Page 5 of The Wedding Toast
After they ended the call, Callie took her phone back outside and set it down on the porch railing.The morning fog was finally lifting, and sunbeams tried to push their way through.Maybe this afternoon she'd head out for a drive up the coast.
She'd been in Fort Bragg for just over a year now, and she'd grown to love the place.With the fog and the damp, it was nothing like Kansas.Back home the land rolled away to the horizon under wide skies.Here, she could go for days without seeing the sky – only the fog, the clouds and the drizzle.And even they had to force their way in through the dense forest.She loved it.
She sighed as she headed back into the shed to sit at her wheel.She just wished that she'd been honest with her family about why she'd moved out here.Pulling the cart that held her supplies toward her, she shrugged.She was doing well, making a living doing what she loved.Her family might not understand, but she was still clinging to the hope that one day, she'd be so successful that they'd have to accept that being a ceramicist was more than messing around making things with clay as they saw it.
The sound of her phone beeping with a text had her getting back to her feet to go check it – then she was going to turn its sound off so that she could work in peace.
It was a text.
Becca: Ollie has your number now.He'll be in touch.Can't wait to see you!
Callie: Can't wait to see you!I'm going to make you something – don't know what yet.
Becca: Aww, thanks!I love my mug.And Jacob was serious about wanting to commission you to make a whole dinnerware set!
Callie smiled.She was more inclined to believe that Jacob was only being nice when he'd said that.He was a good guy, but she didn't have him down as the kind to love her work.
Becca: I know what you think, but I'm serious!
Callie: We'll see.Going to work now.Love you.TTYS.
Becca: Love you.TTYS.
~ ~ ~
“Let me at least pay for the fuel,” said Jacob.
Ollie rolled his eyes.“Can't we call it part of your wedding gift?It's not as though I can't afford to make a quick hop up to Fort Bragg, is it?If you want to know the truth, I'm looking forward to it.I haven't managed to take the Cirrus up much lately.”
“Well, if you're sure.Callie had planned to drive herself here, but I didn't like that idea.She's the bridesmaid after all.She shouldn't have to drive herself while all the guests get flown in.”
“It's not a problem.I'm glad to be able to help.”
“You have her number now, so I'll leave you to figure it out between you.”
Jacob checked his watch.“I should head home.”
Bentley got to his feet.“I'll walk you out.”He turned to Ollie, and Reaves, who was sitting beside him.“And you two are happy with it all?I told Andrew that he needed to schedule any travel for the sales team after the end of next week.You guys will be taking folks back to San Francisco and wherever else they need to go on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.You should take the rest of the week off.”He pursed his lips.“And if Andrew calls you with any last-minute so-called emergency requests, you send him to me.”
Reaves chuckled.“It's okay, Willow already said the same thing.I passed the message on to Andrew, so I doubt he'll be asking us to fly.”
Bentley exchanged a smile with Jacob.“The thought of having to explain himself to my sister should be enough to put him off.”
“I can't blame him,” said Jacob.“I know I wouldn't dare try to sneak anything past Willow.”
“She's good,” said Ollie.He knew the others weren't talking badly about her, but ever since they were all kids, he'd automatically stood up for Willow.She was a tough cookie, no question about it, but she wasn't as hard as people made out.
Bentley shook his head with a smile.“I know that – we all do.I'm not speaking ill of her – not only do I respect the hell out of her, but I also don't mind admitting that she's a lot better at the job than I used to be.”
“She's just tougher,” said Jacob.“But come on, if you're walking me out, let's go.”
Ollie and Reaves walked outside with Jacob and Bentley but left them to whatever groom and best man conversation they still needed to have.They climbed into Reaves's SUV and headed over to the hangar.
“Did you already get Jacob and Becca a wedding gift?”asked Reaves.
“I did.How about you?”
“Not yet.I haven't had the time to even think about shopping.”
