Page 82 of The Wedding Toast
Her hand had come up to cover her heart.Even now, tears stung behind her eyes.
She reached for her phone to reread their messages.
Becca: Jacob!It’s so beautiful.Thank you.
Jacob: You’re beautiful.I wanted to give it to you with the earrings, but I couldn’t carry the box around with me all evening.I don’t know what jewelry you plan to wear tomorrow.Don’t feel you need to wear those, but I wanted you to have them so that you have the option.
Becca: I’ll wear them.They’re perfect – just like you.
Jacob: I’m not, and we both know it.But I promise I’ll never stop trying to be perfect for you.
Becca: You don’t need to try, you already are.Are you having fun with the guys?
Jacob: We’ve had a great time, I’m glad we did this.Going to turn in soon.
Becca: Me too – I’ve loved this evening with Callie, but I just want to get to tomorrow.
Jacob: We’re nearly there.I’ll say goodnight.See you under the arch at 3:30.
Becca: I’ll be there!
Jacob: I’ll be waiting.Love you.Goodnight, Becs.
Becca: Aww, goodnight, Smiley.
Chapter Nineteen
Trick closed the door to the flower shop behind him and stepped back out onto the street feeling foolish.It had been a stupid idea.He should have known better, and now he did.
He blew out a sigh and started walking back to his truck.He should put the whole thing out of his mind.Annalise might be back in Napa, but that didn’t mean … it didn’t mean anything.She hadn’t even let him know that she was back.That should tell him everything he needed to know.
He’d been a coward when he and Elliott had collected her and Delaney from San Francisco on Thursday – he’d stayed in the cockpit the whole time.He could have avoided her completely if Jacob hadn’t asked them to give the ladies a ride when they landed back at the estate.They’d dropped Delaney off to see Hannah, and Trick was grateful to have Elliott with him.He hadn’t wanted to be left alone with Annalise.If he were honest, it wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to be alone with her as that he didn’t trust himself not to say something stupid if he were.
He should be thankful that the woman in the flower shop had told him that giant buttercups weren’t something they sold.What did he think he was going to do with them if she’d sold him a bunch?He could hardly drive over to the Montclair place and give them to her, could he?And although he’d see her at the wedding this afternoon, that wasn’t the time or the place to be giving her flowers.
He should head home, take a shower, and get ready.He’d go and hang out at the estate and help if he could, but now that the decorators and their team were there, they’d made it clear that they were in charge and didn’t want any interference.He huffed to himself – interference!As far as he was concerned, they were the ones interfering.Even Walt and Elena were staying out of the way today.He understood it, he really did – the wedding was a one-off event that the team who ran the estate wouldn’t have been able to pull off, but it still rankled a little to have strangers come in and take over.
Still, he made himself smile.They’d be gone again after tomorrow.Jacob and Becca would be happily married.Things around the estate would get back to normal.And life… his smile faded.He didn’t know how he could get on with his life as normal knowing that Annalise was back.
“Sir Oak!”
He looked around when he heard Zia calling him.He knew damn well it was her.He’d know that sing-song little voice anywhere.And besides, no one else had ever called him Sir Oak.He didn’t know what he made of the name she’d bestowed on him, but so far at least, no one else had heard it.
~ ~ ~
Zia tugged on Reaves’s hand as they made their way back to where he’d parked.
“Look, it’s Sir Oak!Sir Oak!”
Reaves looked down the street, wondering if he was about to meet someone she and Alara knew.
He laughed when he saw Trick a little farther down the sidewalk, waving back at Zia.
“Hello, Sir Oak!”she called before Reaves had the chance to greet him.“We’re going to see Prince Daddy’s daddy’s castle.Do you want to come?”
Trick chuckled and shot Reaves an inquiring look.
“Yes, this is Prince Daddy,” Zia said, tugging on Reaves’s hand.“You know each other, don’t you?”
