Page 75 of The Wedding Toast
Trick chuckled.“No, it’s all okay.I never had a problem with her.Always respected her.”
"Yeah, me too," said Smoke."Me too."
"Ria," he greeted her when she reached them.
"Yes, Smoke?"she asked."What can I do for you?"
"Not a thing.I thought you were—"
She laughed."Well, you thought wrong.I see you almost every day back at the lake.I can catch up with you anytime."She reached out to touch Trick's arm."It's you I'd like to talk to."
Trick grinned at him when Ria said, "If you want to make yourself useful, Smoke, you could check on Russ for me, if you like."
Smoke had to laugh as he said, "Yes, ma'am.I know when I'm not wanted."
~ ~ ~
Becca slipped her arm through Alyssa’s.“I feel like I’ve hardly seen you at all.”
Alyssa smiled.“That’s hardly surprising, is it?You’ve got so much going on.Everyone wants a word with you.And of course, there’s your family.”She met Becca’s gaze.“How’s that going?”
Becca glanced over to where Dawn and Dean were sitting by themselves, then looked back at her friend with a shrug.“It’s all okay, I think.”She laughed when she spotted Danny and CJ talking to Xander and Slade.“Those two are enjoying themselves — but then they’d enjoy themselves anywhere.”
Alyssa laughed with her.“I like them.I was having a chat with them earlier.They’re real characters, aren’t they?”
Becca rolled her eyes.“You could say that, yes, but at least they’re fun.But what about you?I bet it’s nice having your dad around, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Alyssa agreed.“I love getting to spend time with him.”
“Are they staying for long?”Becca asked.
“They’re here for the week,” said Alyssa.“I didn’t know how comfortable Dad would be staying with Madeleine and Cole Hamilton, but he seems to be getting along well with them.I’ve told Bentley, though, I’m going to ask again if they’ll come and stay at the house with us for at least a few days before they leave.Ria doesn’t like to impose.She wants us to feel as though it’s our place now.But what she doesn’t get is that we already do feel that way — and we’d like to have them around a bit more.”
“Aw.I hope you get to spend some time with him while they’re here.”Becca felt bad for her.Alyssa had only known Russ for a few years.Well, she’d known him until she moved to the States for college, but she’d only found out that he was her dad after her stepdad died.
“I’ll make sure I do,” said Alyssa.“But never mind about me.How about you?Are you excited?”
“I am.And at the same time, I just want it to be here now.All this build-up, all the hard work everyone’s done…” She let out a short laugh.“Everyone except me, it seems.But now I just want it to be here.I want to stand up in front of all of you and say our vows, and then finally be married.That’s the thing.”
She glanced around.“I’m not going to say this too loud because I know it sounds like I’m ungrateful.The wedding’s fabulous — more than I could ever have dreamed of.But what really matters to me is being married to him.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” said Alyssa.“I feel the same way.”
“Have you guys set a date yet?”
Alyssa chuckled as she looked over at Bentley, who was talking to Jacob and Smoke.“I think we’re about to,” she said.“Bentley’s gotten all into the details since he’s been taking his best man duties so seriously.”
“Oh, and… what?”asked Becca.“Is everything all right?”
“It is.It’s just… there’s something that I want to ask you.”
“You can ask me anything,” said Becca.
“Then I will.Will you be my bridesmaid?”
Becca’s hand came up to cover her heart.“Oh my gosh, I’d love to.But are you sure?I feel terrible that I didn’t ask you.I wanted to ask you — but Callie and I…”
Alyssa reached out to touch her arm.“Don’t, please.I’m glad you asked Callie.The two of you have been friends forever, and I love that you promised each other when you were small.Honestly, I don’t know if I’d have been comfortable being your bridesmaid anyway.”
