Page 57 of The Wedding Toast
“Forgive me interrupting, but we need to find Callie a man,” he announced.
Hannah had to laugh at the way Callie’s eyes widened and she shook her head rapidly.
Mary Ellen grinned at her.“It’s all right, you’ll get used to him.It’s easiest to just smile and nod until he carries on his way.”
Antonio gave her a hurt look.“Tell me you don’t do this to me, bella?”He looked around at them.“Say it isn’t true.”
Hannah held her hands up.“I’m staying out of it.You know we all love you.”
“We do,” Delaney agreed.“And we’ll love you even more if you leave us to some girl talk.”
Antonio heaved an exaggerated sigh and kissed Mary Ellen again before turning back to Callie.“Look around at the couples here this evening and the next time I see you I’ll want you to tell me if you honestly believe that love isn’t the most important thing in the world.”
Callie shot a sideways glance at them, and Hannah laughed.
“I’m afraid he’s dead serious,” Mary Ellen told her.
He nodded emphatically.“It’s true.And when you see how happy my family and friends are because of the love they have found, you’ll understand.And you’ll want to find the same – and we can help.”
Mary Ellen rolled her eyes at him.“And who exactly do you have in mind?”
Hannah followed his gaze when he jerked his head toward where the pilots were standing talking.She was surprised that they were still here; they didn’t drink much and never the night before a flight.She knew from talking to Trick, that they’d planned to go home early from the dinner at Bentley’s place, but she guessed that Antonio had worked his powers of persuasion on them too.
What surprised her even more was Callie’s reaction; she too had followed Antonio’s gaze, but when she spotted Trick, Elliott, Reaves, and Ollie, she dropped her gaze, and her cheeks turned pink.Antonio might be onto something after all.
~ ~ ~
Callie was relieved when Delaney reached out to touch her arm and said, “Antonio might be right that love’s important, but we single ladies need to stick together, don’t we?”
“Right.”Callie couldn’t help glancing over at Ollie again.She wasn’t looking for a man – sure as hell didn’t need one, but there was something about him.She’d panicked when Antonio had indicated that when he said he wanted to find her a man, he was talking about the pilots.
Delaney met her gaze.“From what I’ve seen, I’d guess that your work is more important to you than any man could be.”
That got Callie’s attention.“What do you mean?”
Delaney smiled at Hannah and Mary Ellen.“Have you seen her work?”
Mary Ellen shook her head, but Hannah’s eyes lit up.“Oh!I have.You made that beautiful mug for Becca, didn’t you?I keep asking her how I can order one.And Jacob even asked me if I could figure out how to commission you to make a dinnerware set.He thought that Becca wouldn’t ask you.”Hannah stopped and frowned.“Shoot, that sounded wrong.Not that she wouldn’t want to ask you.”
Callie laughed.“It’s okay.She wouldn’t ask me because she knows that I’m not … I don’t.”She shrugged.“Everything I have for sale is on my Etsy store.”
She was a little taken aback by the way Delaney rolled her eyes.“Good lord, girl.Can I please close that down for you?”
Callie frowned.“And how exactly do you want me to make a living if I do that?The markets are fun, but I can’t take much to them.I sell out what I take but …”
Delaney covered her eyes with her hand and groaned.“You’re selling at markets?”She heaved out a big sigh.
“What’s wrong with that?”Callie was starting to feel a little offended – she didn’t know this woman.
Delaney leaned in toward her.“I’m sorry.I don’t mean to sound bitchy; I’m frustrated that’s all.”
“But why?I’m not like you guys.I need to sell what I make to support myself.”
“You’re not like us, no.”
Callie scowled.There was no need for her to spell it out so clearly.
Delaney shook her head with a laugh.“I’m messing this up.What I’m trying to say is that you should be selling every single piece of your exquisite work for more than you could ever make at a market.”
