” he greeted them.

“Oh, we are,” said Elena. “I was just trying to convince Darlene that she and Chuck should stay.”

Darlene laughed out loud. “Don’t go saying things like that. We don’t want him calling off the wedding for fear that his in-laws might want to move in with him.”

Jacob smiled. He loved Chuck and Darlene, but he couldn’t see sharing his home with them. “I’ve told you before, I think it would be a good idea for you guys to have a home here. And I’m happy to…”

Darlene waved a hand at him. “And we’ve told you before – it’s not that we don’t appreciate the offer, but you don’t need to go spending your money on a place for us. We’re happy to come and stay for a while whenever we can.”

She made a face. “I think in the future we should find a little place where we can stay that’s not here in the house with you and Becca. But you know what it’s like with the farm. We need to be there most of the time anyway.”

Jacob nodded. He did know. He also knew that as much as they loved Becca, their other daughter and their three sons were still much closer to home back in Kansas.

“Anyway,” said Darlene, “what are you doing back here? Are there any more chores on this master list of yours that I can knock off for you?”

Jacob grinned. He hadn’t had the chance to tell them about Alara and the arch yet. He went to the door and looked outside before closing it and coming to lean on the island, gesturing for Darlene and Elena to sit.

Elena gave him a puzzled smile, and Darlene rolled her sleeves up. “What is it?” she asked eagerly. “Do you have some secret assignment for us?”

Elena nodded at her. “He’s thought of a detail. I can tell – he gets this look about him.”

Jacob had to laugh. “You know me so well.”

As Elena met his gaze and nodded, it hit him that she really did. She’d worked for the family for as long as he could remember. She was like a mom to him, and that thought made him feel bad. Perhaps he should have asked her to be his mother-of-the-groom figure rather than Alexandria.

A heavy weight sat in his chest. He needed to do something to let her know – and to show the world, or at least all his friends and family who came to the wedding – just how much she meant to him, how important a figure she was in his life.

Darlene drummed her fingers on the island. “So come on, what is it?”

He told them all about the arch. Of course, Elena was thrilled that he’d managed to get hold of Alara. Darlene didn’t look all that impressed until he took his phone out to show her the photographs.

As soon as she saw them, she was much more enthusiastic.

“But here’s the thing,” said Jacob. “I need to ask for your help – both of you.”

“With what?” asked Darlene, at the same time that Elena said, “Of course, anything.”

“I asked her to come over here this morning.” He checked his watch. “I’ll have to head down to the gate to meet her in a few minutes. She’s still not convinced that she’ll take the job.”

“Bring her up here to meet us,” said Darlene. “We’ll convince her, right, Elena?”

Elena nodded but gave Jacob a puzzled look as she asked, “What’s her problem?”

“She has a daughter – a six-year-old – and she has no one to watch her.”

Darlene rubbed her hands together. “Well, we can do it between us, can’t we, Elena?

I mean, normally I’d say leave it to me.

” She patted the other woman’s arm. “But for one thing, I wouldn’t want to just come in and try to take over from you.

And for another, there’s going to be a lot going on that I need to help out with. ”

“I know,” said Jacob. “We’re all going to be in the same boat. We’d all be happy to keep an eye on the girl, but we each have other things we need to do.”

“We can do it between us,” Elena agreed with Darlene.

“It’s not as though you’d have to be with her every minute,” said Jacob. “I just thought, if the two of you are open to the idea, I could bring them up here to meet you. Between the three of us, we can decide if it’s going to work – if this arch is going to be worth all the hassle.”

“I believe it will be,” said Elena, “and I’m happy to help with the little girl, or anything else you need.”

“I’m the same,” said Darlene. “But let’s meet them first. You don’t even know what the mother’s like yet, let alone the child.”

That made Jacob smile. Elena always had and always would do anything she could to help him out. And Darlene was a practical soul. She loved people, especially children. But she was prepared to look at the possible downsides – and to make him consider them, too.

“Thanks, ladies. I said I’d meet them at the gate at ten-thirty. I’ll go and get them.”

~ ~ ~

Becca’s hand came up to cover her heart as she watched Ava twirl around, making the skirt of her dress flare out.

“Isn’t it pretty?” Ava asked.

“It’s lovely,” said Becca, “but not as lovely as you are.”

Hannah nodded her agreement. “You look wonderful,” she told the little girl. “But more importantly, how do you feel?”

As Becca watched the two of them together, she felt as though she should take notes—for when – if – she was lucky enough to have a daughter of her own. Hannah was so good with Ava. She might not be her biological mother, but she’d come to be a wonderful mom to her.

Ava stood still and smoothed her hands down over the dress. “I feel okay,” she said cautiously.

Becca tilted her head to the side. “Only okay? Is there something that you’re not happy about?”

Ava dropped her gaze.

“What is it, sweetie?” Hannah asked.