Page 16 of The Wedding Toast
Jacob frowned.“I’ll double your normal rate.”
He heard her inhale sharply.
“Sorry.”He deliberately gentled his tone.“I’m not trying to order you into doing it.It’s just… it means that much to me.”
He heard another quiet sigh.“I’d love to be able to help you, but I really can’t do it this week.”
“Are you still in Napa?Are you leaving?”
“I’m still here, but it’s not that.I don’t have anyone to watch my daughter.”
“So, bring her with you.”
Another silence, longer this time.Jacob glanced out the window.The cornflowers lining the edges of the driveway caught his eye – he wanted that arch.
“I’m not just saying it – she’ll be fine.She’ll be safe here on the estate.It’s a closed environment, and there’s another little girl around – my niece, Ava.Everyone will keep an eye out for your daughter.My fiancée’s mom is already trying to mother everyone who crosses her path.You’ll both be welcome.”
“You don’t understand.”
Jacob frowned.“What don’t I understand?”
“My daughter… she’s a free spirit.”
She was right.Jacob didn’t understand.“And…?”he asked.
“She’s six.”
“My niece is nine.They’ll get along.With my fiancée’s mom around, and Elena, there’ll be plenty of cookies.You’ll have space to work.I’ll get you all the supplies you need.I’ll have workers on hand to help with whatever you need – do whatever you say.”
“I can do the job — it’s just… my daughter.She’s a bit of an artist in her own right.She’ll decorate things – things you might not want decorated – with glitter and stickers and…”
“She’ll be fine,” said Jacob.“My fiancée’s mom will probably encourage her to glitter this place up a bit anyway.”
“I…”
“How about you come over tomorrow, bring your daughter, see how it feels to you?I’m hoping that when you see the cornflowers around here, you’ll understand how much this means to me – and how much it’ll mean to Becca.”
The silence dragged on for a few moments until he couldn’t take it anymore.“Please, just say yes.”
A quiet laugh, warm and surprised.“All right.It’s not that I don’t want to do the job, it’s just… don’t say I didn’t warn you.My daughter… she names people.”
Jacob smiled.“So does my future mother-in-law.They’ll get along just fine.What’s her name – your daughter?”
“Zia.”
“And what would be a good time for you and Zia to come over here tomorrow?I’d like to meet you without Becca seeing.I don’t want to tell her about the arch if you’re going to decide that you don’t want to do it.”
“Does 10:30 work?”
“That’ll be perfect.”
“And where are you?”
“It’s the Jacobs estate.”
He heard her inhale.
“Just come to the front gate.I’ll meet you there at 10:30.”
